After a fishless cycle, how many fish to add?

[jm667]

I read up the article on fishless cycling, and have that underway now. The one thing I was confused about is how many fish to add when its complete. Do you still just add a couple at a time, or do you need to add more so they are producing enough waste and don't kill off the bacteria? What is a good amount of fish to add right away?

 

[Ruadh]

You don't say how big your tank is, but I wouldn't advise more than 6 small ones to start off. Give it 2 or 3 weeks to add a few more.
The media in your filter will help grow the bacteria necessary, up to a point, for the number of fish you keep. When you add more fish the bacteria will react to the increased bio-load and multiply.

 

[Jchillin]

It depends on your tank size. Your substrate and decor will also get saturated with beneficial bacteria over time. A group of small tetras is usually a good start.

 

[jm667]

Oh yeah I did forget to mention that! Its 50 gallons and I have an Eheim 2217.