How many fish - under current conditions

newsalt · 02-15-2004, 03:42 PM

I have a 15g high tank that has been running since before Christmas. You can see from my profile below what I have in the tank now (LR, etc.). The fish now seem great. All swimming and getting along. Water parameters are fine too: Ammonia - 0ppm, Nitrite - 0ppm, Nitrate - 25ppm. With the exception of some snails and hermits, this is a FOWLR tank. I do a 2 gallon water change every other week. Occasionally (once a week give or take), I may also siphon out about 1/2 gal to remove the Coral Beauty poop. I was at Petco today and saw these great looking Pajama Cardinals at a good price, $10.99 ea. I thought it would be great to have two of those. The seem peaceful and don't need alot of swimming room. Am I really max. out on fish in my tank under the current conditions? No way to add these two little cardinals? For the record, I'm switching to a 50g in the spring. Maybe I should just wait, but at that price, it's hard. If I did get the cardinals now, when I got the 50g, I would probably only add 3 blue-green chromis and a cleaner shrimp.

Thanks for your input.

Gina · 02-15-2004, 03:47 PM

If you are going to be upgrading to a larger tank in the spring, I would just wait till you switch to a bigger tank. Only for the reason that their may be some aggression from the other fish and a 15g high doesn't give the fish alot of room to escape.
Just my .02.

caja · 02-15-2004, 03:52 PM

You'd really be pushing the bioload with adding two more fish. It's not so much the swimming room needed for the cardinals as they do tend to just hover in one place (altho the aggression and lack of room for escape is a possibility), but it's the waste produced that will cause a problem. I'd wait till you upgrade.

Maxx · 02-15-2004, 04:08 PM

Gota agree w/ the ladies....You're pretty full on fish right now. In fact some people would say that you are over it. I would wait until the upgrade comes through before adding anymore fish.
Nick

gaubow · 02-15-2004, 05:35 PM

sucks when you don't get the answers that you hope for!!!!!

Montanareefer · 02-15-2004, 05:47 PM

Yeah gaubow it is frustrating when you really know you should not put any more fish in that size of a tank and hoping people here might say it's ok but it's for the good of your present fish and save you a disaster down the road and maybe lose what you have now.

Are there plans for a bigger tank in the near future?

Craig Manoukian · 02-15-2004, 10:16 PM

OK gaubow you can use me as a punching bag! Absolutely no more fish until you upgrade.

See , we are all against ya!

Tough to be patient, go slow, and let it grow ain't it?

02-15-2004, 03:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
newsalt Torch coral Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 574 View Gallery Karma Komment	How many fish - under current conditions I have a 15g high tank that has been running since before Christmas. You can see from my profile below what I have in the tank now (LR, etc.). The fish now seem great. All swimming and getting along. Water parameters are fine too: Ammonia - 0ppm, Nitrite - 0ppm, Nitrate - 25ppm. With the exception of some snails and hermits, this is a FOWLR tank. I do a 2 gallon water change every other week. Occasionally (once a week give or take), I may also siphon out about 1/2 gal to remove the Coral Beauty poop. I was at Petco today and saw these great looking Pajama Cardinals at a good price, $10.99 ea. I thought it would be great to have two of those. The seem peaceful and don't need alot of swimming room. Am I really max. out on fish in my tank under the current conditions? No way to add these two little cardinals? For the record, I'm switching to a 50g in the spring. Maybe I should just wait, but at that price, it's hard. If I did get the cardinals now, when I got the 50g, I would probably only add 3 blue-green chromis and a cleaner shrimp. Thanks for your input. __________________ Equipment 120g Reef, (2) 250W XM 20K MH, (2) 110W T12 VHO Super Actinic, MRC MR2 Beckett Skimmer, 55g Sump, Iwaki Return Pump Setup August 2006

02-15-2004, 03:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,292 View Gallery Karma Komment	If you are going to be upgrading to a larger tank in the spring, I would just wait till you switch to a bigger tank. Only for the reason that their may be some aggression from the other fish and a 15g high doesn't give the fish alot of room to escape. Just my .02. __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

02-15-2004, 04:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
Maxx Manta Ray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: St Louis Mo Posts: 3,079 View Gallery Karma Komment	Gota agree w/ the ladies....You're pretty full on fish right now. In fact some people would say that you are over it. I would wait until the upgrade comes through before adding anymore fish. Nick __________________ "Chaos, confusion, despair...my work is done here." ...Some guy named Murphy.... A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!" Reef Sanctuary Knowledgebase (Answers to all your questions and then some!)

02-15-2004, 10:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
Craig Manoukian Regular Guy Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marina Del Ray, CA Posts: 15,724 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	OK gaubow you can use me as a punching bag! Absolutely no more fish until you upgrade. See , we are all against ya! Tough to be patient, go slow, and let it grow ain't it? __________________ Currently tankless. 20 Gallon mini reef with mated pair of Maroon Clowns given to Rougiem! 80 gallon reef given to Rougiem/Wooster HS.

02-15-2004, 03:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
caja Cabbage Leather Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 371 View Gallery Karma Komment	You'd really be pushing the bioload with adding two more fish. It's not so much the swimming room needed for the cardinals as they do tend to just hover in one place (altho the aggression and lack of room for escape is a possibility), but it's the waste produced that will cause a problem. I'd wait till you upgrade.

02-15-2004, 05:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
gaubow Star Polyps Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: chicagoland Posts: 161 View Gallery Karma Komment	sucks when you don't get the answers that you hope for!!!!!

02-15-2004, 05:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
Montanareefer Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,334 View Gallery Karma Komment	Yeah gaubow it is frustrating when you really know you should not put any more fish in that size of a tank and hoping people here might say it's ok but it's for the good of your present fish and save you a disaster down the road and maybe lose what you have now. Are there plans for a bigger tank in the near future?

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