Fish To Cycle With

[Pimp]

whats the best fish to cycle with. Gold fish? barbs?

i have to use fish since i wont be able to add the rugal ammonia dosage.

 

[Meds081603]

feeder goldfish or cherry barbs

 

[WayneVT08]

I havent thought about the feeder goldfish. that would make it faster would it not? just because they are cheap?

 

[Ilya]

Feed the goldfish them like once or twice a day, so they'll produce a lot of waste. And do like 10% water changes about 3 times a week + the recommended amount of water changes to keep the fish alive.

 

[GuppyDude]

No, dont use golfish for a tropical cycle. Cherry barbs would work, but minnow species like danios or "ruby reds" are generally more hardy and cheap, as they are often feeder fish.

 

[Pimp]

does it make a difference if the fish is tropical or not.. im either gettin a 75 or 100 gallon.. how many fish should be used to cycle.....?

 

[Amunet]

Since you said you can't add ammonia on a regular basis, does this mean you aren't going to be doing regular water changes to ensure the fish don't die? Or will you just be replacing the fish that die with more until the cycling is done?


It's a shame, but well.. GL with whatever you decide to do.
If I were you, I'd probably go with feeder goldfish... even if the tank was going to be tropical. They'd produce alot of waste.

 

[Pimp]

well i will be home to do the weekly water changes.. just not enough to add ammonia.

can i cycle a 75-100 gal with feeders - how much

how long should it take?

 

[stang1]

I'd still cycle the tank without fish as it will be kinder on them. Don't worry about adding ammonia, I've never used it to cycle my tanks although a lot of people do. It's just a case of being patient, your fish will appreciate it.

 

[Pimp]

what?? ok not the answer im looking for- and how do you do that?

 

[stang1]

On a couple of my tanks I added a bit of flake food every couple of days to help the bacteria build up but the rest I just left to cycle without adding anything.
I know of many people who have cycled their tank in exactly the same way. May take a bit longer but worth it in the end.

 

[Amunet]

Uhm, but you have to add something that is going to provide the ammonia for the bacteria to grow.
Flake food would be an easy way to go, but I've never tryed it though so don't know how much you'd have to add to cycle a large tank such as yours.

You could try a piece of raw fish or raw shrimp (the kind we eat). Let it decay in the water and it will release ammonia, but once again, never tryed this and heard that it stinks.

Or you could try getting some mature filter media from someone. Mature media, add dechlorinated water, presto! Got yourself a cycled tank.

Or, if you can find it, you could always try some Bio-Spira. You add in the Bio-Spira, then right after you add in the fish to start producing ammonia to feed the bacteria from the BS.

Anywho... I'm not sure how many fish you should get for the tank. I guess it depends what you want in it after it's finished? I'd get enough feeders plus some so that the bacteria that builds up will be more than what the fish that's going to end up in the tank need... if that makes any sense

 

[stang1]

Like I said, a lot of people do use ammonia to cycle the tank but we never have.
We've managed to cycle our tanks with no problems whatsoever. OK, it may take a little bit longer but the key word is patience. If we had been unsuccessful in using this method then I would not recommend doing it.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Just dump in some ammonia and leave it until it goes to 0. You can do that weekly.

 

[MermaidMel]

Danios and harlequins - they are tough as nails, used them loads of times with no fatalities and went to last ages and ages, had to return some to the shop when I moved as they lasted so long