The Perfect Fish For Me And My Situation

[heymickey94]

Ok so I am going to be setting up 5 new 55 gallon fish tanks. I will be spending a lot of money on the tanks, equitment and the fish that I want to have in the tanks, but I need to choose fish to cycle the tanks that will be interesting to watch and cheap. The fish that will be cycling the tanks will not be permenant I just want something pretty to look at while the tanks are cycling. Here is what I need in a fish to cycle the tanks:

-readily available
-hardy
-active
-cheap
-colorful

and thats it. These tanks will be going in various elementary schools, that is why I am interested in "the perfect fish" to cycle the tanks. Please suggest what you think will be the perfect fish for my situation. I am hoping to do different fish for each tank, but if that is not possible that is fine. thank you

 

[backley420]

guppies

 

[mcdanielnc89]

You do not need to cycle a tnak with fish.. IMO.. but you can do as you wish...

 

[heymickey94]

yes guppies are cheap,readily available and active. But they are not hardy or colorful, I kind of want something a little more colorful and not as common as guppies. Thank you for the suggestionI have had tanks since I was 6 years old and I have always cycled with fish and it has always worked. Thank you guys for the quick replies!What do you guys think about gouarmis? They fit everything on my list and are pretty. let me know hwat you think.

 

[demonmagus]

fishless is less cruel (duh) and can take less time, or why don't you find some mature media and you can have instant cycle?

if you're going with fish danios are a good idea - very very hardy - tbh why are you bothered about the colour if they're gonna be in there for a month? even less?

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Fishy cycling "works" in the respect that fish don't die right away...but they can suffer permanent damage that shortens their lifespan. It wouldn't be hard to prepare cycled filter media ahead of time to put into the tank filters for a cycle jump start as it were.

 

[heymickey94]

Yes, fishless is less cruel but this is the way that I have done it sense I was 6 years old. I wont find mature media because if I don't personally know the person that the media is coming from, I don't know how well they cared for their tank, if their tank was ever diseased ect. Ok I will consider danios. I am worried about the color because the fish aren't permenant for these 55 gallon tanks, but I will put them all together in their own community tank and I don't want to be stuck with ugly fish. Thank you for the suggestions

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

All you need is a bare tank (with water of course), a filter and pure ammonia. There would be no chance of pathogen transfer and it shouldn't take any longer than fishy cycling. Less water changes too.

 

[heymickey94]

The thing is though that these tanks are going in elementary schools, so I want the tanks to be interesting for the kids to look at. Thanks for all the quick replies

 

[fishwatcher]

Could you just figure out what stocking what you want in the tanks, set them up, then spend the extra money on BioSpira and add it when you add your stock? Then you won't have to wait on any cycle, and you won't have any fish you don't really want. Instant gratification for all.

 

[SouthernCross]

Sorry to sound harsh...

But by cycling with fish you have a very good chance of killing some of these fish. Don't you think it will be more traumatising for the kiddies to come in to a tank with some dead fish in it? As opposed to just having the tank empty for a couple of weeks while you fishless cycle it? Kinda eliminates the idea of the kids having "something interesting to look at". Unless of course dead fish are interesting.

You know what? A good idea might be to have the kids actively involved in helping you decorate the tank (e.g. placement of plants/ornaments) in the meantime while you cycle it with pure ammonia. That way they can still look at the decorations.

Or, if the kids are science-minded, teach them about the chemistry behind cycling the tank and they might find it interesting to test the water everyday and measure their progress and then they'll be excited when they are finally allowed to safely add fish. Would be very educational too, and teach kids how to safely set up tanks of their own without wondering why everything keeps dying.

Or as others have suggested, track someone down with a good healthy tank and mature filter media you can borrow some of. It would NOT be that hard to find someone. Ask a reputable LFS even. I do believe theres a list of members on this board who are willing to donate media to people. You haven't listed where you are from, but its highly likely there is someone nearby.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i'd also like to point out that as a 6 year-old, i highly doubt that you had much input into the keeping of your fish. i'd also like to point out that we have no idea how much older you are than 6, adding an additional flaw to your argument.

*however* if you are dead set on a fishless cycle, then i suggest stocking the tanks with one pair of convict cichlids per each tank. and leave the stocking at that. convicts are incredibly tough fish, quite interactive and guaranteed to make babies. plus they have stripes. kids will love them. you can also put up a nice sign explaining how these are nasty, murderous fish that grow quite large, thus helping to reduce the number of convict sold to the unwitting.

 

[backley420]

ok just use whatever you want becuase every one here is very "anti - fish torture"--

 

[pica_nuttalli]

every one here is very "anti - fish torture"--

that's right. we are. and i doubt that's going to change any time in the near future.

if you express an interest in deliberately harming fish for entertainment or out of negligence, then you can expect a negative response from the majority of the people in this forum. please report any flames received, but do expect some vigorous disagreement.

 

[backley420]

Yes - but icycling a tank with fish dosen't really mean she/he is going to kill the fish. I cycle all my tanks with fish and im sorry to say this but it works and it is nicer to look at rather than having a bare tank sitting in the room.