Good alternatives to Zebra Danios for new tank cycling?

[grimlock3000]

I currently have the 10g tank setup listed in my sig. As you can see, I have too many fish for only 10g of water. I also have some Guppy babies in that tank that I bought as a feeder fish experiment, but only a few got eaten (for now). I am setting up a 26g bow front tank once my filter and heater arrive, then I am going to move the Guppies and Tetras into the larger tank once it is fully cycled.

I am going to put a big scoop of the gravel from my 10g into the 26g and putting a filter sponge chunk from my Aquaclear Mini into the new filter to kickstart the cycle. I run two sponges in the Aquaclear Mini (with carbon in the middle) so the bottom sponge should be loaded with bacteria. My new filter will be a HOT Magnum Pro which comes with a Bio Wheel.

I was thinking about cycling the tank with my 4 Tetras. I do not think it would be fair to those fish though, since they already went though a full cycle and a half in the 10g (before I actually knew what I was doing). I want to get Zebra Danios, however I think my wife would rather have something else more colorful. I am looking for a hardy fish to cycle the tank, that looks pretty and would be OK with regular sized Guppies. As a bonus, I would LOVE for the new fish to have a taste for Guppy babies, so that when my Guppy babies grow up and go in the big tank, they do not spawn out of control. If Zebra Danios are the best option and like Guppy babies, I suppose my wife can learn the like them

 

[tkos]

Since you are using exisiting filter material and some gravel moving a small amount of fish, like the tetras over to the new tank should be fine. Just keep a test kit handy to check for nitrites and ammonia. If you are getting other fish anyway another choice would be leopard danios. Like zebra but with lots of nice spots. Don't move those ottos until the tank is very stable though.

 

[Punkymom]

I've used Cherry Barbs before. They're small, and pretty.

 

[tkos]

Make sure to keep barbs in groups of around 5 or so or they can get a bit on the mean side and pick on other fish. Cherrys are very pretty though.

 

[grimlock3000]

Cherry Barbs look great so I would not mind those at all. Without trying to be mean, which of the two fish types if more likely to clean up newborn Guppies?

Or should I wait for the new tank to cycle, then get a fish to police the tank like a Clown Loach (as an example)? Is my tank even big enough for a Clown Loach?

 

[madasafish]

Nope. Not even a small clown loach (anyway they prefer the company of other clown loaches). They get to be 12 inches long, and should really be kept in a huge tank (i.e. >90G). If you want 1 loach to police the bottom consider a Yo-Yo loach or a Gangetic Loach (the two look similar). They don't grow so big (max 4-5 inches) and are quite tame, and fun to watch. They've got a pretty white/brown stripy/dappled appearance. There are tons of other appropriate loaches out there, too. Just check out Fish Base under the genus "Botia" (one of the loach geni), or go to "Loaches On-Line" at http://www.loaches.com/index.html.

Hope this helps.

 

[grimlock3000]

I brought up Clown Loaches because I read that they eat "everything" and they are readily availible. I was thinking it was way to big for the 26g, since I remember seeing a huge one at a fish store. I have never seen other Loaches around town, any other good fish for policing the bottom of the tank?

 

[madasafish]

Well, firstly, have you tried asking your LFS owner/manager if he'd be willing to order you another species of loach? Some are quite common, so they wouldn't be difficult to find. I'd recommend trying this before resorting to another family of fish.

Oh, and you should be able to get Kuhli Loaches if you ask--they're very common and beautiful. They'll clean the tank bottom as long as they have plenty of space to hide (they're almost exlusively nocturnal).

Other good fish: dwarf plecos will clean the bottom of the tank, but will also leave a lot of their own waste.

I think loaches are your best bet. Who knows, the LFS owner may have some Kuhli Loaches already, and you may not know it. They tend to hide really well.

 

[mound]

how about doing a fishless cycle and avoiding the problem entirely?

 

[grimlock3000]

"how about doing a fishless cycle and avoiding the problem entirely?"

Not interested in doing a fishless cycle on this tank, even though I know it is safer. I got the tank for my wife, and she wants fish swimming in it.

 

[TankGirl]

Not interested in doing a fishless cycle on this tank, even though I know it is safer. I got the tank for my wife, and she wants fish swimming in it.

You could try BIO-Spira and instantly cycle it, or otherwise (as you will have a real head start with the biobugs you will be introducing) you could use serpae tetras. They are a lovely red color and I am sure they would eat tiny guppy fry. I think your cycle will go very quickly, if you transfer your filter media and your gravel over.

 

[grimlock3000]

I tried like crazy to get Bio-Spira when setting up my 10g and could not find it. I was thinking about ordering it online, but I have trouble getting packages or any type and a refridgerated package would be a big risk.

I am certainly hoping for a rapid cycle with this tank Especially after screwing up some stuff on my first tank

I am certainly better off with the new tank, thanks to this forum.

 

[TankGirl]

This time of year is definitely tricky for anything cold or alive to be mailed. However, Bernie in TN sends BIO-Spira Priority Mail, so if you get the mail it will get to you. However, if you use the contents of your 10 gal to set up your new tank you should have a very short cycle, and the tetras should handle it fine. Be careful adding new fish, though, because if you had a lot at once there will not be enough bacteria present to handle it and you will have a mini-cycle. Good luck!

 

[grimlock3000]

I went with the Cherry Barbs and got 6 of them, about 1.25 to 1.5 inches long, 3 males, 3 females. Tomorrow I am going to add the old filter media and rocks to start eating the bacteria, but I am waiting for the fish to get fed once.

So far these fish are picky eaters and do not like dried bloodworms or flake food. Going to try some Bio-Blend tomorrow. Unfortunately one of my male barbs does look a little thin and has a broken top fin. Hope he pulls out of it.

 

[TankGirl]

I noticed that my serpae tetras did not accept flake, even though it is Omega One and top 'o the line! They do, however, scarf up the BioBlend, tho it tends to sink immediately so they have to be quick. The cories get the rest.