How many fish keep bacteria alive?

[Christoffer]

I have a 350 liters Aquarium, whit 9 kg biohome ultimate media, that I has just finished at full cycle whit putting fish food in the Aquarium, i stop putting fish food in, and just put in 6 small Otocinclus affinis, i dont feed them yet because i want them to eat the algae, is that enough fore the first week and then put some more in afterwards ? or should I put more in, to keep the bacteria alive, ore should i keep putting fish food in? I'm so confused

 

[FishGuest5123]

You’ll be fine with just the fish.

 

[Christoffer]

You’ll be fine with just the fish.

Okay thanks for the answer, I don't have to worry then good to know

 

[Essjay]

The otos will excrete ammonia to feed the bacteria.
Keep an eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels each time you add fish - test once a day till you are sure they are staying at zero. The only problem with using fish food to cycle a tank is that you don't know how much ammonia and nitrite can be processed in 24 hours so there is a risk that not enough bacteria have grown so doing those tests will make sure.

With 350 litres, I assume you'll be getting more fish besides the otos? If the ammonia levels stay at zero for a few days, you can get some more fish. 6 fish in 350 litres will not make much ammonia so some of the bacteria you have grown will become dormant after a few weeks unless you get more fish. It takes months for them to actually die off.

 

[Christoffer]

Thanks for the info, i did not know that, I will put 25 more in of different fish, but I will do as you describe.
Here is a picture of my tank if you are curious

 

[Essjay]

All those plants will help too. They use ammonia as fertiliser and they don't turn it into nitrite.

As long as ammonia and nitrite stay at zero for a few days after each batch of fish, you can add the next one. If you ever get readings above zero, water changes will get them down and wait longer before the next batch of fish.

 

[Retired Viking]

My 55 gallon tank has only been running for about 3 1/2 months. I used the silent cycle and like @essjay said add a batch of fish at a time. I started with 5 red eye tetras then 5 ember tetra and later neons. I tested for ammonia and waited before adding the next patch. It worked perfectly. I do have some floating plants like hornwort which really absorb the ammonia. I just add another batch of neons and already have tetra fry in the tank, but I do have more plants in my tank than you do. Your tank looks very nice.

 

[Christoffer]

Okay thanks fore all the help, i will do as you guy says

 

[Christoffer]

One of them have died, and another one is just laying on the bottom all the time, the other ones is sticking on the side of Aquarium, they are not moving around, should I be worried I got one of them to eat some squash, but when I see videos with these fish, I see them moving around all the time and eating Algae, it's been 6 days now, so they should be used to it. could it be because of my nitrate is too high I have made water change 25% yesterday and 25% today, my tap water has 12 nitrats, and the max is 10 for the otos, should i give them back to my store?

Anumoark : 0
Nitrit : 0
Nitrat : 18
GH : 15
KH :13
PH : 8

 

[Naughts]

I heard Otos can be nearly starving to death before they get to the lfs. As herbivores they are really not suitable for new tanks. You can keep trying them with vegetables and see if they will eat algae wafers.

 

[Christoffer]

I heard Otos can be nearly starving to death before they get to the lfs. As herbivores they are really not suitable for new tanks. You can keep trying them with vegetables and see if they will eat algae wafers.

I will try, if they will not eat, i might just take them back to the store they can maybe give them a better life.