Stocking A Newly Cycled Tank.

[Aqua Tom]

I am well into the second stage of my fishless cycle so am now seriously starting to look into stocking it when it is done.

I have my stocklist

20 cardinal tetras
4 Dwarf Cockatoo Cichlids 1 male 3 female
6 Bronze corys

Now my question is this, do i add a small amount of fish at a time or can I add a lot together because the tank is cycled? I dont want to go to all the trouble of cycling properly only to fall at the final hurdle.




Cheers

 

[Skins]

In theory you could fully stock so i'm lead to believe but if your like me 80% stocking would be taking a safer approach.

 

[kporteo]

Im doing it a little at a time, but im Little Miss Careful!!!
K

 

[Curiosity101]

If you do it a little at a time it negates the whole point of fishless cycling to 5ppm. Why build up bacteria that can process 5ppm in 12 hours just to put in stock that creates maybe 0.5-1ppm ammonia every 12 hours...if you do that it just means alot of the bacteria you built up die off.

However skins advice certainly isn't bad advice. All I can say is that 5ppm has been tested out and is normally more than adequate for a 'full' stocking in one go... personally I'd probably still stock 80% or so though.

Of your list I'd probably go with the 20 cardinals, then get the corys and apistos a day or two later if the stats held.

 

[Carlovel1]

I'd do the Cardinal Tetras, then the Corys then the Apisto, I just tend to do it in terms of the fish's hardiness