What kind of fish to cycle with?

[aquarius 1]

What type of fish should I use to cycle my 76 gallon fish only tank. I"m not planning on getting live rock so that kind of out of the question too. I know that damsels are traditionally used but I have a pair of perculas in quarantine that have been there since I stripped the tank and I don't want to cycle the tank with damsels and then add the perculas and have WW3. What should I do? Also if I do go with damsels, should they be kept in even or odd numbers? I was thinking like 3, or 4.

 

[newreefers]

just use a dead shrimp from the grocery store, raw, no spices or anything on it

 

[true perc]

Yea just use the mollys because they are cheap or even cheaper raw shrimp.

 

[aquarius 1]

How does the process with the raw shrimp work? Do I leave them in the tank for the entire 6 week period?

 

[newreefers]

no, just a couple of days, when your ammonia spikes up take the shrimp out.

 

[barracuda]

I second that. Don't use fish for cycle. Cocktail shrimp will be fine.

 

[timsedwards]

Yup I third it, although just for the record my clowns and damsels were the bestest buddies
All the best,
Tim.

 

[fshhub]

I agree wiht using shrimp, it is fish friendly and is cheaper than even mollies.
I use shrimp for fish bait, you can get about 6 or 8 jumbos for like $2/something, at most groceirs around here and for a 75 gallon, you only need one, maybe, MAYBE 2 pieces.

 

[aquarius 1]

Anything wrong with using mor than 2, perhaps 3? And this stuff smells so bad!!!

 

[entice59]

i used three put them in a media bag and let it near a powerhead, one week cycled finished, tossed the bag, no shrimp chunks to clean up woohoo! i would try to do that if your pieces didnt break apart, its VERY hard to clean it out unless you have crushed coral.

 

[steelchromis]

Use mollies or damsels, I used damsels to cycle my tank but had to sell them back because those dam fish attacked my new additions!

 

[demosthenes]

This way, you are saving yourself a lot of money and a huge headache. If you buy damsels or mollies, you have to BUY them, then feed them, (More $), and finally, you must find a way to remove them (Bring Out The Aspirin). Go and buy 2-3 shrimp, place them in the tank for a few days, let the tank cycle, and you're done with it.

 

[2jz]

this is just me, but i've always cycled my tanks with damsels...its been a non-stop experience for me, because i am setting up one tank after the other so i just carry over the damsels..