When do I add fish?

[TheOneWhoIsThere]

I am planning on doing a cycle with fish. How long after I add the bacteria should I add the fish?
I bought the 20 gallon cubey kit from live aquaria, it comes with 2 Clowns, 3 Pajama Cardinals, 1 Watchman goby, and a court jester goby.

 

[James M]

Welcome to reef2reef!!

 

[tdileo]

7 fish in a 20G is a lot. I had less than that in my old 46. I now have a 90G DT, ~110 system with 11 fish and I have room for maybe one or two more and don’t plan on adding anything more just for stability’s sake.
However to just answer your question, if you don’t plan on adding an ammonia source beyond fish you can add the first fish as soon as the bacteria is in. Slowly add more as the bacteria population grows in size to account for the raised ammonia levels.

 

[Ajholms0427]

Having gone through this a bunch in the past but again for the first time in a three year absence of the hobby, I would just say remember to do your water tests.

 

[Ajholms0427]

I would also add a source of ammonia before adding the fish and allow some time for the bacteria to do its job. this will add less stress to the fish.

 

[PDR]

I am planning on doing a cycle with fish. How long after I add the bacteria should I add the fish?
I bought the 20 gallon cubey kit from live aquaria, it comes with 2 Clowns, 3 Pajama Cardinals, 1 Watchman goby, and a court jester goby.

I agree that is a ton of fish for a 20 gallon. I'm surprised LA has that many fish in this pack. IMO 3-4 fish is more appropriate for a 20 gallon. That being said, while doing a fish-in cycle is possible, it is really not advisable, especially when adding so many fish at once. You would need to stock up on multiple bottles of bacteria, ammonia test kits, and ammonia neutralizers, and even then you may still have issues adding that many fish to a brand new tank.

Have you already purchased the kit? If not I highly advise you wait and cycle the tank using a more traditional method found here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/

 

[Captain Quint]

Welcome to R2R.

We've all had a learning curve when starting in the hobby. The ancient way to cycle a tank was to add a damsel, chromis or clownfish because they are hardy and all 3 are ultimately in the same family.

If you have ever cycled with fishes you will see them in pure agony and it can and often will maim them to a degree if not kill them and they will never lead a good life if they do survive.

You mention a cycle using 2 Clowns, 3 Pajama Cardinals, 1 Watchman Goby, and a court jester goby. I'm pretty sure once the ammonia comes into play that the clowns might be the only to survive a full nitrogen process.

You should consider a fishless cycle by means of phantom feeding of the tank or introducing ammonia in whatever form is being suggested in this and other threads referring to a cycle.

I'm not attempting to make you feel bad as you do not know what I've written about so hopefully, you'll consider the life of the critters know aware of the how they will be affected.

I as well as others who may chime in are trying to help you and the fishes.

 

[40B Knasty]

You are looking for a big headache and multiple deaths if not all of them. Cycle your tank. Then add the fish.
The other issue is what is your biological filtration and amount of live rock?
You have to establish bacterias. Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira and Nitrobacter.
When ammonia becomes present. Nitrosomonas needs to populate and feed on ammonia and turn that into nitrites.
When nitrites becomes present. Nitrospira and Nitrobacter need to populate and feed on nitrites and turn that into nitrates
Beat up your tank. Just throw a table shrimp in your tank. Let it rot. Spike ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. When your ammonia and nitrites come back down and are at 0ppm. Do a big water change of about 50%. Test where your nitrates are at. If they are below 5ppm. Add a fish or 2. Next month add another. If you you go dumping this many fish at once. The fish are screwed in my opinion.

 

[Captain Quint]

You are looking for a big headache and multiple deaths if not all of them. Cycle your tank. Then add the fish.
The other issue is what is your biological filtration and amount of live rock?
You have to establish bacterias. Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira and Nitrobacter.
When ammonia becomes present. Nitrosomonas needs to populate and feed on ammonia and turn that into nitrites.
When nitrites becomes present. Nitrospira and Nitrobacter need to populate and feed on nitrites and turn that into nitrates
Beat up your tank. Just throw a table shrimp in your tank. Let it rot. Spike ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. When your ammonia and nitrites come back down and are at 0ppm. Do a big water change of about 50%. Test where your nitrates are at. If they are below 5ppm. Add a fish or 2. Next month add another. If you you go dumping this many fish at once. The fish are screwed in my opinion.

40B Knasty, I agree.

Maybe more notice to your more direct wording than what I used.