Is It Bad To Put All New Fish At Once?

[joyboy]

I bought 10 cardinals, 5 kuhli loaches and 2 dwarf gouramis, They will arrive next thursday. Is it bad to put them all in a tank at once. The tank has had 2 rainbows and one black moor in it for the last 3 years so im guessing it has sufficient bacteria!

 

[SchottayB]

Yes! - Your filter needs time to adjust adding such large numbers of fish at once will cause a hige spike in ammonia. (Someone will come and give you the tech run down on this ).

You should add fish a couple a week or something like this for filter purposes.

Is your tank cycled or just standing there with water in?

 

[CezzaXV]

If you've fishless cycled your tank (i.e. adding ammonia and testing the water every day), then it's perfectly fine to add all your fish at once. You should have more than enough bacteria in your filter now to handle the bioload.

If you haven't, it might be time to panic now.

 

[Hoveringpie]

I wouldn't when I cycled my tank I had a small amount for fish in (I do fish in cycles) then when ammonia and nitrite are at 0 I add more fish. Then when there both at 0 again (normally takes two days) I add more fish untill the tank is fully stocked this way the filter grows with the amount of fish instead of adding lots of fish the get a massive spike in ammonia and nitrite.


also I would like to add if your tank is not cycled at all and you can't send the fish back to start adding small amounts of liquid ammonia that way the beneficial bacteria will at least be starting to form.

I would though if not cycled the tank bot add all fish fish they probebly will die.

 

[joyboy]

If you've fishless cycled your tank (i.e. adding ammonia and testing the water every day), then it's perfectly fine to add all your fish at once. You should have more than enough bacteria in your filter now to handle the bioload.

If you haven't, it might be time to panic now.

No my fish has had 2 rainbows and a black moor for the last 3 years so i guess it got lots of bacteria! Im going to give them away to the local fish shop before adding the new fishes.

 

[Lufbramatt]

Be prepared for a mini-cycle as your filter will only have enough bacteria to cope with the waste products of 3 fish, and yours increasing your stocking to 17 fish. Look forward to lots of water testing and partial water changes for the next few weeks until your bacteria colony can catch up!

 

[joyboy]

Be prepared for a mini-cycle as your filter will only have enough bacteria to cope with the waste products of 3 fish, and yours increasing your stocking to 17 fish. Look forward to lots of water testing and partial water changes for the next few weeks until your bacteria colony can catch up!

Ill change my water once a week and do a ph test every 3 days

 

[Lufbramatt]

You need to be testing for ammonia and nitrite every day, wouldn't worry about pH too much. If the ammonia or nitrite registers on the test, ie is above the 0ppm colour, do a water change. You'll probably need to do it every couple of days maybe more (depending on what the test says) for the first few weeks unless you want to risk losing or injuring your fish.

 

[joyboy]

You need to be testing for ammonia and nitrite every day, wouldn't worry about pH too much. If the ammonia or nitrite registers on the test, ie is above the 0ppm colour, do a water change. You'll probably need to do it every couple of days maybe more (depending on what the test says) for the first few weeks unless you want to risk losing or injuring your fish.

Would you know approximately how much is a ammonia/nitrate test kit??

 

[Hoveringpie]

They are about 10 pound separately or you can buy a master test kit for around 35pound I would suggest a api test kit

 

[Lufbramatt]

Have a look on ebay, got my API master test kit for under £20, you can get individual tests for lots less, anything by API, tetra, salifert are ok. Make sure its a liquid test kit rather than paper test strips.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

There is no need to panic the filters thats have established media init can replicate at a momentus rate. Thats not to say you can ignore it, order that test kit ASAP if you have the fish before it arrives just do a 40% water change daily untill the test kit arrives. you dont say how big your tank is even though the bio load will need a few weeks to cope the bigger volume of water may help you

 

[joyboy]

There is no need to panic the filters thats have established media init can replicate at a momentus rate. Thats not to say you can ignore it, order that test kit ASAP if you have the fish before it arrives just do a 40% water change daily untill the test kit arrives. you dont say how big your tank is even though the bio load will need a few weeks to cope the bigger volume of water may help you

My tank is 4 foot! I can get you the measurements if needed

 

[ian]

agree with Al, it should be OK, just as long as you're prepared for a week or 2 of daily water changes.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

There is no need to panic the filters thats have established media init can replicate at a momentus rate. Thats not to say you can ignore it, order that test kit ASAP if you have the fish before it arrives just do a 40% water change daily untill the test kit arrives. you dont say how big your tank is even though the bio load will need a few weeks to cope the bigger volume of water may help you

My tank is 4 foot! I can get you the measurements if needed

yeah plase we can work out the rough volume