anyone know about using shrimp in fishless cycle??
- Thread starter ara35
- Start date
Take a raw shrimp (not cooked/frozen), put it in a mesh bag or new ladies nylon and drop it in the tank to start the cycle. Monitor the ammonia level to get to 5 or 6 ppm. If it doesn't reach that with one shrimp, you may need to add another. You need to keep this source of ammonia until you fully cycle (nitrite spike, then nitrate). Once nitrates spike and nitrites and ammonia are 0, you've completed the cycle. Remove the shrimp, do a PWC, and add fish.
You need to add the fish once the shrimp is removed to continue the source of ammonia (or keep the shrimp until you can add the fish).
You need to add the fish once the shrimp is removed to continue the source of ammonia (or keep the shrimp until you can add the fish).
I found this way SOOO much easier - and the smell just is NOT that bad!! Was a bit 'whiffy' opening up for the water tests for a couple of days, but nothing to write home about...
I had my Ammonia & Nitrite spikes over the first week, although my tank is only 15g, you haven't said what yours is, but it may take longer if it's larger - not really sure...
'Stinky' (what I named my shrimp!!), got a lil fuzzy bout the end of the first week, so if it was taking a while to cycle, you would most definitely need more replacement shrimp!!
I unfortunately 'destroyed' my fishless cycle after Ammonia & Nitrites spikes by adding some java moss from the lfs, the next day my Nitrites were .25 and my Nitrates went WAY high. I'm really not sure if the moss 'seeded' my tank, or just what happened - all I know that is after 2 weeks I was stable enough to add fish!!
I can't remember if it was someone here or somewhere else I found this link - hope you find it useful!! (hope I'm allowed to share it here??)
http://www.tropicaltankforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8326
This guy actually finished his...
Good luck!!
Chele & Baby Luke
I had my Ammonia & Nitrite spikes over the first week, although my tank is only 15g, you haven't said what yours is, but it may take longer if it's larger - not really sure...
'Stinky' (what I named my shrimp!!), got a lil fuzzy bout the end of the first week, so if it was taking a while to cycle, you would most definitely need more replacement shrimp!!
I unfortunately 'destroyed' my fishless cycle after Ammonia & Nitrites spikes by adding some java moss from the lfs, the next day my Nitrites were .25 and my Nitrates went WAY high. I'm really not sure if the moss 'seeded' my tank, or just what happened - all I know that is after 2 weeks I was stable enough to add fish!!
I can't remember if it was someone here or somewhere else I found this link - hope you find it useful!! (hope I'm allowed to share it here??)
http://www.tropicaltankforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8326
This guy actually finished his...
Good luck!!
Chele & Baby Luke
my tank is actually 15 as well so i guess it'll take about two weeks i hope. and did you use more than one shrimp? and did you have to change the shrimp/shrimps before it was done? thanks alot for the help guys. by the way the tank specs are most likely gonna be as follows:
-1 dwarf gourami
-5-6 panda cories
-5-6 bloodfin tetras
maybe some shrimp (besides the frozen one)
-1 dwarf gourami
-5-6 panda cories
-5-6 bloodfin tetras
maybe some shrimp (besides the frozen one)
I have recently discovered that my 'shrimp' was actually a rather large prawn (sp?), I still call him a 'shrimp' tho - 'Stinky the Prawn' didn't have the same ring
Oh yeah is this the perfect hobby for me - I can't even tell the difference between a shrimp and a PRAWN!! The things we do for our kids...
I didn't need to change Stinky, tho if I hadn't 'accidentally' finished up early with the java moss I most definitely would have needed a new one. I did however have poor Stinky hanging over the air stone there for rather a while and I think that might have 'speeded' up his disintegration!! (I ended up turning the air stone off when Stinky started 'shedding' some 'floaters' - EWWWW!!! lol
Thaw him out, stick him in a stocking, toss him in there, and WAIT!!
I think I started getting ammonia day 2/3, and tested every second day for the first week.
I can't really comment on how long it would have taken if I hadn't put in the moss, maybe someone else who has done it 100% shrimpie can answer that one??
Oh yeah is this the perfect hobby for me - I can't even tell the difference between a shrimp and a PRAWN!! The things we do for our kids...
I didn't need to change Stinky, tho if I hadn't 'accidentally' finished up early with the java moss I most definitely would have needed a new one. I did however have poor Stinky hanging over the air stone there for rather a while and I think that might have 'speeded' up his disintegration!! (I ended up turning the air stone off when Stinky started 'shedding' some 'floaters' - EWWWW!!! lol
Thaw him out, stick him in a stocking, toss him in there, and WAIT!!
I think I started getting ammonia day 2/3, and tested every second day for the first week.
I can't really comment on how long it would have taken if I hadn't put in the moss, maybe someone else who has done it 100% shrimpie can answer that one??