First fish

[rickh]

I am helping a friend set up a new tank. The tank is cycled and several coral and crabs are doing great. His parents are visiting for Christmas and they want to buy him a fish. I usually quarantine fish before putting them in the main tank, but they want to see a fish in the tank. How dangerous would it be to chose a healthy looking $20 clown and just put him in?? Then he would quarantine additional fish in the future. I think if the fish looks healthy and there is no one to stress him out in the new tank he should be OK. Ick and other nasty bugs are already in the tank from the coral and crabs. If new fish aren't stressed or injured they should be fine. Opinions. Thanks. R

 

[tecwzrd]

How dangerous would it be to chose a healthy looking $20 clown and just put him in??

I wouldn’t risk it personally because if he is sick which you can’t always tell right away you don’t want to have to dose the main tank with medications, especially with coral and crabs in the main as medications to treat diseases can sometimes hurt them.

Ick and other nasty bugs are already in the tank from the coral and crabs.

Not very likely, either way it’s best to QT any new additions for 4+ weeks before adding to the main. A 10 gal tank along with a PH/filter & heater is sufficient for most fish unless over 3” and if you don’t have a cycled QT then make sure you keep a close eye on the water parameters.

 

[melosu58]

The old russian roulette with the reef tank trick. Not a good option IMO. Hey Tec where at in Va.

 

[tecwzrd]

Right on the line of Newport News and Hampton Do you have any good lfs up that way? I have one or two in this area but usually end up driving to Va beach to animal jungle to get my stuff

 

[demodiki]

Not the best of ideas. Impressing the parents vs introducing a pathogen......

 

[rickh]

But those nasty things are in the water all the time. A fish gets sick because he is 1. Already sick when you put him in or 2. Stressed from new tankmates. Your kitchen/bathroom is full of every bacteria you can imagine. You get sick because you introduce them into your body through a cut in your skin or through your stomach by not washing/cooking food correctly.
If the new $20 fish gets sick--he dies. No treatments in the coral tank.

 

[melosu58]

If you did not care what anyone said why did you post this thread. It sounds like you already had made up your mind before asking.

 

[demodiki]

But those nasty things are in the water all the time. A fish gets sick because he is 1. Already sick when you put him in or 2. Stressed from new tankmates. Your kitchen/bathroom is full of every bacteria you can imagine. You get sick because you introduce them into your body through a cut in your skin or through your stomach by not washing/cooking food correctly.
If the new $20 fish gets sick--he dies. No treatments in the coral tank.

Wow.

 

[StripesTheEel]

You asked for help, and we give our opinion and you cut everyone down. As said it looks like you've already made up your mind. In the future dont post if you arent going to listen to anyones advice.

 

[rickh]

Sorry--it's the grumpy old man coming out again. R

 

[rickh]

OK. Heres a question for you--what do you do with something like a Mandarin. I doubt there is anything in your quarantine tank for it to feed on for a month. R

 

[tecwzrd]

I wouldn't even attemp a Mandarin unless your tank is 90+ gal with 1.5+ lbs of LR per gal, a year old and has tons of pods.

To answer your question, you would be able to harvest pods/LR from the tank to put into your QT until the time has passed to be able to transfer the Mandarin to the main.

 

[rickh]

I didn't say that I would put a Mandarin in as a first fish in a new tank. Even with an aged large tank it would be difficult to collect and transfer enough pods to support a Mandarin in a quarantine tank.