Now what should I do?

[mariposa]

Ok let me give a little back ground here. I have a 10 gal with a back hanging filter, heater holding temps about 80 F, Some cloth plants for hiding and even a half log and a cave hiding thing. I have a lighted hood some bulbs for live plants that havent started to bloom yet, and of course gravel. I originally set this up for my betta but things havent been working out for that and so I'm gonna be left with one Danio in there right now. I know this is a schooling fish and does better with friends but at the same time I dont want a bunch of Danios taking up space I could put a more colorful fish. Problem is that I want something in there to cycle the tank. My tank is only 4 days old today (Sunday Oct.1). I was thinking I'd like to get some colorful tetras or some dwarf gouramis. What should I do? I have been researching the compatability charts as a kind of guideline before I put anything in so I hope I wont be making a mistake.

[kimmers318]

Personally I wouldn't recommend cycling with any fish. I know danios are considered "hardy" and okay to cycle with but I have watched healthy danios get a crippled wasting away look months after cycling and can't help but think the torment did it to them. Read up on fishless cycling, or since you already have 1 fish in there, find someone who can donate some gravel, filter media, or the gunk that can be squeezed/rinsed out of a dirty filter pad to jump start your bacteria colonies. After that you can slowly increase your fish load as you continue to monitor your tanks progress. Biospira is a product that I have heard good things about, although I haven't tried it, so you might want to look into that.

[Lady Hobbs]

A 10 gallon is too small for skoaling tetra's, I believe. They appreciate being with many of their own and having room. In a tank that size, I would think maybe cardinal tetra's OR maybe some rasbora's, a few platies and guppies. It is difficult to keep a small tank clean so feed these fish very little. And especially so during cycling. Start with about 4 small fish.

Don't shoot danio's down too much. They are top swimmers and never interfer with the movement in the center of the tank. It's rather nice to have top, mid and bottom swimmers so you have activity at all levels.

[CJ1]

This can be argued all day and one's opinion will not be changed. I use danios to cycle tanks and have never had any problems doing that. Another thing I do while cycling a tnak is regular weekly maintenance just as if the tank was already cycled. I have tried many methods, and done a lot of water testing in the past. This is what works for me and has worked for all that I have helped start out with aquariums.

[Lady Hobbs]

I've read zerba danio's are especially hardly and can withstand cycling very well.