I had no option but to do a cycle with fish

[TESS]

OK so i phoned and i walked and i drove and no-one anywere sold pure ammonia and after getting the wrong stuff from the hardware store i was told of another way of doing a safer cycle with my fish (again and same fish). I was told to sit the new filter in the old tank for a week which i did and then put the old filter and the new filter in the new tank and then add the fish as the old filter had the bacteria in it.The fish look so so happy in their new tank its massive compared to what they had, anyway after waching my fish enjoy there new home i decided to re plant the plants in my old tank and put the fake rock back in as cathcing the fish moved everthing as the tank was so small and me doing this churned up all the crap in the tank you could barely see anything. 2 hours went by and it was time for lights out for the fish, so i turned the lights off in the big tank and then turned to the small tank and turned the light off, as i did this in the corner of my eye i saw something tiny move in the tank so i turned the light on again and.........OH! MY! GOD! a baby fish, just one baby fish was looking back at me saying "Put My Filter Back In!".After having a heart attack and installing the filter i now have one healthy baby platy, i have no idea how long he had been in there or if the female had poped him out before being moved (all females apart from one are still pregnant) or if hes been in the small tank with other fry and he is the only survivor . He/she is only about 3mm big and slightly red.
My fish had to move very quickly to a bigger tank as the suckers had sucked scales off of them, it was over crouded because they all grew very quick and the bio filter was over loaded, i had good readings for about 2 weeks after it cycled but after that the ammonia and nitrite levels were very unstable. The 180 litre tank is far more fish freindly than the 30 litre tank and my fish are strong enough for another cycle, i had no choice i would of prefered the fishless cycle but i was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

[paulthegreat]

Good for you I have not done a fishles cycle with my two tanks and do not plan on doing them with future tanks. As long as you can get the helpful bacteria the fish will supply the ammonia. Good luck with the fry!

 

[TESS]

The trouble is the healthy bacteria will have to rely on the gravel i put in from the old tank as i had to abort the idea of puting the old filter in with the new as the baby palty needed it for the old tank again, well at least it was in the new tank for 2 hours at least.