Adding fish, the entire school? Or few at a time?

[Whale]

Hello

I would like your thoughts on what I should do:

- add the minimum group size recommendation for secure feeling fish eg. 6 fish
or
- add just a few fish, maybe 2-3 so that I don't spike the ammonia levels.

I realize ammonia is harmful for fish and also a group too small and the fish can be insecure and/or stressed.

I have a 70L freshwater tank that has been cycled with fish food. (Pure ammonia is near impossible to find here)

Any help is appreciated

 

[ImACoolguy]

Fishless cycling usually prepares the tank to handle a full bioload. I'd say adding a school is fine. You can test and monitor ammonia for a few days but you should be good.


Caleb

 

[Mebbid]

Yes, a fishless cycle with pure ammonia will prepare a tank to handle a full bioload.

However, with fish food as the catalyst for cycling i would add smaller quantities of fish just to be safe.

 

[Whale]

So I guess mixed opinions, adding a school is fine. Also, add smaller quantities to be safe. Hmm haha

 

[Mebbid]

So I guess mixed opinions, adding a school is fine. Also, add smaller quantities to be safe. Hmm haha

Welcome to the world of aquaria. There are mixed opinions on literally everything

 

[Caliban07]

Depends what the fish are? 6 neons all at once no problem. 6 goldfish probably not a good idea.


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[Whale]

Welcome to the world of aquaria. There are mixed opinions on literally everything

Yeah I guess

 

[Whale]

Depends what the fish are? 6 neons all at once no problem. 6 goldfish probably not a good idea.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Harlequin Rasboras. What do you think? 6 ok?

 

[Mebbid]

Harlequin Rasboras. What do you think? 6 ok?

How high were you able to get the ammonia?

 

[ScotJudd]

Every time you add extra fish to a tank you may get a short mini cycle as the bacteria in the filter multiply to handle the increased loading. However, I still always add a reasonable sized group at a time to reduce stress levels. I feed sparingly, test daily and WC as needed. Prime is a good emergency treatment if the ammonia or nitrite does spike.
In a newly cycled tank if your ammonia level was 2 or greater before it converted it, and the nitrites, to zero in 24 hrs then I would feel confident that the tank would handle your 6 young rasboras. Just be vigilant.
Enjoy!


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[Whale]

How high were you able to get the ammonia?

I never really got much of a reading... I put a ton of fish flakes in. But when I measured the ammonia it always read 0 - 0.25 ppm.

I'm just going to assume there's no bacteria and restart the cycle.
I'm trying to find a more consistent form of ammonia.

 

[Whale]

Every time you add extra fish to a tank you may get a short mini cycle as the bacteria in the filter multiply to handle the increased loading. However, I still always add a reasonable sized group at a time to reduce stress levels. I feed sparingly, test daily and WC as needed. Prime is a good emergency treatment if the ammonia or nitrite does spike.
In a newly cycled tank if your ammonia level was 2 or greater before it converted it, and the nitrites, to zero in 24 hrs then I would feel confident that the tank would handle your 6 young rasboras. Just be vigilant.
Enjoy!

Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

Thanks, I'll try and go for 2 ppm or even more to be safe.

 

[Mebbid]

I never really got much of a reading... I put a ton of fish flakes in. But when I measured the ammonia it always read 0 - 0.25 ppm.

I'm just going to assume there's no bacteria and restart the cycle.
I'm trying to find a more consistent form of ammonia.

That's the main problem with cycling with food. It wouldn't be out of the question to start with 1 or 2 harlequins and slowly build the school up. The cycle is likely strong enough to handle that small of a bio load and harlequin rasbora are bulletproof fish.

If you still want to completely retry the cycle instead of using fish food put a cocktail shrimp in a nylon stocking and throw it into your tank. It's a time release form of ammonia that should put you on the right path.

 

[Whale]

That's the main problem with cycling with food. It wouldn't be out of the question to start with 1 or 2 harlequins and slowly build the school up. The cycle is likely strong enough to handle that small of a bio load and harlequin rasbora are bulletproof fish.

If you still want to completely retry the cycle instead of using fish food put a cocktail shrimp in a nylon stocking and throw it into your tank. It's a time release form of ammonia that should put you on the right path.

Thanks, I'll try the shrimp.
Off-topic: how do I quote multiple posts in a comment?

 

[Mebbid]

Thanks, I'll try the shrimp.
Off-topic: how do I quote multiple posts in a comment?

On PC there's a "" symbol next to the quote button. On tapatalk there's a button on each post that lets you multi quote. Can't remember what it looks like.

 

[Whale]

My tank has fish in it now
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f19/check-out-my-very-first-tank-345771.html