# Cycling



## UgLy_eLf (Feb 26, 2005)

My friend is setting up a tank, and I don't quite remember how I did this, I believe I just bought a few fish, and eventually added more in the following weeks. But my question is, what fish would you recommend to use for cycling fresh water?


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## turtlehead (Jan 28, 2005)

do a fishless cycle. cycling with fish is very harmful to the fish.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

yep turtlehead is right... put a piece of cocktail shrimp in the tank and let it cycle until you get the following readings
ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5-20


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## UgLy_eLf (Feb 26, 2005)

My friend works at a petshop, could I have her grab a dead feeder fish or something and put it in her tank? I over heard a couple of guys talking about putting flakes in the water, or frozen food to start the cycle?


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## mrmoby (Jan 18, 2005)

I'd use a couple of zebras.


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## turtlehead (Jan 28, 2005)

use bottled ammonia.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

> I'd use a couple of zebras.


A big no no... do this if you want to lose fish or make them suffer... otherwise, just use a cocktail shrimp as I suggested, a single one wouldn't cost you more than a dime!


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## DavidDoyle (Jan 18, 2005)

I am a proponent of fishless cycling. Use pure ammonia so you can control the process. Using shrimp, dead fish, flakes etc is more messy and less precise. The benefit of fishless cycling is. when done, you are able to stock a tank fully all at once.

If you want to cycle with fish, use hardy ones such as z danios or barbs. You must only use a few fish and then build up tour fish load over months adding a few more each time and then going through a mini-cycle each time.


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

Since you have an established fishtank yourself, why not give your friend your old filter pad (and get yourself a new one) and some used gravel (you can put the gravel in a pantyhose and he can later toss it or return it to you). Transport this is a container with some of your tank water and add to his tank. This will seed his tank and cycling will go a whole lot faster. Danios are good cycling fish and if the tank is seeded they will do just fine in a newly set up tank.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

^^ I second that notion.

Hey Garfield, how is Otie?


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