Got A Rook Here.

[Tomas]

I gotten a 15 gallon fish tank. I read several topics and faqs/guides about cycling fish, and yet, I am still confused. Then I found out that you can use a fish to cycle your tank for you. That sounds like a good idea to me, but I am afraid of the fish dying on me( I cant take that ) What would be a good fish to survive the process. Also, I can get some gravel from my friends tank, would that help it?( its pretty succsesfull, got a catfish, and some other flat ones, really fast.)

~Tom

 

[thefishykid]

depending on how long your tank has been established try 2 or 3 hardy fish nothing big zebra danios is what i started my tank of with. guppies can do the same. only add 2 or 3 fish erery 2 weeks ontil you have all the fish you want. keep a eye on the nitrite nitrate and ph levels. once you have the balance your tank should be ok good luck.

 

[Tomas]

Like I said, I just got the tank, so its not established at all

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Depends on what fish you want to keep, as well. If you want to keep the fish you cycle with, you should give us an idea of what you are planning on putting into the tank.

I'd suggest livebearers as a good beginner's fish, even with the loads of fry. Danios should be okay, though I would prefer to put them in a bigger tank.

 

[Matty]

try using your friends filter media in your filter or tank. that will really jumpstart the bacteria colony

 

[Tomas]

I have not decided what fish I want to use. Something I can manage, since I am a begginer. I been hearing a lot about danios, what about Chinese fighting fish, how do they work with other groups?

 

[rdd1952]

As for cycling, as Matty suggested, if you can get some filter media (or an old filter cartridge if he uses a power filter) from your friend, that would seriously speed a fishless cycle. If he does have the HOB type filter and cold give you part of the media from the pack, you could prossibly do a fishless cycle in less than a week. It would have to be moved from his tank to yours in a pretty quick timeframe since the bacteria will start to die without a food supply and also if the media dries out.

 

[dwarfgourami]

If you are worried about fish dying on you, the obvious answer is to do a fishless cycle. By regularly adding drops of liquid ammonia you can encoruage beneficial bacteria to colonise the tank before the fish are introduced. There are good pinned topics on this; the process takes 2-3 but you can use the time to establish the tank and researching the fish you buy, in the knowledge that they will not have to suffer the toxins of a cycling tank.

If you do decide to cycle with fish, not all livebearers are equally hardy: platys are the only ones I'd recommend. Other options are danios or black widow tetras- though a 15 gallon is too small for danios IMO. Remember that whatever you use for cycling will still be taking up space in your tank afterwards, and if they are a schooling species (like tetras) you will need to keep a group of them.

 

[big mick]

Fighting fish wouldnt be a good idea but there are all sorts of fish that would be relativly easy to keep like the ones mentioned....danios need alot of swimming space so they need a long tank as prev mentioned, exactly how big is the tank you have or are getting?

.....sorry just read the 15g bit....I agree too small for danio's.

 

[Tomas]

Argh, and I did not get the tank afterall, I think im going to go to my last, desperate choice, a tank kit at walmart...