So going into my second year of maintaining and owning a saltwater tank I decided that I would recollect my first fish. Now I got my first tank by working a bunch of overtime and a lot of standby at work. I walked in to the fish bowl and asked for a price and setup. I walked out with a 75 gallon reef ready tank, all the lights, skimmer, salt, sand, and a everything else associated with the hobby yet no fish! I listened to Mike and the process of cycling a new tank! So a few weeks went by and some “stuff” started to happen and I was told I was ready for a hardy “starter fish”! So I brought home 3 blue green Chromis! So a few weeks went by and I lost 2… I started adding fish but Chromy (because all my fish have names) still was kicking! Fairly small yet bigger than the previous 2 I lost, it would swim and eat and swim and eat! Kinda kiddish and a fast little swimming devil! A year came and went and Chromy was still kicking! Well then the big move happened, goodbye 75 gallon hello 225! As I started the planning of moving ,2 months before a deployment mind you, I couldn’t wrap my head around how to move my fish! But I did it! The 225 was setup and cycling but I needed my rock from my 75 gallon. So I decided to bring the new fish home in put em in smaller tanks as the new one was still getting “seasoned”! Well my fast little Chromy was a pain to catch! Had the tank almost completely drained before I could catch him! So I bring him to the new house along with his friends and no one was lost! Well before the “big move” I inherited other fish which were in another tank. Guess what, another blue green Chromis was brought home yet never met its new tank mate. Well I waited as long as I could (almost caused my fish to die from other issues) and plopped all my fish into the new tank! Well coming up on 2 years and guess who’s still apart of my fish family? Chromy and his buddy C2! Now Chromy was my 1st fish and I still have him! Chromis get a bad reputation for being a cheap starter fish, yet my Chromis has grown so big a very beautiful specimen! So much personality and just a cool little fish to have in my tank filled with expensive bigger fish! If you have read this whole story please share your first fish! <
My first fish were a pair of very young clown fish, way back in 2004. After one upgrade to a bigger tank and 2 moves, the last being a 300 mile trek, I still have one clown fish swimming around in my tank. YahoO
I would never have recommended a green chromis as a starter fish they are not that hardy…domino damsel.three stripe,or blue devils maybe…
When I started my first saltwater tank in 1975 I used spiny box fish to cycle the tank- one of the local wholesalers at the time explained to me that they have a high tolerance to ammonia…It went well -I used three to cycle my 30long…and lost none in the process.
There is a product out now that I used frequently about 7 yrs ago and NEVER lost a fish during a cycle…it is called AQUA GOLD by national fish pharmaceuticals…I even added a scribbled angel to a 40 breeder 48 hrs after introducing aqau gold to an UNCYCLED tank…no loss or ammonia related stress…IT WORKS ! I know it says -for use on freshwater …but it works on salt ,too according to the mfr…
HTH…
Nice! I have a clownfish that’s been with me since my first tank that was just mine in 2008. She’s survived 4 different tanks and being moved 3 times 