With all due respect, this post didn't ask about cycling, I was asking if people (more experienced than I) felt the fish I wanted (having looked at fish, suggested stocking, picked the largest tank that we currently have space for, etc) would be enough, too much or too little for the size/type tank I have, and on that basis what people would suggest to increase or decrease as applicable.
I understand the concerns about fish in cycling, however, I am doing a fish in cycle and I have found that since adding the fish (danio's on Saturday) that my ammonia levels are staying around 0-0.1mg/l - this is over a number of tests and should they rise I am here and ready to do water changes. Nitrites are around 0.1mg/l and nitrates are below 0.25mg/l.
Yes, there has been fish loss but I attribute this to the one of the fish finding the very act of being put in a bag and transported too stressful in the first instance as he (he? she?) never swam with his tank mates from the moment we got home (yes, I acclimatised the bag over about 30 minutes), even while still in the bag he hung out in a corner on his own and he died within an hour of release into the tank. The other fish loss I attribute to the fact he arrived with only one eye. I didn't realise immediately that he only had one, but did note that he had a reddish mark on his head but he wouldn't stay still (!!!) nor would be oblige to face the right way in the tank for me to get a good look and as the other danios all seem to have a pinkish colour at the gills I didn't overly worry. He also died within a few hours on the first day. Yes, I'm sad about the loss but given the circumstances I feel these particular fish would have died anyway and did not die simply because I am doing a fish in cycle.
Lesson learned - be much more observant about the fish in the bag at the time of purchase!
The remaining fish appear very alert and inquisitive. My only concern is that they don't appear to like the fish food we have. It's a flake food - I know boring, but it came with the tank and I figured small amounts of boring food until they settled and I could be sure the tank was stable, would surfice. However, they go mad with excitement when the food is put in then suck it up and spit it back out as if to say "bleh". I understand that I am supposed to feed only what they will eat in 2 minutes but this flake is sinking in a matter of 30 seconds, so sending hubby out tomorrow to get something else tasty for them.
