Should I move fry to the 125 gal now? Help?

[catstoy66]

'Evening everyone! So I'm wondering if it's a good idea to move my guys over to the 125 gal I've had waiting for them.  For anyone who doesn't know, I currently have 25 Ndole Bay Reds in a 75 gal grow-out tank

They're doing great, growing wonderfully, happy, healthy & very active.  As of today I've had them now for 2 months & all are at least 2 inches.  They're grazing, displaying to each other, shoaling & having some territorial spats but overall seem very content.

I'm asking because I don't want to keep them too crowded. I've read this can have bad effects on health (of course), aggression, & growth. Then again, I'm really scared of moving them because everything has been going so good.  I have no idea of m/f ratio either at their size.

Is it too soon to move them or worry about it? Is it time based on the colony size in a 75 gal?  

I really appreciate any guidance & help as this is my first experience in moving & I'm not having much luck finding specific resource information .

Thanks! ~ Cat

[phish]

The sooner the better so they can adapt to their new environment. They will grow faster too in the 125g.

[catstoy66]

Feb 28, 2017 21:16:30 GMT -5 phish said:

The sooner the better so they can adapt to their new environment. They will grow faster too in the 125g.

Thanks Phish! I'm leaning in this direction just nervous about the actual move & causing stress issues, spooking them, possibly bringing on health probs like bloat which I've managed to avoid thus far.  

Also, just wanted to make sure they're not too small yet to be in the 125 gal so, just nerves I guess .... 

[...]

Cat if you use the water from your 75 gal to part fill the new tank, add your Ndole, then top off the 125 with fresh tap water it will be the equivalent off an approx 40% water change. This will minimize stress and help them adjust quickly and easily to their new mansion. I say do it now sis as they are healthy and happy and should make the change smoothly 👍

[catstoy66]

Mar 2, 2017 7:17:28 GMT -5 ... said:

Cat if you use the water from your 75 gal to part fill the new tank, add your Ndole, then top off the 125 with fresh tap water it will be the equivalent off an approx 40% water change. This will minimize stress and help them adjust quickly and easily to their new mansion. I say do it now sis as they are healthy and happy and should make the change smoothly 👍

Yes! Great idea Danny, I didn't even think of doing it this way. Thanks so much bro! I hope to do it tonight buy it may have to wait for the weekend. Either way, I'll be posting photos of them in the new digs soon! Luv the support

[Mastiffman/ Duramax7Man7]

Yep. Danny hit the nail on the head with that one. I have been doing it this way for years! I haven't cycled a new tank in over a decade.

My New tanks are setup with new substrate and filtration are seeded with half water from an existing tank (typically the tank that they are coming from if a move is taking place), then fill up completely with new tap and normal water change additives per my weekly routine. Then I grab a couple of handfuls of substrate from the old tank (I used the same Carib Sea Aragonite in all my tanks) and mix it in the new tanks substrate and then I take a part of the filter media from the old tank, rinse it out in the water column of the new tank and place that piece of media in the new filtration. It stays in the new filter until the filters first maintenance cleaning. Then goes back into the old filter.

Works every time! Just wait a day or to before feeding and then feed light for a week. The Beneficial Nitrifying Bacteria Colony doubles every 24 hours so the tanks BB Colony is typically up to full bio-load within a week of setting it up.

I have never lost fish using this method.