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Adding new juvi multifasciatus to existing colony


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I have some bad news....

I got some juvi (hopefully female) multis yesterday in preparation for my 4foot multi tank, which has just finished cycling.

i already have a existing multi tank (2footer) with almost adult size multis in there. i didnt want to add the new multis to that tank because they are about 1/2 the size of the existing ones in there and i'd be worried about them being shredded. so for the meantime i put them in a breeding trap in my 2footer and was planning to introduce them into the 4foot on wednesday so the have time to settle in, then the bigger ones on the weekend.

while i was at work today 2 of them escaped. i found one hiding between the glass and the breeding trap (its tail had been shredded a bit) and the other was on the lying on the bottom of the tank with no fins, almost dead cryblow.gif

i know the 4foot tank is big but after what happened today i am super nervous about mixing them with the bigger multis.

how can i add them safely together? i dont want to risk more dying!

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You might try totally re-arranging the tank, ie pull out the shells then put them back in, this would allow the newbies to come in unnoticed (after qtine) as the existing fish will be flat out re-establishing their territories. Downside here is that you may lose some fry in the shells if the female cant locate them before a male does. dntknw.gif

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well i had, and still have no intention of putting them in the 2ft with the established multi colony (thats why they were in the trap). its just the 4ft wasnt ready yet.

i know that im going to put the juvis in the 4ft 1st, but for how long i leave the juvis in the 4ft before adding the older ones was what i was worried about. because even if i give them a few weeks, once i add the older multis and they settle in they can still smash the smaller ones right?

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I would add them all at the same time in the new tank. You might want to put all the shells down one end, so once the damaged fish have recovered, you can put new shells in at the other end, and add the then healthy fish at the same time.

Alternatively, wait till the damaged fish are okay again, and add all at the same time.

Craig

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I've done it in the past with no problems.

I removed ALL the shells from the tank and smoothed the sand over. Then I added the new fish with the old, and replaced all the shells.

This gives all the fish a chance to stake out some new territories and find some new neighbours smile.gif

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hmmm well just to let u know the 4ft has no other fish in it and the floor is covered with about 150 escargot shells!

since its new territory for all fish should i

1) just add them all in at the same time

2) let the smaller ones settle in 1st

3) as craig suggested, put all the shells to one side with the juvis 1st

4) take out all the shells 1st and add them all at the same time

Baz, if i take all the shells out to get them all acquainted without territories, how long before i put the shells back in?

sorry to ask so many Q's, i just dont want the little ones to get smashed!

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As BaZ said thumb.gif I have recently set up a 4' x 18" x 18" for the multis and added different groups to form one colony. I ended up with 1 male that took a beating, but he has recovered now. I won't add him back to the group and he is happy in a mixed tang. tank.

Andrea smile.gif

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Baz, if i take all the shells out to get them all acquainted without territories, how long before i put the shells back in?

A few minutes.

With the sand flattened, and the shells in different positions, they will be too busy looking around in wonder to be territorial.

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