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View Full Version : Best fish for cycle



emmaS
01-11-2007, 10:31 PM
Hi. Okay, I frequent 3 different LFS--all within an hour of each other. I kinda have a tier for them of what store I like the best but they all are good with good people working at them.

I received the tank I have now up and running already. It is an older established tank for over 10 years and the fish in it are thriving--but that means I have never done a cycle and am scared of messing it up. I don't want to inadvertently kill fish.

So I am cycling two tanks now a 10G and a 26G. Well, they're up with water, heaters and filters. There's mostly new gravel and plants but a little gravel from my established tank as well as an old filter cartridge and some feces but no fish. It's been three days of the tanks running. The water temp is a bit of a concern--it's 72 despite the heaters set on 82. I think it's because it's been so cold (brrr!) and my house inside is around 60-65. Should I leave on the lights to help the heat? My established tank is running 75-76 which is what I want.

Okay long story short, what's the best fish to cycle with? One store said feeder fish, another danios, and a third white clouds. Also how many fish would I need for the 10 and the 26.

The 26G I hope for some cichlids (the yellow ones) and for the 10G I'd like to have 2 male bettas using a divider. Not sure if the type of fish in the long run makes a difference in the cycling.

P.S. If possible I'd like to keep the fish afterwards--maybe in the 20G. I'm afraid I'd probably get attached to feeder fish too.

WeeNe858
01-11-2007, 10:33 PM
none :]... do a fishless cycle that way you dont have to get atached to the fishes..

gomezladdams
01-11-2007, 11:02 PM
Just run your filter for the new tank on your existing tank,alongside the present filter,for a few weeks then put it on the new tank with a light fish load to start.Or remove some material from the running filter and put it in the new.
No reason to cold start a cycle if you got functioning biomedia handy

Mgamer20o0
01-11-2007, 11:41 PM
both are good ideas. i would go with adding gravel or filter media to the new tank to seed it. then go to a fishless cycle by adding ammonia. one good thing about that is you wont have to water change. you will be able to stock it after and not have to worry about what to do with the fish.