Possible stock issue?

[ccross]

I'm working on doing a fish in cycle on a 20 gallon tank. I had 2 neon tetra's, 3 kuhli loaches, 3 ghost shrimp and 1 guppy in the tank. I came home tonight and my wife has added 2 cherry barbs, 2 more neon tetras and another guppy. (Petsmart was having a $1 sale). I know this is going to make cycling a bit harder but, I do at least 30% PWC's daily so I'm not worried abut that. Right now Ammo, Trite and Trate are all at 0.... My biggest concern is, will all of thse fish get along? I know tiger barbs are fin nippers....are cherry barbs the same? so far ALL the fish are swimming together in 1 big school (minus the loaches that I hardly ever see). I have other tanks that I could rehome them too BUT, this is my wifes tank basically so I'd rather not do that unless needed.

On a side note she brought me home 2 painted glass tetras for one of my tanks. Hopefully they will play well with glowfish.

 

[Chronos313]

Cherry barbs are passive. I wouldn't worry too much but they like larger groups

 

[ccross]

Cherry barbs are passive. I wouldn't worry too much but they like larger groups

Like 8-10?

 

[Chronos313]

8-10 would be the right number.

 

[ccross]

8-10 would be the right number.

You think 8 cherries and 8 neons would be OK in a 20 gallon?

 

[Chronos313]

You would have room for those as they have a small bio load, a gourami and a BN pleco IMO in that tank

 

[rkilling1]

I'm working on doing a fish in cycle on a 20 gallon tank. I had 2 neon tetra's, 3 kuhli loaches, 3 ghost shrimp and 1 guppy in the tank. I came home tonight and my wife has added 2 cherry barbs, 2 more neon tetras and another guppy. (Petsmart was having a $1 sale). I know this is going to make cycling a bit harder but, I do at least 30% PWC's daily so I'm not worried abut that. Right now Ammo, Trite and Trate are all at 0....

On a side note she brought me home 2 painted glass tetras for one of my tanks. Hopefully they will play well with glowfish.

That's a very heavy bioload for an UNcycled tank. Those shrimp are going to have a hard time surviving.

To help the cycle, just take a filter from your other tank and rinse it out into the new tank. All the mung from the filter will seed this tank and almost instantly cycle it.

 

[ccross]

That's a very heavy bioload for an UNcycled tank. Those shrimp are going to have a hard time surviving.

To help the cycle, just take a filter from your other tank and rinse it out into the new tank. All the mung from the filter will seed this tank and almost instantly cycle it.

So just give it a squeeze into the new tank? I have some gravel from a cycled tank in the filter already.

 

[rkilling1]

So just give it a squeeze into the new tank? I have some gravel from a cycled tank in the filter already.

Great! You are already all over it.

And yes, ringing out the filter will be better then just the gravel.

How long have you had this tank with fish in it?

 

[ccross]

Great! You are already all over it.

And yes, ringing out the filter will be better then just the gravel.

How long have you had this tank with fish in it?

Only about 4 days with fish. Tank has been running for over a week.

Edit: daily 30% water changes.

 

[ccross]

I just wrang the filter out in the tank and a lot of crud came out if it into my tank water. Do I just leave it and let the filter suck it up?

 

[rkilling1]

Only about 4 days with fish. Tank has been running for over a week.

Edit: daily 30% water changes.

I got scared when you said you were doing a 'fish in' cycle with that many fish and also had shrimp in there. Shrimp are very sensitive to NH3 and NO2.

But I think you will be just fine. Just keep checking those parameters.

I wish I could help on the stocking issue, but I don't have any experience with those fish.

 

[rkilling1]

I just wrang the filter out in the tank and a lot of crud came out if it into my tank water. Do I just leave it and let the filter suck it up?

Exactly. It kinda seems wrong, but you are getting all the bacteria seeded into the new filter. No need to wait for the cycle this way.

 

[ccross]

Exactly. It kinda seems wrong, but you are getting all the bacteria seeded into the new filter. No need to wait for the cycle this way.

Great! Thanks for the info. Ill keep a close eye on my parameters and see how it goes.

 

[Coursair]

I'm sure you know, but adding live plants ( if you haven't already) will help you tank also.

 

[ccross]

I'm sure you know, but adding live plants ( if you haven't already) will help you tank also.

I want to add plants but don't know anything about it. Do I need special substrate?

 

[Tetra1990]

No special substrate is needed.

 

[ccross]

No special substrate is needed.

Any recommendations for plants that would be good with my current stock?