Bad Idea?

[half baked idiot]

I recently set up my first 10 gallon tank. I plan on making it tropical, once I eventually get around to buying the fish I want. Anyway, I was reading up on cycling a tank before getting your desired tank, and a buddy of mine had a couple shiners( not sure if that is the real name-they're bait fish about 2 inches long, white/silver) left over from a fishing trip, so I decided I could use them to cycle my tank. Is this a bad idea? How will I know if this is successful or a total failure? So far they have been happily living in there for almost a week. Any and all help is greatly appreciated, I'm trying to learn as much about this as I can, I read a lot of posts on thhis forum, but didn't see anythign refering to using shiners to cycle a tank. Thanks

 

[dwarfgourami]

You will know if cycling has been successful by testing the water every day. The ammonia and nitrites should both have spiked and gone down to zero again and nitrates should be showing for the tank to be cycled.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

read the link in my sign, what's cycling, it should explain how you can monitor it and what to do to keep the tank healthy whiole doing a cycle with fish

 

[half baked idiot]

alright, so the shienrs have been in the tank for a week now, they were fine up until the last few days. At first it was the smallest shiners who died off, then the biggest one in the tank died today. Now only 1 is left, a medium sized one. I dont have a test kit, so I can't see what the problem with my tank is...what do you suggest doing to make sure the last fish lives? Do fish stores charge to test water samples?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i can tell you the problem without testing the water, your levels of ammonia and nitrite will be toxic to the fish.

do 20% water changes every day until you can certify that both ammonia and nitrite have reached 0. the lfs will test water for you, it's normally fairly cheap.

however remember when you've finished cycling with this one fish when you add some more the filter won't be able to cope and you'll have to go through this all over again each time you add fish in the next few months, this is why fishless cycling is great, just need a couple of weeks patience but when it's done you can fully stock your tank safely