Question About Cycling A Tank With Shrimp...

[therlinger]

I have a 55 gallon tank that I'm getting ready to set up for the first time. It's going to house African Rift Lake cichlids. But, to cycle it, I was wondering if I could use ghost shrimp. I don't know if this will work or not. I'm looking for information. I was thinking that if I put a fair amount of shrimp in the tank I could use them to cycle the tank and then once the fish are introduced, well... free food. But, I don't know if the shrimp would be too sensitive to the conditions of a cycling tank for it to work. And, if it would work, how many shrimp should I use? Is this feasible at all? Thanks in advance for your information.

 

[therlinger]

Also, I have another question. I have an established 30 gallon tank. For my new 55 gallon, I have a HOT magnum 250 filter. Could I take the new filter and add it to my established 30 gallon tank? That should start the cycling process for the filter, shouldn't it? Then I could just transfer that filter to the 55 gallon, with the shrimp. That would keep the tank cycled until I get some fish to add, right? Would this work? How long would it take the new filter to develop the proper bacteria? And would this cause any problems for my 30 gallon tank at all? My 30 gallon is very lightly stocked. It only has one platy, three corys and two very small bristlenose plecos.

 

[Shrimper]

Shrimp don't produce much waste and are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite so i don't think it would work.

As you already have another filter running you could just transfer some of the media into the new filter then add fish straight away. The bacteria on the existing filter media will breed/multiply very quickly. I'm sure i read the bacteria can double in 24 hours if there is the food (ammonia) for them.

 

[rdd1952]

I have heard of people using shrimp to cycle a tank but I would think it would take a lot of shrimp. As mentioned, shrimp don't produce a lot of waste and there is only enough bacteria present in a tank to handle the current waste load so you would still have to add the fish slowly. As for running the filter on your established tank, I would think the better option would be to take some media from the filter on the established tank and add it to the new filter and then just do a fishless cycle on the 55 gallon. It shouldn't take as long for you to do a fishless cycle with the seeded filter as it would for the tank to cycle with shrimp and you would be able to add all of your cichlids at once.

 

[Matt_northants]

If your other tank is fully mature connect your new filter for it for a couple of weeks. This will seed your filter then the day you add your RV cichlids to your new tank connect your filter to this. Make sure you buy all your RVs as youngsters and you should be fine, but keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite levels. If they get too high do a large water change.

 

[Luketendo]

You should need a tonne of shrimp.