Should i use a clown to cycle my tank?

[Algaewarrior]

So I'm still waiting on my tank to get in but in the meantime I want to go ahead and cycle my rock. Currently I have it in a 20gal long that I had lying around. I have heard of people cycling with clowns since they are quite hardy. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Guilty. I was so worried about the fish that I keep doing water changes. I would never let the ammonia get to 2 or higher which is the recommended level when dosing ammonia and think it made the process take so much longer

 

[sfin52]

Guilty as well it was a 75g

 

[DeniseAndy]

No. Other methods work just as well without risking life of fish. IMO

 

[AcroNem]

No.
I would cycle with ammonium chloride. You can do it, but if you're cycling "properly" a fish should not be in the system.

 

[Parent_usmc]

Did it with my biocube. Nemo still lives

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I wouldn’t do it. It might get your tank cycled, but it’s just mean to the fish and there are other ways to cycle a tank.

 

[Mmun]

So I'm still waiting on my tank to get in but in the meantime I want to go ahead and cycle my rock. Currently I have it in a 20gal long that I had lying around. I have heard of people cycling with clowns since they are quite hardy. Anyone have experience with this?

Guilty but I also add dr Tim’s one and only with it

 

[AcroNem]

Also, you need to be deciding if you will be running your livestock through quarantine before addition. That's something you could start while your system is cycling.

 

[KTrevino]

Yes but added bacteria in bottle when fish are added. Should start the cycle quickly, keeping ammonia down.

 

[sfin52]

Also, you need to be deciding if you will be running your livestock through quarantine before addition. That's something you could start while your system is cycling.

Than you are doing the same thing as cycling a tank with a fish.

Grab dr Tim's. Works well. If you know another reefer see if the have rubble rings something like that

 

[AcroNem]

Than you are doing the same thing as cycling a tank with a fish.

Grab dr Tim's. Works well. If you know another reefer see if the have rubble rings something like that

Maybe you misread what I was saying. Every quarantine for fish I have is cycled to at least 2ppm/24hr unless in an emergency, but otherwise sterile. A proper quarantine can still be cycled

 

[Algaewarrior]

I will be using microbacter start xlm by brightwell for cycling. I already have 2 of the fish that I will be putting in there, Nemo being one of them.

 

[Algaewarrior]

Plus my lfs quarantines all fish and treats with copper prior to being put up for sale. I don't really have a tank that would be suitable for a quarantine tank.

 

[Algaewarrior]

This little fella.

 

[mrlavalamp]

poor fish

 

[Dr Jimmy]

I'd do it with a Dr. Tim's or MicroBacter7 product... and ammonium chloride.

 

[sfin52]

I would do it with a clown and dr Tim's and be ready for water changes. Lr ls you shouldn't have a problem

 

[Nathan Milender]

Do you like that clown? You can buy ammonia cheaper than even a cheap clown, or just throw some food in there and wait. Classic old school is a shrimp cocktail.

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

This practice use to be the way to go, clowns or damsels, anything hard to kill tossed in the tank and the fishes hardiness usually out weighed the stress/discomfort it was subjected to. This was the best practice at the time, some of my older reef aquarium books actually suggest this method.

This was the best way to do it at the time- before bottled bacteria, using ammonia or even just chucking a cocktail shrimp in there works just as well and doesn't pose any risk of ammonia exposure to the livestock. If this was 20 years ago I'd say knock yourself out but now that we know better we are morally obliged to minimize the stress of the animals we look after. Everyone has different morals though, it's your tank at the end of the day but since you asked- I wouldn't.