overload of livestock.... what to do?

[jkeating2005]

This morning i went to purchase a tank. i thought i was just picking up a tank and some live rock.

Turns out i get there and the tank has all types of livestock in it.

Fish include

Yellow Tang
Niger Trigger
Skunk Clown
4 damsels

Coral.

There is too much to list

Xenia out my ass
Some SPS
GSP
Polyps
The List goes on


I set up my 20 with a hang on filter with water from the tank i purchased. i have a Brute can Filled up about 10 inches with Corals and the damsels and starfish.

I put the niger trigger,yellow tang, and clown in the 20 until i can get the 125 set up?

But i am sure that it is going to go into a cycle.

I am moving the tang into my 46 for the time being?

what can anyone suggest i do to keep all of this livestock alive.

Daily water changes?

I am setting up the 125 monday after i get a fresh coat of paint on the Stand and canopy!

i am going to try to give some of this Xenia away (anybody want some? Pay for boxing and shipping and its yours) and some of the damsels?

 

[RyanG]

I would personally suggest trading the livestock into a LFS for credit. Will be way way too much for a 20. Definately put the tang in the 46 prolly the clown too. IMO get rid of the trigger and the damsels.

 

[jkeating2005]

the guy had the trigger for 2 years and it never touched a coral he said. i think i am gonna keep him and give him a chance. i am gonna bag up some coral and bring them to the LFS tomorrow. maybe they with work with me on them!

 

[Damseluver]

Wow; it sounds like you have quite project on your hands. I agree with the others that you need to find a lfs to take much of the live stock too. All of the fish. They will be a pain in the arse while you are working things out any way. Hopefully you have a good lfs that will work with you in this regard. I would take them in even if it ment out right giveing them to the lfs.

If it were me I would get the 125 in place about half full to put the rock in. I am not a fan of sand but if you are you will have to layer it in also. You could decide what corals you want to keep and house them in the twenty for now.

From there I would try to look at as an opportunity. Since you are not new to the hobby and most likely don't have that newbie eagerness nipping at you take your sweet time deciding just what direction you want to go with the tank.

If you take a month or more fishless getting every thing just to your likeing with the new tank you have broken the life cycle of any pathogens and parasites that may exist in this system. This is always a good thing.

At any rate if you try to get all of this set up while simutaniously haveing to worry about keeping fish alive or setting of a cycle somewhere its going to be a hair puller whithout a doubt.

 

[yote]

I gotta agree with Ryan and Damsel.
A good LFS will give credit for the corals at least.Most of them are getting away from credit for fish though.

 

[Bifferwine]

Niger triggers are pretty reef safe. There's a small chance it'd bother inverts like shrimp and crabs, but overall they are one of the safer triggers.

If you are set on keeping the fish, I think they'd be okay in a 20 gallon tank for a couple days. But they will be super stressed, and therefore very prone to ich.

Here's an alternative solution: Go to Walmart and buy a rubber tub. Anything bigger than your 20 gallon tank. Toss in some water, a heater and a powerhead, and your fish should be fine in the tub until you get the 125 set up. Any standard storage tub will be big enough for the trigger and tang for a short amount of time. Take the damsels back to the LFS.

 

[Alexander]

Its better to take what will not survive or whatever your rolling the dice on and take it to the LFS. The way i see it is that while you may not get an amazing credit for the stuff you bring in, it saves lives of living animals. And thats more important than the credit. If you have a larger sized lfs maybe they have a tank that you can have them hold the fish for you for a while at a small cost while homeostasis (biodome plug) goes back up for your tank situation.

 

[jkeating2005]

thanks everyone. i am taking all of the Xenia and the Damsels to the LFS today!

that will bring my load down alot and everything should be fine after that!

i called a few different stores and only one was able t give me credit, but wouldnt take it all. so i am just going to give some away to a friend of mine that works at another store!

 

[Altohombre]

I'd be kinda happy I got free stuff, but I understand your predicament. Sell or trade back some of the stuff and use it to get more stuff for your own tank.