Live aquaria fish?

I'm ready for my next 2 fish and have decided they are going to be dartfish. I have a couple concerns though:
I don't have a qt tank, but I've read up on live aquarias methods and they seem fine, do ou think I'll be ok?
If i want lyretail and zebra dartfish, (planning on 4 total- 2 zebras, 2 lyretails) should I add 4 all at once? Or is that going to overload my tank (I'm assuming they'd only be 1-2 inches on arrival)
I have a bangaii cardinal and regular clowns right now, are the clowns too aggressive?
Levels are good, just got my clean up crew to deal with algae outbreak ( I can't even see into the tank lol) everyone in there seems happy

Oh and I've read the fish are jumpers, but since my tank is pre cut, no lid. If I tape acrylic over all the 3 holes, would that do the job well?

Thanks!

 

Taping anything over holes is going to change your parameters, and oxygen levels in your tank IMO....if nothing harrasses them, they shouldnt jump...the clowns, shouldnt really bother them since they are so different..but then again you never know....but I wouldnt cover up my tank...just my opinion

 

Just received 4 fish from liveaquaria very pleased with packaging and fish health. They also make sure your fish are compatible. Males females pairs etc also extremely pleased with customer service. They didn't have the size u wanted in stock. I ordered 3 blue reef chromis large and a tail spot blenny. Because it took two weeks to get my chromis they sent me the blenny for free shipping! I was in contact with them the entire time they kept me updated it was a wonderful experience. Good luck!

 

If you want to cover the tank, use some kind of screening. Fish don't have to be scared by something to jump. Our wrasse jumps out of the water all the time and there's nothing aggressive in our tank. He just spazzes out and jumps out 3 or 4 times and scares himself into going to bed LOL.

 

Haha well I actually have some screening lying around...not the DIY type, so misc. useful materials lying around is a first

 

I wouldn't do all four at once, especially if you are having an algae outbreak. An extra bioload will only create more nitrates and that will not help.

As far as QT, it is the only for way to not introduce infected livestock into your tank. And if a fish has ich for example, it allows you to treat it and not harm your display tank. You'll hear stories of reefers who have never used a QT and had no issues and some who never have for years until one day a fish wiped out his/her tank. Decision is all yours.

I used to have egg crate over my tank to prevent my dart fish from jumping. Others have made a mesh screen with some supplies from home depot.

 

Yes, just figured out that my lfs would special order the zebras for me in a few weeks, figured that would give my tank enough time to get used to the bioload. And I know I'm going to sound crazy, but I sort of want my algae outbreak to continue...gives all the crabs/snails/urchin I bought something to eat... I'm kind of scared to think of what I'm going to feed my hermits when the algae is all gone. I have two 3 inch ones that I am legitimately frightened of.

 

I order from liveaquaria for most of my livestock but hadnt ordered in months. I hadn't added a new fish to my tank in 2 months. Well the order i got 2 weeks ago, a dotty back that had Brooklynella which of course i didn't see when looking at him before placing him in the tank...2 days later it came out of hiding and i was like NOOOOOOO. By then it was Friday I don't have a fish store here in my town so i was pretty much SOL it wiped out all my fish but 2 Im terrified of adding more now So my recommendation is if u order fish make a lil quarantine tank, even if u have to go on craigslist and find a cheap ten gallon. I WISH i would of. BTW im not saying Liveaquarias bad there a good company to order from have awesome customer service it was my own fault for not quarantining

 

That's horrible! Sorry man. I'm definitely going qt tank...did live aquaria offer some apology/reimbursement? I thought their stuff was guaranteed 14 days...

 

This is the big drawback to ordering livestock online IMO. When you can thoroughly examine your selected animal and observe it eating you are much less likely to have an issue(not 100% failsafe).Especially if your not planning on QTing. Dartfish do in fact jump.I had one in a tank all by himself and woke up the next day to find it on the floor.Also make sure you are using fiberglass screen not metal if you plan on DIY.