uh oh...new fish in new tank

[rubysoho]

Yesterday I bought a bunch of plants for my cycling 55 gallon tank. My sweetheart had gone with me and I casually pointed out two little angel fish who I thought were especially cute, but I didn't buy them because I wanted to wait until my tank was cycled. Now I'm faced with a delimma. I don't want to take them back because I think that'd discourage my boyfriend, but I also don't want the two angels to have problems because the tank is cycling. Could I still keep them if I changed water more frequently? Right now they have adjusted very nicely to the tank and are swimming around, but have not eaten yet. What should I do?

 

[Umberle]

so he bought them for you? I confused.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Sounds pretty co-dependent to me. You're willing to risk the life of a living being, so you don't hurt your BF's feelings? Bring the fish back, he'll get over it...

 

[Billsgate]

Well, you could keep them, but it would offcourse be bad for their health. To keep things as bearable as possible for them i would personally change 30-50% of the water daily until your cycle is done...........I know it sounds crazy because of the size of the tank, but i think this is best for your angels. You could try to do less waterchange then that, but i believe it will not benefit your angels' health.

Good luck anyway! Post some pics!

 

[sugarloves]

Why not phone up the store and see if they will hold onto the fish for you. That will you dont have to actually return them and they will be safe from ammonia poisoning. I know that our lfs will keep fish on hold, but then again its a mom and pops store. Im not sure if a large chain store would keep them on reserve for you. Its worth a try though, so why not phone them up and explain the situation.

 

[lyquidphyre]

Sounds pretty co-dependent to me. You're willing to risk the life of a living being, so you don't hurt your BF's feelings? Bring the fish back, he'll get over it...

That was kind of rude if you ask me.


Anyways, I like what someone said about putting them on reserve, or maybe order some bio-spira or something? Or, if you have a smaller tank you could take some water from another tank (if you have another cycled tank) and put them in there with cycled water w/gravel until your larger tank is completely cycled.

Good luck =o)

 

[Cafe Jeff]

2 little angels in a new 55 should be ok. Just make sure they're little. Jeff

 

[Pufferpunk]

Not rude at all--just honest & blunt. Obviously, you haven't visited my forum. I've been told have the patience of a saint, but when it comes to a fish's welfare, I don't pufssyfoot around. I once spent 3 weeks & over 250 posts trying to help a 12 year old, fishless cycle his tank. If he had bought a fish to keep his GF happy, I would have told him the same thing.

The same goes with several girls I "mentor". If I don't tell them what's what, how can they move on to better themselves?

 

[Umberle]

ai! there's expressing yourself and then there's namecalling and personally co-dependents one of those terms that get's misused and under my skin....however, the gist of it I agree with but I think it could be pulled off safely enough with enough care and attention.....I'd probably find a placement home for the fish though, if it were me.

 

[poppab02]

ruby---just float the filter from one of your other established tanks, you shouldn't have any problems at all. taking water from one of the other tanks isn't going to help, the bacteria is in the filter and gravel. Seriously if you float a filter you shouldn't have any cycling problems. I do it all the time with my own tanks. It works very quickly.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Ok, I appologize for the co-dependent remark. I guess I just say it as I see it, hoping someone may take a look at their behaviour. If she's worried about how her BF will feel, how will he feel when the fish die?

 

[fishmonger]

Why don't you just place the 2 SMALL angels in the 10 gal for now until the 55 cycles? Is that so bad? Says you have a 10 gal in your sig.

 

[fishmonger]

Plus, it looks like the tank has been cycling already with plants and other fish. What's the big deal? I doubt the angels will die in there.

 

[rubysoho]

Ok, I appologize for the co-dependent remark. I guess I just say it as I see it, hoping someone may take a look at their behaviour. If she's worried about how her BF will feel, how will he feel when the fish die?

I know what codependency is, I've studied it in a class or two, and I didn't mean to come off as "oh my gosh, if I take this fish back my boyfriend will be unhappy, and I can't have him unhappy...blah blah blah..." So, no I'm not codependent. I respect that you "mentor" girls and such, but sometimes when you are so envolved in something like that, you start applying your practices a bit too generously. Now, I did mention that if the fish would be in trouble, then I would take them back. So I am not about to sacrifice fish for my boyfriend. I just wanted to get everyone's opinion on if the angels would be okay or not.

Alrighty...

just float the filter from one of your other established tanks, you shouldn't have any problems at all. taking water from one of the other tanks isn't going to help, the bacteria is in the filter and gravel. Seriously if you float a filter you shouldn't have any cycling problems. I do it all the time with my own tanks. It works very quickly.

I put gravel and biowheels from my other two tanks into this tank when I started it up to help "jump" the cycle. I added lots of fast growing plants to help reduce toxins in the water as well. Also, I am feeding conservatively to keep waste down, plus I am already changing water (about %20) every other day. I think I didn't give you guys enough info when I started. Sorry!

Oh, and the two angels are a litting smaller than a silver dollar coin.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Yeah, sometimes I come on a bit strong, but it's only cause I care about people.

 

[rubysoho]

that's what I figured, so it's okay I can be the same way sometimes so I understand.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I actually consider my straightfowardness an assett & a defect, on my part. Thanks for understanding & I hope I didn't hurt your feelings.

 

[rubysoho]

no feelings hurt at all. Trust me, I feel the same way about my straightforwardness (whoa...long word) as well. Just sometimes you gotta be careful to not overanalyze or see what you want to see

 

[poppab02]

so what are your readings? frankly I can't believe your tank hasn't cycled yet if you did all that. Usually if I float a filter and biowheel it takes my tank a day or two to cycle with negligible spikes and I usually do that with my fish in it. I wouldn't worry about it, put your angels in the tank and don't worry. They should be fine as long as your readings aren't all out of whack.

Edit
I see you already put them in, they'll be fine. I think maybe you're being overcautious. If you use gravel, filters, biowheels, from established tanks to cycle new tanks then it usually is no big deal at all. The cycling process is extremely short and problem free almost always. It's when you don't have media from an established tank that you have all the problems.

 

[rubysoho]

I see you already put them in, they'll be fine. I think maybe you're being overcautious. If you use gravel, filters, biowheels, from established tanks to cycle new tanks then it usually is no big deal at all. The cycling process is extremely short and problem free almost always. It's when you don't have media from an established tank that you have all the problems.

yeh, I am being a bit overcautious, but I lost two cories over the summer (even though my readings were perfect...the case was never solved and I retured the remainder of cories, just in case...) and I don't want to lose any more fish. I was going to give my tank 2 weeks before I added any more fish just to make sure it was completely cycled. Right now it has been set up for a little over 4 days.