Has My Tank/filters Cycled?

[Dubfellas]

I'm fairly new to keeping fish. We had a 24L cold water tank for a few months with 2 orandas, but found my youngest son (1yr old) neck deep paddling in it as it only had a perspex lid. So we urgently went out and bought a used 125L tropical tank with lid so he couldnt get in it. Unfortunatly this tank came with 3 jack dempsey chichlids which we read, and saw, were agressive towards each other and we didnt want them hurting the orandas so we got rid of them the next morning. But, as it came with the fish, we had to fill the tank and throw them straight in. We put the orandas and the filter from the 24L tank straight in aswell, along with the sponge filter that came with the new tank. We were expecting the tank to cycle as that is what we were led to beleive happens when you have a new tank. We monitored the water levels, testing them for the next few days and everything seemed fine, almost as if the tank had lready cycled. So after a few day we got a bit silly and brought 12 tetras and 4 catfish. Still everything seemed fine so two days later w got 2 red honey gourami and 1 male dwarf gourami. Still, two weeks later water levels are all good and all the fish, even the coldwater orandas are doing great. So i was wondering if my tank was classed as cycled because i have two filters running that already had all the good bacteria already in them? Or is at some point my tank going to start having problms? Or have i just been lucky? Any of your guys views wud be muh appreciated, cheers

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hello and welcome!

You didn't start with a "new" tank. It was a "new to you" tank.

So, since the tank came WITH the cichlids/heater/filter/etc, you could feel very confident that the tank came with bacteria, then you moved the other fish over to the tank with their filter, so the bacteria were ready to go.


So, you are fully cycled, it seems. And as you removed the other fish, you lowered the bioload, before building it back up.




There are a few issues though. First, it's great that you got the larger tank, as the 2 orandas needed at least 20 gallons, as I understand it, but 30 might be better. The bad news is that that pretty much means that the new tank is fully stocked with that. Second, the tetras and catfish require higher temps than the goldfish. The goldfish may survive with the higher temps, but their lifecycle is sped up and they die much sooner than they should - it also causes them to produce more waste.

The final issue is getting back to what i was saying regarding the goldfish and the other fish - your new tank is now overstocked. Which can lead to problems down the road. I'd say that a minimum of 20 - 30 gallon tank for the orandas, and then leave the other tank as it is would be your best option - long term.


What tetras do you have? Some can be nippy, others are as docile as can be. Buenos Aires (Serpae) tetra, for example, can be quite nasty at times. Skirts can also get a bit nippy. Meanwhile, neon tetras, glowlights, etc. are as docile as you can get.

 

[Dubfellas]

I was told by the lfs that orandas needed 10 liters per fish

My stocking list is as follows:
2x davidsandsi cory cats
2x salt & pepper cory cats
2x red honey gouramis
1x male dwarf gourami
6x harlequin rasboras
6x golden White Cloud Mountain minnows
2x orandas

 

[techen]

I suggest not to listen to your LFS as they'll see fish as there months wages. I suggest you get one type of cory as there very shy things. When you choose what kind of cory get 6 not 2 they prefer large packs to stay happy. Also note you need a sand base for corys.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I was told by the lfs that orandas needed 10 liters per fish

My stocking list is as follows:
2x davidsandsi cory cats
2x salt & pepper cory cats
2x red honey gouramis
1x male dwarf gourami
6x harlequin rasboras
6x golden White Cloud Mountain minnows
2x orandas

Are you sure they didn't say 10 GALLONS? (Actually, I completely believe that they didn't, most LFS will underestimate the needs of the fish, truly which makes no sense as they will be where the people return the fish when they find out its unsuitable in the tank they have!) Anyway...



Good news for you: You don't actually have any "tetras".

If I were you, I'd move the WCMM to the tank with the goldfish - they are BOTH coldwater fish, preferring subtropical temperatures, and should work together. In a 30 gallon tank, they would be great together. WCMM really need the temp between 16-22 C.


As for the other fish: Rasboras won't bother ANYTHING else in your tank, they are great little fish! So, no concern about nipping. And as above, it is best to have 6 corys of any kind as they do need to be in numbers - they are shoalers just like the rasboras and WCMM. The salt and peppers are nice little guys. I would have gotten some of them myself if I had been able to source them easily. I went with pandas instead, which grow slightly larger. Everything else looks pretty good.