A Week old Aquairum/ What fish?

[psufan43]

Originally Posted by sw65galma
Big NO NO!
In the older barbaric days (like a year or two ago lol) we used to do that...
Not any more!!
There are many other ways to create amonia and a cycle without having to put fish through torture...
Imagine having to sit in a Septic system until the bacteria took over? Why would you do that to you fish.. :notsure:

Its a Damsel for crynig out loud, they are extremly hardy. I have alwys used damsels to cycle my tanks with never any problems . I still have my 2 damsels from 2 tanks i cycled 3 years ago.
Also as far as damsels being mean, I have been in this hobby for a long time now, i have never had one problem with a damsel maybe if you keep them with other damsels or small fish ike themselves, I dont know what other kind of fish your keeping them with, But i have a damsel in my tank which i since the orginal cucle with a pakistan butterfly, copperband butterfly and a naso tang. I also have one in my other salt tank, with a powder blue and a flag fin angel.

 

[sw65galma]

Originally Posted by psufan43
Its a Damsel for crynig out loud, they are extremly hardy. I have alwys used damsels to cycle my tanks with never any problems . I still have my 2 damsels from 2 tanks i cycled 3 years ago.
Also as far as damsels being mean, I have been in this hobby for a long time now, i have never had one problem with a damsel maybe if you keep them with other damsels or small fish ike themselves, I dont know what other kind of fish your keeping them with, But i have a damsel in my tank which i since the orginal cucle with a pakistan butterfly, copperband butterfly and a naso tang. I also have one in my other salt tank, with a powder blue and a flag fin angel.
The question of hardiness has never been argued....
I'm saying, it's not exactly the most humane thing to put an animal through. When there are other ways that do not require the use of live animals.
I Bet you are hardy enough to use as a crash test dummy a few times, does it mean that is a humane thing to do to people? No...
That was my only point..

 

[ophiura]

I had a damsel that would attack ME when I put my hand in the tank, LOL, and several are known to attack divers. They are highly territorial and do pick a turf to defend. Now if they are in a tank with lots of large predatory fish and have to hide in order to not be eaten, that is a different story.

But if you do have a single damsel in a large tank - that is not so much the issue. But if you are using a "classic" damsel cycling method, you would use about 1 damsel for every 5 gallons of water. That could be an issue.
However, whether or not a damselfish will survive in the tank, IMO, means NOTHING in regards to the quality of water, success with other fish, etc. There is little point, IMO, to adding them unless you WANT to add those fish in particular just like any others. But seriously, if you need to "test" your water for whether fish will survive, a la a canary in a cage...you've got bigger issues.

 

[psufan43]

I would rather have a colorful hardy damsel swimming around in a tank for 1-2 months then nothing. Its all matter of oppinion i guess. I feel if i buy a damsel from a store like *****, The fish has a better chance of surival with me, then in a store like *****.

 

[seahorse11]

how many damsels to cycle a 90 gallon tank?

 

[fedukeford]

NONE u should never cycle with fish, it slowly burns them and eventually kills them, GREAT pain, cycle with a dead shrimp from the grocery store

 

[lion_crazz]

You are going way too fast. Slow down and don't add anything to the tank for at least 4-6 weeks. Let your tank establish some and try to learn a little before you go on from here.

 

[lion_crazz]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I am extremely concerned that you will have 2 dead blue tangs...and any other fish.
PATIENCE is key in this hobby, and I am afraid right now I do not see that.
What are your specific water parameters?
Always have them - NEVER rely on the store to tell you if your water is fine, as they are trying to SELL you fish. And they sold you two TOTALLY inappropriate fish for that tank size and age. Clearly, they should not be trusted. PLEASE do not buy any more fish.
Neither the tangs, nor the angel are suitable for a tank that is so young. A butterfly and other tangs may not be suitable for your tank for a long while. A seastar, also, is something that requires a VERY mature tank.
I would strongly encourage you to slow down, buy some test kits, let the tank mature...and READ. Otherwise, I promise you, you will lose fish and lose money. The number of people who CONTINUE in this hobby is much smaller than those who start in it. That is why you can often pick up very cheap used tanks.
Please SLOW DOWN!!!!
I couldn't agree more.
You are going way too fast. Slow down and don't add anything to the tank for at least 4-6 weeks. Let your tank establish some and try to learn a little before you go on from here.

 

[coachklm]

***) ***)

***) ***) owned :hilarious

 

[unleashed]

Originally Posted by unleashed
please research this link before attempting to add anything more to your tank .
{edit link - unfortunately the site given is sponsored by several stores)
this will help you out alot also check into a book called consiensous aquariest it is written by robert fenner also the founder of that web site I posted a link for.this will help you astablish a good and healthy tank.this hobby can be a very expencive hobby even to the most experience hobbiest.but can be painfully expencive to those who lack knowledge and good husbandry skills.patients is the key to success
im very sad to see that the best free informative web site to all aquatic hobbiest is now concidered a competor and cannot be shared with others on this forum.although they sell nothing

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by unleashed
im very sad to see that the best free informative web site to all aquatic hobbiest is now concidered a competor and cannot be shared with others on this forum.although they sell nothing

Unfortunately they have several sponsors stores. Its just the rules, sorry, and those articles when given some keywords are not difficult to google.

 

[seahorse11]

My LFS said that for a 90 gallon, i would need appox 10 damsels to cycle. Does anybody agree with this? Anybody have an answer to THIS question? It seems like 10 fish is alot.

 

[lion_crazz]

I do not agree with it at all. Just go to the grocery store and pick up 2 or 3 already dead cocktail shrimp. This will save 10 fish's lives, it will save you like $30, and you will not have to worry about having to take the damsels out when the cycle is over (if any live, which is doubtful).

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by seahorse11
My LFS said that for a 90 gallon, i would need appox 10 damsels to cycle. Does anybody agree with this? Anybody have an answer to THIS question? It seems like 10 fish is alot.
IMO There is no reason to use any fish at all. It is far cheaper and easier to use dead shrimp, extra flake food, uncured rock, etc.
The LFS has a nice little deal going....
Let's say they sell you 10 damsels at $5.00 each. (As an aside, a "classic" damselfish method would require about 18 damsels - 1 per 5 gal).
So that is $50.00 in his pocket, minus maybe the $10 they cost and some overhead (I'm going with really expensive damsels).
So you cycle, and several die...let's be generous and say a whole 8 damsels live.
Well, you don't want 8 damsels in your tank because they are mean, so now you have to take the rock out and catch them all.
You take them back to your very generous LFS who kindly offers to take them back in trade, for about 30% of what you paid for them. Maybe if he's real generous he'll give you 50% back. So you've got $20 back which you proceed to give back to him on another fish, plus a few extra bucks for the difference. He gets back 8 damsels, which he turns around and sells again for $5 a piece.
So of course you need 10 damsels to cycle the tank. All other ways are totally inferior.

Just be glad you aren't the damsel, because eventually....eventually that fish will probably die from constant re-exposure to ammonia in a cycling tank.

Seriously, save yourself time and money. There is NO benefit whatsoever, IMO, to cycling with damselfish except to the LFS owner.

 

[sw65galma]

Originally Posted by ophiura
IMO There is no reason to use any fish at all. It is far cheaper and easier to use dead shrimp, extra flake food, uncured rock, etc.
The LFS has a nice little deal going....
Let's say they sell you 10 damsels at $5.00 each. (As an aside, a "classic" damselfish method would require about 18 damsels - 1 per 5 gal).
So that is $50.00 in his pocket, minus maybe the $10 they cost and some overhead (I'm going with really expensive damsels).
So you cycle, and several die...let's be generous and say a whole 8 damsels live.
Well, you don't want 8 damsels in your tank because they are mean, so now you have to take the rock out and catch them all.
You take them back to your very generous LFS who kindly offers to take them back in trade, for about 30% of what you paid for them. Maybe if he's real generous he'll give you 50% back. So you've got $20 back which you proceed to give back to him on another fish, plus a few extra bucks for the difference. He gets back 8 damsels, which he turns around and sells again for $5 a piece.
So of course you need 10 damsels to cycle the tank. All other ways are totally inferior.

Just be glad you aren't the damsel, because eventually....eventually that fish will probably die from constant re-exposure to ammonia in a cycling tank.

Seriously, save yourself time and money. There is NO benefit whatsoever, IMO, to cycling with damselfish except to the LFS owner.
And that is the sad truth

 

[pfitz44]

Originally Posted by seahorse11
My LFS said that for a 90 gallon, i would need appox 10 damsels to cycle. Does anybody agree with this? Anybody have an answer to THIS question? It seems like 10 fish is alot.
Seahorse.... if your still going to that LFS in plainville.... stay away... dont take there advice..... heres why:
After heaing about the store, i visited it. I was looking around, and i like to "quiz" the lfs guys when i see them... to see if theyre there to sell me stuff, or really help my problems. One trip, i walked in, and found the blood red shrimp... fireshrimp. The lady asked me if i had a reef tank, and i said no, because i dont. she then proceded to tell me i wouldnt be able to keep teh fireshrimp....
another time, i walked over to the clams that they had there, and was looking at them. I asked one of the guys there what they need to survive, and he asked what i had for a setup. I told him 55 gal woth regular stock (N.O.) lighting. he told me i could keep 2 or 3 in there with out a problem. Needless to say, i said ok, thanks, and walked out.
If you are in a real need to cycle your tank, let me know... ive got some cured LR that ill let you have really cheep... ive got about 50# of it in my nano reef (20 gal). i have two rocks in my fuge...
Also, feed the tank, or put some raw coctail shrimp in there.... or uncured LR. My nano i cycled with uncured LR and it worked wonders!
PFitz44 at juno dot com is the best way to get me.
~Fitzy
BTW: There priecs are pretty good, so dont stop going there... just dont get info from them