When Is All Ok?

[chad07]

Hi Guys,

I now have 6 fish in my tank (4 Plattys, 1 Angel and 1 Gourami) and touch wood have had no deaths what so ever as of yet.

After what period of time can i tell myself that im doing everything right and that my fish are happy??

Thanks

 

[stang1]

What size tank are they in and what are your water readings?
This will give people a better idea in helping to amswer your question.

 

[chad07]

My tank is 30 odd gallons in size, but i havent checked my water for a few days so ill do that right away....

Although i understand that water readings and the cycling process etc are of paramount importance I just wanted a rough idea on whether there is a specific period of time that the fish needs to survive in your tank water before you can see that he/she seems to be OK.

Im probably talking rubbish here i know

 

[rdd1952]

Generally, it takes 6 months or more for a tank to mature so that the risk of a disaster is reduced.

 

[dwarfgourami]

But the cycling should be over after the first couple of months, so that is the first big reduction of risk.

 

[mark7616]

Cycling doesnt take a couple of months.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Cycling doesnt take a couple of months.

it can easily take 2/3 months to cycle with fish. go look in the beginners forum at some of the posts 12 pages long where people have just put fish into a tank straight away and come to us for help when half of them die. there's topics that gone on for ages while the person's tank is still cycling.

it can certainly be done quicker than 2 months if approached sensibly and well planned out with reasonable numbers of fish for the tank size etc but it can also drag on and on.

as others have hsaid there's two main points where you can consider you've done well, when cycling has finished (either fishelss or with fish) i.e. levels of ammonia and nitrite are steady at 0 and levels of nitrate are manageable with regular water changes you're past the first major danger point. Then roughly 6 months after that the tank will be considered mature and settled and the risk of problems drops significantly.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Cycling doesnt take a couple of months.

I didn't mean it always takes that long, but there are tanks that drag on that long when cycled with fish, I wouldn't consider myself home and dry until a couple of months had passed.