Griz
Fish Herder
I have a 15 gal tank that has been set up for about 3 weeks now awaiting my shell-dwellers. I finally located some and will have them on Sunday. The filter is an Aquaclear 150 and I have had a filter sponge running in another tank for about a month now.
I am concerned that when the fish arrive and I put the filter sponge in that the bacteria will be starved of ammonia. The shellies I am getting are a pair of Neolamprologus multifasciatus and these little guys (although adults) are only a little over an inch long. I don't imagine that they will be producing much waste and I'm afraid that the bacteria will die off before thay have any ammonia to feed on.
Option #1 is to simply put in the filter pad with the fish and hope for the best. I'm afraid that I'll end up with a cycle to deal with.
Option #2 is to test the water several times per day after the fish go in (this is not a problem for me) I'll watch the nitrites and put the filter pad in as soon as I see a trace of ammonia. Because of the size of these fish I can't see the ammonia level building to toxic levels very quickly.
What say the experts?
I am concerned that when the fish arrive and I put the filter sponge in that the bacteria will be starved of ammonia. The shellies I am getting are a pair of Neolamprologus multifasciatus and these little guys (although adults) are only a little over an inch long. I don't imagine that they will be producing much waste and I'm afraid that the bacteria will die off before thay have any ammonia to feed on.
Option #1 is to simply put in the filter pad with the fish and hope for the best. I'm afraid that I'll end up with a cycle to deal with.
Option #2 is to test the water several times per day after the fish go in (this is not a problem for me) I'll watch the nitrites and put the filter pad in as soon as I see a trace of ammonia. Because of the size of these fish I can't see the ammonia level building to toxic levels very quickly.
What say the experts?
