HELP!!! Urgent ???'s re:"instant cycling"

[aquanewbie72]

I have unexpectedly become a proud fishy grandma (my platys had babies - and I've got one survivor). Right now the fry is in a plastic breeding box in my 10gal tank with his parents and 2 panda corys.
Unfortunately, mom and dad keep ramming the breeding box trying to get at the poor fry - not to mention mom has twice gotten herself wedged in between the breeder and the side of the tank and I've had to rescue her. I'm very nervous about the fry's future at this point - he is either going to get eaten or his mom is going to kill herself trying.

I have a 5gal tank that is empty- not cycled or anything. If I steal some gravel, plants, and filter media from my 2 well-established tanks, will it be then be stable enough that I could move somebody in there temporarily? i.e. how 'instant' is the supposedly "instant cycle"?

My first thought was to put the fry in there - but he would not produce enough ammonia all by himself to keep the 5 gallon cycled, right? Maybe I could move the panda cats in there with him?

 

[dskidmore]

There is really no instant cycle, but hopefully the bioload of those tiny guys will be low enough that the 5 gallons will sufficiently dilute the waste. If those plants are live, and you have good lighting over this tank, they will help immensely. Otherwise, anything you can bring over used from the other tank will be helpful. Check the ammonia level twice a day and do a 50% water change if ammonia is above .25.

 

[DepotFish]

I think that would work well, but might be a bit of a pain to keep up the 5 gallon for one fry, perhaps you have some fake plant pieces you can stick in the breeder box to hide the fry. Maybe they should start making the breeder boxes black or not transparent. If you had a sheet of plastic you could cut it to fit the inside of the box so they couldn't see around the sides.

 

[dskidmore]

Well, at least it will be ready for the next batch.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Thanks - both excellent points..... such a small bioload probably wouldn't give me too many problems... and its always good to have a QT tank up and running - but do I want to risk it and go through the trouble for one itty bitty fry... hmmm....

 

[Musket]

instant cycle

Oh course you do... Or you wouldn't have asked.... And you are a proud gramma!

 

[aquanewbie72]

Well MTS took over and I set up the 5gal for my fry. LOL He is doing well. He must be the most pampered baby fish in history. LOL

 

[Musket]

See! I Knew you were a proud gramma!
Glad to hear the little tiker is doing well.

 

[ct67_72]

my lfs had this and it worked great
http://www.fritzpet.com/turbostartmain.html

 

[aquanewbie72]

Thanks! It would seem to me that he's not going to generate enough ammonia to cause any problems but I'm testing the water just in case. Overall he/she appears happy as a clam. I put some plants in the breeder box with it so it's got a place to hide if its feeling shy.

Now if I could just get some halfway decent baby pictures, I'd be ecstatic!!! LOL