When To Add New Fish During Cycling?

(GTV)Chris

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Hi
90 litre tank containing 5 inch long dannio's.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 5
Ph 7.5
Water temp 24C

It has been cycling with fish for approx 5 weeks.
My questions are how many fish can I have in total?
How soon can I introduce them?

Many thanks

Chris
 
Hi Chris,

How many fish you can have in total depends on what size and type of fish you choose. Research which type of fish you would like, and then we can answer that question more definitively.

With regard to when to add them, don't add any more fish until you are completely cycled or your cycling will take even longer and it will be harder on the fish. Once ammonia and nitrite have both stayed at 0 for 1 week without the help of water changes, you are cycled and can start to add fish.

When you do start to add fish, i recommend that you add no more than 30% of your current stocking at any one time. This will ensure that you don't suffer any more large ammonia / nitrite spikes. For example, if you currently have 10 guppies, add no more than 3 guppies at once (10 x 30% = 3).

Once you add fish, do the same test again before adding more (ammonia and nitrite both stay at 0 for at least 1 week).

Hope this helps.

Cheers :good:

BTT
 
BTT's advice looks pretty good to me. With 5 zebra danios, if you decided to go to guppies you would be OK with maybe 2 at a time, if you go to platies, swords or mollies make it only one at first. After the first stocking addition, the base number changes so you can gradually move faster. At only 90 liters, you will be full fairly quickly so before you go too far, come back with a list of where you are and ask for help about how much more you can have. A big mistake for many who are new to the hobby is overstocking. There are only 3 solutions to overstocking. Take some back to the fish store, get more aquariums or battle the problem constantly with lots of large water changes and frequent cleaning. The last option will make you tired of the hobby pretty quickly. Its just too much work.
 

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