Damsels

[sheni_angel]

When cycling a new 100 gallon tank, how many of these would you put in? I don't really want them as a resident. You're only allowed to have so many fish and there's so many cool ones I already want. Advice? <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

None!! I can't get mine out of the tank. they're a real pain in the tank. Suggest you cycle with a product called cycle.
It's basically a chemical catalist that helps start the cycling process.

 

[broomer5]

Agree - NONE
If you are not planing on keeping them -I wouldn't add them.
If you plan to have live rock or live sand - cycle with that, or do the raw shrimp gig.
Not a big fan of using the cycle bacteria in a bottle, although many others like it.
Live sand/live rock w or w/o raw shrimp = cycled tank w/o damsels.

 

[sheni_angel]

Oh thanks for the info! I really didn't want them! And I am already doing live rock and live sand, so great! I know ammonia will read zero when cycled. Any idea how long guesstimating?

 

[iswimwithmyfish]

just use dead shrimp if u don't want any damsels to cycle the tank

 

[broomer5]

sheni_angel
Your guesstimate is as good as my swag
Keep testing and watch for the ammonia spike and decline, the nitrite spike and decline and nitrate to register.
Have fun !

 

[fshhub]

the best an most humane methods are to use ls, lr and or shrimp, especially if you do not want to keep the damsels, i also don't like this practice, because often teh fish still don't make it, and i agree wtih broomer, i do not like cycle, but some peopple have used it with success, but most(myself included) have nto
i have found i had best success cycling with cured lr, ls and using shrimp(although not completely neccessary to use shrimp wiht lr, it does not hurt)
and if your lfs tells you to, do NOT i repeat do NOT do a water change until the cycle has completed, do nothing and use nothing to reduce the ammonia or trates
HTH