How To Keep Your Fish Alive If You Have A Fully Stocked Uncycled Tank

[TylerFerretLord]

I decided to write this after seeing several topics about people who fully stock an uncycled tank and come here wondering why their fish have all died.

If you've come to this topic seeking for a way to save your fish, I suggest you read about fishless cycling to understand what it is you unknowingly did wrong. That should explain the cycle to you. I also suggest you look through the topics linked to here.

Now, on to the ways to save you fish with a brief explanation.

1.) Return
Chance of fish death: None
Just return the fish. This is THE best way to handle this, and you should really try to do this, even if you lose some money, as it is much better for the fish, and you may have compatibility issues or bad beginner fish. You then do a fishless cycle after retuning them.

Always try to return them!

2.) Fish-in cycle
Chance of fish death: High
This is where you don't return the fish and and you perform daily 30% water changes, and feed only every two days. If you can, try to get the product called Bio-Spira(Bactinettes in the UK), as this is the only bacteria-in-a-bottle product that actually works, and will shorten the cycle and the stress on the fish.

Please, try to return the fish before doing this.

3.) Cycle another tank
Chance of fish death: Low-Medium
I did this when I first started out. You buy another tank or water holding device(I used a ten gallon), which can then be used as a quarantine tank once you're done, and cycle it instead of your tank with fish. You place zeolite (white mineral that is sold as a filter media, may be called ammo-chips or something similar) in your filter as this mineral removes ammonia from the water. Change the zeolite weekly, and do water changes as if you had a cycled tank. When the other tank has cycled simply put the media from that tank's filter into the one you have fish in. This is more expensive than #2, but better for the fish. You can also use Bio-Spira to aid in the cycling process. Again, please try to return the fish.

I hope this has helped!

Also, other member, if you have any advice on how to improve this please leave a post.

 

[Montizuma]

Very good . BUT i did a tank with fish in it and if u are serious and do it just right and stay on top of your water stats then your fish lose is very very low. I lost 1 fish and i did 20 percent water changes and slowly lower how much water i was taking out so i didn't remove a lot of the good bacteria. Yes is hard and it takes a lot of time but the pay of is great.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Very good . BUT i did a tank with fish in it and if u are serious and do it just right and stay on top of your water stats then your fish lose is very very low. I lost 1 fish and i did 20 percent water changes and slowly lower how much water i was taking out so i didn't remove a lot of the good bacteria. Yes is hard and it takes a lot of time but the pay of is great.

I know that it's possible, ut if you have the chance to do a fishless cycle you really should, as it is better for the fish.

 

[Soliquid]

It's probably been asked before, but I know a couple of people who have stocked a new tank with loads of fish and don't have many problems. One or two may die, but the rest remain healthy. What's the reason for this? I can only think of three,

1) They had some media with bacteria in it already (like filters, gravel, etc)
2) They used bacteria and chemicals, kinda like a cocktail except it's for fish
3) Pure luck??!

I don't know, i subscribe to the fishless cycling idea, even though I am the laughing stock of my friends at the moment.

 

[paul_219]

Thats very useful information.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

It's probably been asked before, but I know a couple of people who have stocked a new tank with loads of fish and don't have many problems. One or two may die, but the rest remain healthy. What's the reason for this? I can only think of three,

1) They had some media with bacteria in it already (like filters, gravel, etc)
2) They used bacteria and chemicals, kinda like a cocktail except it's for fish
3) Pure luck??!

I don't know, i subscribe to the fishless cycling idea, even though I am the laughing stock of my friends at the moment.

They most likely stocked with hardy fish, and had a large amount of luck.

it's still better to return them, as most people will end up with bad compatibility issues and possible tankbusters. I should know, I had two irridescent sharks!

 

[Kay1123]

Very right the only issue I see is the death rate upon return. In some areas (such as mine) fish have a higher death rate in the stores then going through a cycle. So, I wouldn't say always return. Plus, some places won't take back fish. I have a hard time selling back fish or plants and there are breeders around that have a hard time getting rid of very healthy babies.

 

[Will91]

Another option is MarineLand's Biospira. This is live beneficial bacteria that doesn't seem to get much exposure on this board. It ican be added immediately before lightly stocking a tank. The product has two types of bacteria - one for ammonia processing and the other for nitrite processing. I used this product with great success and saw no ammonia buildup and only a small amount of nitrite (which didn't last more than a day).

For $6-7 USD for a pouch of this stuff it is a lot easier than the ammonia methods and certainly better that cycling with fish IMHO.

http/www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ml_biospira.asp

BIO-Spira, containing several newly discovered patented and patent pending species of the actual nitrifying bacteria found in closed, freshwater aquatic systems is "biological filtration" in a bottle. It literally works overnight to prevent fish loss due to ammonia and nitrite toxicity.

Discovered, isolated and cultured by Marineland Labs, BIO-Spira is the result of 10+ years of molecular biological research to identify and commercially produce the bacteria responsible for nitrification in aquaria. BIO-Spira has been successfully field tested at public zoos, aquariums and in the aquaculture industry. Testimonials from individuals at those facilities with "hands-on" BIO-Spira experience are also available.

BIO-Spira is, perhaps, the most important aquarium product ever as it will make "new tank syndrome" a thing of the past. Fish can be safely introduced to new aquariums within 24 hours rather than weeks...and kept alive and healthy through the initial critical period. The discovery of BIO-Spira and the potential positive impact on fishkeeping was the cover story in the July 2002 issue of Pet Product News, a leading pet industry trade journal

 

[Samphire]

Wow you made that so dramatic lol

. I have cycled (due to cracked tank and having to take it and filter back to LFS) a fully stocked tank. As long as you commit to 20% or there abouts water change every day (takes about 1/2 hour) you should be ok. I did this for two weeks, then 20% every other day and in the last week of a 4 week session once a week. I have lost no fish and have has no 'luck'.

I would rather do that than send them off to lfs who do not know my fish and will IMO not care for them as I do.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Very right the only issue I see is the death rate upon return. In some areas (such as mine) fish have a higher death rate in the stores then going through a cycle. So, I wouldn't say always return. Plus, some places won't take back fish. I have a hard time selling back fish or plants and there are breeders around that have a hard time getting rid of very healthy babies.

One of the main reasons I'm saying return is because of compatibility. I'm completely aware a fish can survive a cycle, but it's gill functions have been permanently damaged.

Wow you made that so dramatic lol . I have cycled (due to cracked tank and having to take it and filter back to LFS) a fully stocked tank. As long as you commit to 20% or there abouts water change every day (takes about 1/2 hour) you should be ok. I did this for two weeks, then 20% every other day and in the last week of a 4 week session once a week. I have lost no fish and have has no 'luck'. I would rather do that than send them off to lfs who do not know my fish and will IMO not care for them as I do.

See above.

Another option is MarineLand's Biospira. This is live beneficial bacteria that doesn't seem to get much exposure on this board. It ican be added immediately before lightly stocking a tank. The product has two types of bacteria - one for ammonia processing and the other for nitrite processing. I used this product with great success and saw no ammonia buildup and only a small amount of nitrite (which didn't last more than a day). For $6-7 USD for a pouch of this stuff it is a lot easier than the ammonia methods and certainly better that cycling with fish IMHO.http/www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ml_biospira.aspBIO-Spira, containing several newly discovered patented and patent pending species of the actual nitrifying bacteria found in closed, freshwater aquatic systems is "biological filtration" in a bottle. It literally works overnight to prevent fish loss due to ammonia and nitrite toxicity. Discovered, isolated and cultured by Marineland Labs, BIO-Spira is the result of 10+ years of molecular biological research to identify and commercially produce the bacteria responsible for nitrification in aquaria. BIO-Spira has been successfully field tested at public zoos, aquariums and in the aquaculture industry. Testimonials from individuals at those facilities with "hands-on" BIO-Spira experience are also available. BIO-Spira is, perhaps, the most important aquarium product ever as it will make "new tank syndrome" a thing of the past. Fish can be safely introduced to new aquariums within 24 hours rather than weeks...and kept alive and healthy through the initial critical period. The discovery of BIO-Spira and the potential positive impact on fishkeeping was the cover story in the July 2002 issue of Pet Product News, a leading pet industry trade journal

This sounds like an advertisement.

 

[dizzied]

This sounds like an advertisement.

Because everything after the link is the official product description.

What about adding plants? Surely, it'd be an option for most freshwater tanks, and would soften the blow.

 

[Will91]

The first part of my post was from my own experience. This product DOES work. I am a scientist by profession (I DON'T work for Marineland) and I talked with the MarineLand folks several times in detail before deciding to use this product. I introduced the BioSpira into the tank and then added some fish shortly thereafter. I carefully checked ammonia, nitrite and nitrate several times a day with an API Master Kit for weeks after I used this product. In fact, if you search my name, you will find a more detailed write-up about my experience.

The second part of my post under the URL was an excerpt from the MarineLand site that I thought concisely explained exactly what BioSpira is about. I probably should have indicated this - sorry about that!

 

[TylerFerretLord]

This sounds like an advertisement.

Because everything after the link is the official product description.

What about adding plants? Surely, it'd be an option for most freshwater tanks, and would soften the blow.

You would need to heavily plant a tank and set up a CO2 system, and even then you could only keep a few, small fish. Not like the overstocked tanks this topic was meant for.

Oh, that gave me an idea. Most of you who are saying that a fish cycle is survivable probably only had a few fish when you did it, right? This topic was meant for people who stocked their tanks fully (probably overstocked too). If you only picked up one or two fish it's doable.

The first part of my post was from my own experience. This product DOES work. I am a scientist by profession (I DON'T work for Marineland) and I talked with the MarineLand folks several times in detail before deciding to use this product. I introduced the BioSpira into the tank and then added some fish shortly thereafter. I carefully checked ammonia, nitrite and nitrate several times a day with an API Master Kit for weeks after I used this product. In fact, if you search my name, you will find a more detailed write-up about my experience.

The second part of my post under the URL was an excerpt from the MarineLand site that I thought concisely explained exactly what BioSpira is about. I probably should have indicated this - sorry about that!

I know it works and everything, but it's meant to be used and then lightly stocked. You would still have a mini-cycle. I suppose I'll make a note about that in the fish-in option.

 

[dizzied]

You know, option one probably results in a lot of fish deaths as well. It just wouldn't be on your hands.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi TylerFerretLord

An uncycled tank is simply a tank that does not have the bacteria necessary to process the waste materials the fish produce. Perhaps the quickest and safest way is to add bacteria laden filter material taken from a healthy tank.

For example, I got four different kinds of fish this week and set up four different quarantine tanks to accommodate them. As soon as I added the fish to the tanks, I prepared box filters with some new filter floss on the bottom and some old floss on the tops. The bacteria immediately set about consuming the fish waste as they began to produce it. There was never any "cycling" to speak of, but the tanks are cycled and safe. They are, in effect, clones of the tanks the bacteria came from.

There is a thread in the forum where members offered to give other members filter media laden with beneficial bacteria. If there is no donor near someone, they might ask their lfs, or contact someone at their local aquarium society for this kind of help. Many experienced aquarists are happy to help someone just starting out with the hobby.