Can i cycle a tank with a grouper

[Jawaits]

Got a grouper way to soon and last night he almost died I did a 95% water change and now he is sitting in a ten gallon fish tank of fresh saltwater and he is going crazy

[Patterson333]

Don't know how tough those groupers are, but if I were you, I'd save myself the trouble of going through a fish-in cycle and see if the store you got him from would take him back, then just do a fishless cycle. Your patience will pay off.

[austinsdad]

You're killing him. Uncycled tank and a 10g one at that. Check the ammonia level and tell us what that is. He's suffering big time.

[Jawaits]

The tank is a 20 h I have him in originally the ammonia was 2 ppm in that the ten is only temporary I changed out the water and I'm getting dr tims one and only which will work with a fish that large

[Patterson333]

Originally Posted by Jawaits

The tank is a 20 h I have him in originally the ammonia was 2 ppm in that the ten is only temporary I changed out the water and I'm getting dr time one and only which will work with a fish that large

Is that a 20 gallon high tank? How long would you plan on keeping him in there for?

[austinsdad]

Have no idea what you just said.

[hiltymj]

What kind of grouper is that? Even the smallest of the groupers need to be in at the very very least a 100 gallon tank. And no never cycle a tank with a grouper.

[kurtyboh]

most groupers need like 150+ gallon tanks

and what is a "dr time one and only"

[Jawaits]

He gets up to 12" he is five now I am moving up to a 125 in 1-2 months

[joy13]

No fish should be put in an uncycled tank including damsels. His gills probably are damaged from the ammonia. It maybe as boring as watching the paint dry on a hot afternoon but it is best to do a fishless cycle.

[Jawaits]

See I've heard the exact opposite u need a hardy fish to produce the ammonia

[kurtyboh]

fishless cycle boring? there is so much going on in my cycling tank its awesome to watch, little worms going everywhere, featherdusters waving in the current, chitons crawling all over, and a crab which i feel kinda bad that he's in there but he hitched a ride and now he's stuck till we go back to the beach.

[Jawaits]

I like fowlr tanks with a large fish that eats small fish

[Patterson333]

He's referring to Dr. Tim's One and Only, it's bottled bacteria. Don't be fooled into thinking that it will cycle your tank instantly though. I've used both One and Only and BioSpira. They'll speed up your cycle, but not to the point that it's instant.

I'd recommend buying One and Only from Foster's and Smith. They ship it with ice packs to keep the product at its greatest effectiveness.

[kurtyboh]

you dont need any fish at all, you can dose or use raw shrimp, in germany they pee in their tanks to get ammonia. you dont have to have a fish live in water that will kill them, or if they do happen to survive the trials in an acid bath have an extremely shortened lifespan.

[hiltymj]

Originally Posted by kurtyboh

fishless cycle boring? there is so much going on in my cycling tank its awesome to watch, little worms going everywhere, featherdusters waving in the current, chitons crawling all over, and a crab which i feel kinda bad that he's in there but he hitched a ride and now he's stuck till we go back to the beach.

Ha agreed I loved watching my rock and seeing what came out of it. I found something new every time I looked!

But ya groupers are easily one of my favorite fish and I just hate to see one suffer. You need to ask these questions before your purchase

[ilostnemo]

Originally Posted by kurtyboh

you dont need any fish at all, you can dose or use raw shrimp, in germany they pee in their tanks to get ammonia. you dont have to have a fish live in water that will kill them, or if they do happen to survive the trials in an acid bath have an extremely shortened lifespan.

Dunno where you heard they Pee in their tanks everyone I know there don't?

[melosu58]

Originally Posted by Jawaits

See I've heard the exact opposite u need a hardy fish to produce the ammonia

Yes they will but at the expense of the fish. Do your cycling the humane way with a shrimp from the supermarket. For more info read our article in the SW articles section on cycling.

[hiltymj]

You can just cycle tanks with live rock I really think that is the best way. But everyone does what works for them lol

[mysticeel]

Return that poor grouper...who ever told you that you should put a fish in your tank should be (well i have nothing nice to say)...hopefully the grouper will be alright...