# How to Keep Fish Healthy During Nitrogen Cycle?



## Venemous Rock (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi. I'm going to get my first fish tomorrow, most likely ghost shrimp and a snail to throw in my first aquarium. It's a four gallon. After the fish excrete waste, it should take about four weeks to get the bacteria convert it to the form of nitrates. I have no other disposable or 'hardy' fish to throw in. So is there any way I can prevent them from dying during the nitrogen cycle?


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Buy a water test kit, and test it every day. If the ammonia or nitrite levels get to a dangerous level, then do a water change to bring them down.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Yeah, don't use live fish. That prevents it. 

Do a fishless cycle. It's easy to do and safe for everything all the way around. Get a shrimp cocktail prawn and use that.


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## Venemous Rock (Jan 16, 2012)

Obsidian said:


> Yeah, don't use live fish. That prevents it.
> 
> Do a fishless cycle. It's easy to do and safe for everything all the way around. Get a shrimp cocktail prawn and use that.


I will have another five gallon in about five days, it shipped today and I'm waiting for it to come in the mail. It comes with a filter too. Is there a way I can put the fish in one for four days, then swap them into the second for another four days while the previous is being cleaned, and repeat this cycle? I really want to do this because I really want my fish, I've been waiting to get them since Christmas. My mom can finally take me to Petco tomorrow. So I want to get them.


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

That is probably a more stressful strategy than simply doing very frequent water changes. And I would point out that neither a shrimp nor a snail are fish. What fish are you trying to cycle with?


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## Venemous Rock (Jan 16, 2012)

Fishpunk said:


> That is probably a more stressful strategy than simply doing very frequent water changes. And I would point out that neither a shrimp nor a snail are fish. What fish are you trying to cycle with?


I was planning on cycling with a shrimp and a snail. Sorry but I'm new here and I don't understand how much works lol. Since the tank is so small I was going to use it purely for ghost shrimp and a snail or two.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

If you have another set up tank that isn't diseased, you could take the filter cartridge and put it in the tank. Sponge filters will also speed it up.


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## Venemous Rock (Jan 16, 2012)

Betta man said:


> If you have another set up tank that isn't diseased, you could take the filter cartridge and put it in the tank. Sponge filters will also speed it up.


What do you mean by a diseased tank? I have another five gallon tank coming in the mail, should be here in about five days.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

no parasites, or diseases. I meant if you had another tank pre set up


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## Venemous Rock (Jan 16, 2012)

Betta man said:


> no parasites, or diseases. I meant if you had another tank pre set up


This will be my first tank.


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

I suspect you will probably be just fine with a single shrimp and a snail. Just keep up with the testing and the water changes and be ready to pull back on the feeding after the cycle is established.


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