Will this work, or will my fish die?

[bachamp]

I have a 25 Gallon Tank, 24 x 12 x 20. About 15 plants, 150 Gallon per hour filter, (one that sits on the rim of the tank) has active carbon and a sponge in it. And an air rock that runs all the way along the back of the tank. I have not put any fish in it yet.

In the end I want to have

10 Neon Tetra's
6 Zebra's
4 Gubbies
and 2 Bigger fish (maybe goldfish)

I wont put them in all at one time, will buy the guppies first then the Zebra's then the Neon's and then get the bigger fish.

What I want to know is, will there be too many Fish in the tank?

I have heard 1 inch per gallon, but I thought that if you have enough plants and a good filter you should be able to put more in. Say 2 inch per gallon.

Thanks in advanced

[Lady Hobbs]

Well, the plants are taking up even more room that the fish won't have. I think you can put them all in there, tho, with the exception of the goldfish. They do not belong in a community fish tank. They are cold water fish and your others are not.

You can also cycle that tank with ammonia if you want to cycle before adding the fish. Danio's also make good cycling fish but that ammonia can get up there and lots of water changes will be necessary to keep them alive.

If you use ammonia, it must be pure ammonia with no perfumes or additives added to it. The cheap Dollar Store ammonia is pure ammonia.

[jman]

i think there are a tad bit too many plants but yeah the goldfish is coldblooded and that really wouldn't do him any good.

[Nautilus29]

Goldfish are really dirty fish too. I wouldnt recommend them.

Trust me you want to do a fishless cycle. I didnt and I have been doing 50% water changes for almost a week now and i still cant seem to get my ammonia down. I'm just lucky i havent killed my fish yet.

[Fishguy2727]

That stocking is right on if you keep up with water changes (weekly and pretty big). What filter exactly? No goldfish, too big for that size tank anyways. Add a school of cories, be prepared to add ottos if you have algae problems.

[bachamp]

ok, no goldfish.

I thought a couple of bigger fish would look good, would anyone be able to recommend a good one that would get along with the fish I have already selected.

Also thinking of getting 4 Glass Catfish will I need to remove some of the fish from the list? Or will stock levels still be ok.

The plants are of all different size, I only have 4 that go right to the top of the tank. It looks right thought. Not to over crowded.

I cannot remember the exact filter, I will have a look when I get home.

Should I get the Zebra's and do a cycle with them first? Before I buy any other fish?

[Fishguy2727]

If you already have the plants just slowly add fish and watch your parameters closely, especially ammonia and nitrite. I have found glass cats to be too skittish for my taste.

[bachamp]

I was going to get the Glass cats last so I will see how I go.

[bachamp]

also I read that you should add 5 fish per 10 gallon for cycling,

Should I get 4 guppies and 6 Zebra's for the cycle or should I get less?

[jman]

i actually think it would be fine if it is too much it would show but i dont think there would be a problem. add them slowly

[Severus]

I wouldnt recommend guppies for cycling. One of the best fish for cycling is the zebra danios, very hardy. If you cycle with any fish do it wiht them.

[Fishguy2727]

Start with something like 3 danios, then if all goes well you can add about that number per week TOPS. This is assuming your ammonia or nitrites don't get too high. I tend to watch the fish, not just the numbers. As in even if the numbers say I should be doing a water change, if the fish seem fine I let it go. But to do this you have to be pretty good ad seeing stress in its first signs.

[bachamp]

for those who wanted to know it the filter is a AquaClear 150

[bachamp]

Well it has been 12 hours since I put the fish in.

I got 6 zebra danios.

So far I have 0 ammonia reading.

Before I put the fish in I put food in and left it there for several days.
Another thing I did was get some rocks from a creek, these rocks do have some moss growing on them. (I live in the tropics in Australia, the creek was clean came from a big forest, no Industrial or residential area up stream.

Should I get some more fish?

[Fishguy2727]

Not yet, I would give it at least a week. There is no such thing as too slow, but there is such a thing as too fast. They will thank you for your patience.

[jeffs99dime]

that is too many danios to start off a cycle in a 25g. i would suggest 3, as reptileguy2727 stated.

[Fishguy2727]

If they are already there they are already there, so just make sure things do not get thrown off. How much to add at any one time is variable, but when in doubt hold back. You can add more fish later, but too many now can throw things off. I think the 6 in there will be fine as long as they are not fed too much. Just keep an eye on ammonia and nitrites, but most importantly watch them for signs of stress such as clamped fins and lethargy (sitting around, not acting like danios).

[bachamp]

I will hold back and watch the chemicals and the fish. So far the fish seem fine, they are very active.

[Fishguy2727]

Good, that sounds like danios to me. Good luck and keep us posted.

[bachamp]

I still have 0 ammonia reading. Does this seem strange, 30 hours and no ammonia?

[NervousWreck]

Patience is the key. As stated keep a check on Ammonia and Nitrates. If I remember right my 29 gallon took about 30 days start to finish when I cycled it.

[Fishguy2727]

One, that is not a huge bioload for that tank, especially if you are feeding lightly so it should not shoot up too quickly. And two, those plants may be affecting your readings (in a good way by keeping the ammonia down) so no ammonia yet does not sound impossible. Give it time and keep an eye on it, you are doing great so far.

[bachamp]

I decided to spend some money on testing.

Theory, Without ammonia, no Bacteria are going to grow.

I decided to move on, so I bought 10 Neon Tetras, Some Stress zyme (In case Ammonia levels get to high, and also got some live bacteria (not bio-spira as I cannot get bio-spira in Australia).

Plan, put the Neon’s in, watch Ammonia, if it rises quickly put some bio-spira in, if it keeps rising, put some stress zyme in.

So far had the Neon’s in there for about 24 hours, I am seeing the slightest increase in Ammonia, it is still less than .1 ppm though.

Fish look fine, the Zebras are chasing the neon’s around. Neon’s are not as active as the Zebras, but still moving around the tank, I think they are fine.

Yet to add anything to the water.

If fish start dying than, back to square one, but personally things are going as planned.

(I know it seems like I’m impatient but this is a Christmas present and it need it to look great by tomorrow when the wife arrives. She has been away for the last week and I thought this would be a good time to get it all working, giving my self a week I thought it was plenty but I didn’t know about cycling then.)

So, Will this work, or will fish die?

[bachamp]

Ammonia is between 0 and 0.1. This seems great for me.

But it doesn't seem right, 16 fish in a week old aquarium, I would feel that Ammonia should be going up in a big way?

[jeffs99dime]

one thing. i wouldn't use the neons to cycle! they are very sensitive to water conditions. also, that is way too many fish, you are correct about that

[bachamp]

that is the ammonia reading is so it looks alright.

[Whitney]

If you use BioSpira, you don't have to add the fish slowly and you don't have to do a fishless cycle...

It really does work.

[jeffs99dime]

If you use BioSpira, you don't have to add the fish slowly and you don't have to do a fishless cycle...

It really does work.

....if it's kept refrigerated from the store

[bachamp]

the stuff im getting “Nitrosomonas” and “Nitrobacter”, [Only Registered Users Can See Links.], is refrigerated from the store, I had to order it in as the only stuff they have is cycle and that is not refrigerated.

[jeffs99dime]

"cycle" is a waste of money if you ask me

[bachamp]

I dont like the idea of "cycle". I think it needs to kept cold.

[bachamp]

still 0 ammonia reading. I am going to take a water sample to the local shop and get them to test it, just to make sure.

But the fish seem fine. I cannot see any stress.

Also I added some Otto cats, so I now have 18 fish. Personally I think that I have done something or put something in that already has the bacteria I need, either the rocks from the creek or the plants from the shop.

[bachamp]

I think I have skiped the cycle, that is what the local fish shop think.

Readings

am 0
na 0
ni 1

Has been 3 weeks, I have 21 fish in there now.
No deaths.

[jeffs99dime]

have those numbers been holding steady?

[bachamp]

ni has been going up slowely but everything else has been.

I did a 25-30% water change and the ni went down.

It seems like it has cycled.

I have not added anything into the tank chemical wise.

[Fishguy2727]

Are nitrates rising or nitrites?

[bachamp]

Nitrates are increasing slowely.

[Fishguy2727]

That's how it should go.

[jeffs99dime]

Nitrates are increasing slowely.

that's exactly what you want to happen. keep it up and make sure to keep testing water parameters one a week or more once fully cycled.