What have I done?!?

[redrooster]

On Saturday I heard from a friend that was at somebody's house who was about to flush their fish. He knew they were valuable and figured I may want them, so he give me a call. I rush over (about 40 minutes away) and collect up these fish. These people gave me, for free, the following fish that they were acutally going to murder. A baby true percula clown that was living in their sump. A coral beauty angel, a 4" dogface puffer, a 5" undulated trigger, a 3" huma huma trigger and a 7" miniatus grouper. I gave my father the coral beauty and clown fish. I took the puffer and undulated trigger to my best LFS and he sells a lot of stuff for me for 50%. Considering they were free thats a great deal.
Now here is where things get tricky. I put the other trigger and the grouper in my reef tank. Without going into detail its a 75G overstocked reef. I already had too many fish on top of having too many corals. Before putting them in I bagged up a few of my least favorite corals and took them to the LFS for sale to help the overcrowding. Now I have 10 fish in my tank that are about triple the bioload I should have if it was fish only. I also have about 20 corals, not frags but full on large pieces of coral. I also have snails, shrimp, crabs, starfish, and such. I had been working on converting my tank to an SPS tank, but about a month ago I found out my wife was pregnant, and I started thinking a tank with less maintenance might be better, so I was thinking of going to fish only or a bare bones reef. Now I've got to do something fast because if I don't things will start being eaten or killed I'm sure. So far in 48 hours the Huma Huma and the grouper haven't eaten or damaged anything, but it is inevitable and the clock is ticking. Also I am buying a house soon and will need to move the tank. I'm figuring fish will be much easier to move than a ton of coral. I takes me a lot of time to set the rock back up and aquascape if coral is involved.
I know its a matter of preferance, but what are your opinions. Do I get rid of a few fish and a few corals and see how it goes? Do I get rid of most/all the coral and do a fish and LR tank? Do I tear it down so I can catch the trigger/grouper and trade them in? Ugh. Another tank is best solution but not possible at this time. Is there anybody near me (Chicago) that is looking for any fish or corals? I can give you some great deals, but I don't really want to deal with shipping. The corals are mostly SPS/LPS.

 

[burning2nd]

woW, SOunds like you got your self a hand full....

Id try to find someone close by to hold on 2 your stuff for a while (if thats cool with them)

I know someone who let someone else borrow there corals and stuff till they got there stuff figerd all back out....

Good luck

 

[spongebob lover]

well the problem is not the corals dood is the fishes.
i'd get rid of a few fishes that you might not like.
since you're buying a new home, if i was you, i'd hire someone to move the tank for you (i've been there and it's not fun at all, so if there's a fish store that moves tanks...i'd definetly do that ...specially since your wife can't help.....OR ask a friend to help you (don't forget to invite him pizza and a beer ).
Even if you go only fish, i'd still get rid of a few .....sorry dood .

 

[ronj]

i would get rid of the extra fish..trade them or something...WHY WAS YOUR FRIEND GOING TO KILL THEM??? that's awful

 

[Herefishyfishy]

WHY WAS YOUR FRIEND GOING TO KILL THEM??? that's awful

I heard of a reefer killing a rare orange fuzzy acro crab too:lol: :lol:

On a serious note, large groupers and triggers do not belong in a reef. Exceptions to all rules, but I have lost a lot of shrimp to groupers and heard of whole zoa colonies, etc going to triggers

 

[spongebob lover]

I heard of a reefer killing a rare orange fuzzy acro crab too

LMBO!!!:lol:....yeah he's THE killercrab :lol:

 

[redrooster]

First off these people weren't my friends. A friend of mine was at their house when they were draining the tank and he called me a and said you may want to come over and get these before they flush them it probably worth your time.

I do have a plan now though. Some how I am going catch the trigger back out and trade him in at the LFS. He is starting to show aggresion and is destroying the surface of my liverock. He is also new so there is no attachment to him yet. I am also going to get my copperband butterfly out and give him to a friend with a 125 that has aptasia all over the LR. The butterfly ate all my aptasia in less than 2 weeks and now it won't eat anything except live brine and lives in fear of the other fish. I'll let him move on to a bigger tank with more food. I'll start there and see how it goes. I'll have added the grouper but subtracted the butterfly. Ultimely the damsel and six line need to come out when I move or sooner or they'll get eaten. So that will get it down to six fish from 10. Also my smallest gobie was missing for a few days before the grouper arived so now I'm starting to lose hope he is alive so maybe 5 fish? The grouper has been in the tank 48 hours and is starting to get less shy. He will freeswin a little bit when he is being watched now. He mostly hides in 1 of 2 caves that he can fit in.

 

[ronj]

i hope it all works out without too much damage to the tank!! at least you were able to save the lives of a few fish!!!!!!!!!

 

[spongebob lover]

yeah i agree with Ron, i hope everything works out dood.

 

[shallowreef]

Redrooster where do you live? I live in the Northwest Suburbs i may be able to help you out. I live in palatine.

 

[redrooster]

I live in Tinley Park, so its a moderate drive. My buddy did come last night and picked up the copperband butterfly so that is step one. I couldn't find the trigger this morning, I fear he may have gotten himself stuck in the rockwork again. I searched for 15 minutes but then I needed to leave for work. So I may be digging a dead trigger out of my tank when I get home. If he's alive he won't be hard to catch as he is not afraid of the net/my hand or really anything it seems. The butterfly wanted out I think, as he swam into the net and then hung out in it calmly until his pick up person arrived. I will keep doing water changes every other day until I get the bioload down. That should get me through I think.

 

[shallowreef]

Well if your in a real jam let me know and i would consider the drive. Not really sure how far away that really is but let me know.

 

[redrooster]

I think I'll figure out how to remedy the situation, but I do greatly appreciate the offer. I hope the trigger isn't dead in the tank fouling up my water though. If he's alive he's going to the LFS tommorrow unless you want him shallowreef, but I doubt it as this fish seems like an a$$hole.

I want to move the least amount of fish/corals as possible without getting rid of my best stuff, but I do have quite a bit I am willing to part with. Is there anything in particular coral wise that you are looking to add to your tank shallowreef? I have a real nice multi-zoo rock, a few clams, some hydranaphora, red and purple lobo and a few others. I'm not in a rush as I have a least a month or two until we can sell and close, but if you are interested I can give you a sweet deal and maybe even meet you pretty close to your house. What is the nearest major expressway to Palatine?

 

[redrooster]

Some pics of the trigger and a few misc coral that I didn't put under clams or SPS.

 

[redrooster]

And a florida ricordia and my mother stock orange tubestra