I've Caught The Bug, And Passed It On...oo Er

[SandraNewbie]

Ok, I posted about 5 months ago having inherited two established tanks and had no idea what I was doing. I'll update you on my tanks there.

Now a friends son has come to me because he wants to set up a new aquarium. He’s been a bit gung ho and already has a Fishbox 64 litre tank which he’s got running at 24.5 C with a 150W heater, with some bogwood in it. It’s got an interpet PF2 filter which is providing lots of good air bubbles and rippling the surface. The lighting is a daylight bulb and a blue night bulb which I've never encountered before...

I talked him through what little I know about fishless cycling. We couldn't find any ammonia which didn't have extra surfactants, so he's borrowed some frozen daphnia and fish flakes and he's using Cycle. He's only been running the cycle for a day or two now and his ammonia is starting to spike.

He'd like to get a small pleco (he doesn't like the snails), some neon tetras and some endler guppies. I looked at some online stock calculators for rough ideas and they've suggested that if he gets a bristlenose, he could have 5&5 or 6&4 comfortably. But that the endlers would like the water hotter than the tetras.

So any advice I can pass on to someone I've accidentally infected with the Aquarium bug?

 

[Ruthc1985]

I have the same fishbox 64 tank - something you/he may want to do, especially if he decides to plant the tank out, is to change the blue bulb over to another 15W white one - makes the tank and fish look ten times better when you have both lights on! White light bulbs are available from pets at home....£11 I think.

Cycling advice sounds good to me - would advise a good liquid testing kit (I use the API master kit) to monitor the cycling through to nitrates, and for after the addition of fish.

Add the fish gradually so that the tank avoids a mini cycle

Plecs.....hmm. Not the best community fish in my opinion, I had one and he got very big in time (they need big tanks), and quite boisterous, and man did he poop. They are little s**t machines to put it simply. Mine was a bristlenose and I had to rehome him eventually, so I would probably steer away from one of those for the time being, especially while the tank is young.

tetras - groups of 6 or more ideally, they are shoaling fish. I have a group of 7 (was 9 but lost 2 after a mini cycle) who school nicely now and I intend to return them to their original group size.

Hope that helps

 

[SandraNewbie]

something you/he may want to do, especially if he decides to plant the tank out, is to change the blue bulb over to another 15W white one - makes the tank and fish look ten times better when you have both lights on! White light bulbs are available from pets at home....£11 I think.

I was thinking this.

would advise a good liquid testing kit (I use the API master kit) to monitor the cycling through to nitrates, and for after the addition of fish.

Have already passed my spare over to him

Add the fish gradually so that the tank avoids a mini cycle

How gradually is gradually? I mean with the fish he's getting is it 2 tetras at a time? 4? that's something I've never really done with a new tank.

Plecs.....hmm. Not the best community fish in my opinion, I had one and he got very big in time (they need big tanks), and quite boisterous, and man did he poop. They are little s**t machines to put it simply.

I won't have a word said against Bristlenoses But i have to say, once I got the environment right for him, he's perked up and is fun to watch of an evening.

tetras - groups of 6 or more ideally, they are shoaling fish.

so 6 Tetra and 4 or 5 guppies then? I don't want him overstocking at first so the maintenance is as easy as possible befor ehe gets the bug proper.

 

[Ruthc1985]

maybe 3 fish at a time? This is one where I'm not certain myself sorry!

I did love my bristlenose, he had character, but sadly had to go when he started to scare my glass cat fish (who are nervy at the best of times!) He is now living out his days in another huuuuuge tank

And the lightbulbs - do the change if you can, I can say my tank looks SO much better for it (the blue is fairly pointless)

 

[Man of fish]

Don't forget, neons are sensitive to newly cycled tanks. Have it up for at least 6 months before getting those. Other than that should be fine. If the filter can process 4 ppm ammonia into nitrite, then nitrate in under 12 hours you can add all fish at once, but I'd do the 4 endler/guppies, then wait about a week or 2, then possibly a group of 6 Pygmy cories, instead of a bn. Then he could get some shrimp, and after 6 months the 6 neons.

 

[sibbick92]

Don't forget, neons are sensitive to newly cycled tanks. Have it up for at least 6 months before getting those. Other than that should be fine. If the filter can process 4 ppm ammonia into nitrite, then nitrate in under 12 hours you can add all fish at once, but I'd do the 4 endler/guppies, then wait about a week or 2, then possibly a group of 6 Pygmy cories, instead of a bn. Then he could get some shrimp, and after 6 months the 6 neons.
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did he add fish to tank or did he just put food into empty tank

 

[SandraNewbie]

Don't forget, neons are sensitive to newly cycled tanks.

Will make sure guppies go first.

If the filter can process 4 ppm ammonia into nitrite, then nitrate in under 12 hours you can add all fish at once

Probably not going to risk that.

possibly a group of 6 Pygmy cories, instead of a bn.

They don't do the same job, look the same, or anything, out of interest why would you suggest that kind of switch?

Then he could get some shrimp

Any types of shrimp you could recommend.

did he add fish to tank or did he just put food into empty tank

Just food and bacteria into an empty tank to start the cycle off.

 

[Man of fish]

I suggested that, because bn are very messy. The cories still clean up, they just don't eat algae, and then when you add in the shrimp you'll have your algae eaters. A group of 10-20 of any shrimp he likes would be nice. Ghosts, cherry, anything really. cories also have a very cool personality you just won't get out of a bn, even though I do love my 2.

 

[Essjay]

How about giving him some media from one of your tanks? Even a small bit will help seed his filter. A piece of sponge or some ceramic media would be perfect. He would just need to squeeze it into his filter, maybe take out a bit of new, uncycled media to make room for your bit.

 

[SandraNewbie]

How about giving him some media from one of your tanks? Even a small bit will help seed his filter. A piece of sponge or some ceramic media would be perfect. He would just need to squeeze it into his filter, maybe take out a bit of new, uncycled media to make room for your bit.

I'm going to give him a cut of media and a squeeze of filter water as soon as I'm back in the area (before he gets fish)

 

[SandraNewbie]

The cories still clean up, they just don't eat algae, and then when you add in the shrimp you'll have your algae eaters.

I may suggesthe gets some cherry shrimp, I know I've seen him looking at them in the shop when he's come with me. Anything I should know and pass on about shrimp care?

The cories don't look that great but we'll see how it looks once the tank starts to develop.

 

[Man of fish]

Yes, it is what he wants was just a suggestion. Make sure there has never been copper in the tank for shrimp. Also make sure he has a good TDS.