Firefish and cycling.

[Sacohen]

Do you think firefish are hardy enough to make it thru a cycle?

I'm starting a new 90 gallon and want to put some firefish in it, but I want them in the tank before I transfer my 2 clowns and Flame Angel from my 55 gallon so they are established and comfortable in the tank and can claim their territory before the more aggressive fish go in.

 

[blackgrouper79]

if you do weekly to bi-weekly water changes I personally think you'll have no problems especially if you add live rock and live sand to the new set up. if you add live sand and cycled live rock your tank will essentially be cycled (I would still do a water change after about a week just because -- I am a huge advocate of water changes). if you're breaking your 55 down transfer like 75% of that rock and like half to 75% of the sand while you're at it and let that stabilize for a couple days test the water maybe do like a 50% water change and I'd call the tank cycled and ready to go. either way a couple fire fish won't give off much waste and should be fine IMO. you will need to cover your tank because fire fish are jumpers-I've never lost one in my tank only to the floor. if you catch a jumper in time hold it in front of a powerhead or a return basically blasting water into their mouths and thus through their gills hold them there for at least 10 minutes if you see any life left (the longer the better) and you'd be surprised what a fish can go through and make it. I've done this many times over the years and it's amazing to see a jumper live after you're sure all hope was lost.
let me know what you think and if I can help with anything else--not everyone will agree with me but its worked for me several times over as I am very impatient.
good luck!

 

[Sacohen]

It's dry rock and live sand.
I want to transfer as little rock and sand from the 55 as possible because it is not in the best of shape.
The old rock and sand has cyno and hair algae and don't really want to move that to the new tank.

 

[eatbreakfast]

There are a few techniques to fishless cycle when startung off with dry rock, so that you don't put a fish through the stresses of exposure to ammonia.

One method is to ghost feed. This is where you add food, as if there were fidh in the tank. This process simulates the bioload that will be going into the tank.

The other way is to add cleaning ammonia until it measures NHO3/4 at about 2ppm.

In both of these methods you will be looking for ammonia to be neutralized in 24hrs. Also, use a reliable, accurate test kit, api frequently gives false positives.

 

[goatcorals]

I have used Dr. Tim's one and only with success. Also seachem stability... more available but in my opinion not quite as good. Maybe it's hype but Dr. Tim's is supposed to be formulated differently for marine and freshwater use.

Also for my QT system I put a sponge filter in the Sump for a while (couple of weeks), culture it, and then use that in the new tank. Some options.

Fire fish do seem pretty hardy and I do like the stocking order. I have kept all these together in a 90 coincidentally (though only a single firefish) without issues. I Have heard you can have conflicts if they are not a mated pair, though in a 90 you might be ok.

 

[Sacohen]

Thanks everyone one.
I did ghost feeding when I originally cycled the 55. I've never heard of using household ammonia. I'll look into that more.

I was trying to get around the #1 rule of aquarium keeping, which is have patience by cycling the tank and getting the firefish comfortable in the atmosphere at the same time.

 

[eatbreakfast]

As stated in one of the above posts, use caution when adding more than one firefish to a tank. They don't like each other in aquaria, and unless you get a bonded pr one will slowly kill the rest, and if you get a pr the two of them will kill the rest. They do this in tanks much larger than yours.

 

[Sacohen]

I have had 2 in the 55 before.
Different types, a red and a purple and they were fine together until I let the tank go.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Sometimes they will tolerate a firefish of a different species, but many times do not.

 

[RMS18]

I'm sure the fish would greatly appreciate it if you didn't put them in the tank until it is cycled if they had a choice. [emoji6]
If you do choose to put them in the tank while it cycles I think it's only fair that you pump carbon dioxide into your home with windows open until the tank is cycled.

 

[Sacohen]

I'm sure the fish would greatly appreciate it if you didn't put them in the tank until it is cycled if they had a choice. [emoji6]
If you do choose to put them in the tank while it cycles I think it's only fair that you pump carbon dioxide into your home with windows open until the tank is cycled.

I get what you are saying, but I think you mean with my windows closed.
Having my windows open is like doing a 60% water change while the cycle is going on.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Why risk the fish. its a 2 or three week wait.

 

[blackgrouper79]

Thanks everyone one.
I did ghost feeding when I originally cycled the 55. I've never heard of using household ammonia. I'll look into that more.

I was trying to get around the #1 rule of aquarium keeping, which is have patience by cycling the tank and getting the firefish comfortable in the atmosphere at the same time.

I've actually had buddies tick into tanks to get them going-and it does work

 

[Sacohen]

Well it is ammonia, so why wouldn't it.

 

[Brassmonkey]

I'm sure the fish would greatly appreciate it if you didn't put them in the tank until it is cycled if they had a choice. [emoji6]
If you do choose to put them in the tank while it cycles I think it's only fair that you pump carbon dioxide into your home with windows open until the tank is cycled.

I get what you are saying, but I think you mean with my windows closed.
Having my windows open is like doing a 60% water change while the cycle is going on.

Lol I this is 6 years old but was just doing some research and found it funny.

 

[mehaffydr]

Thanks everyone one.
I did ghost feeding when I originally cycled the 55. I've never heard of using household ammonia. I'll look into that more.

I was trying to get around the #1 rule of aquarium keeping, which is have patience by cycling the tank and getting the firefish comfortable in the atmosphere at the same time.

If you don't have patience your in the wrong hobby. Why would you want to torture and maybe kill a fish just to hurry things along.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Hey, maybe that necrobump will get @blackgrouper79 back on the board! It'd be fun to have an update about the firefish.

 

[Zionas]

Firefish are kind of skittish, even with other generally peaceful but somewhat assertive fish. If you want more than one best to look into other kinds of Dartfish, but even then I feel they’re just too timid for most tanks.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'm afraid those firefish are dead at this point. Don't they only have a lifespan of 3-4 years?