Best cold water cycling fish?

T

Tomato Sandwich

Small Fish
#1
Jan 1, 2010
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Canada
#1
I'm going to start cycling my new 28g tank, but it's going to be a home for my goldies so I won't have a heater to keep it warm enough for something tropical. Something cheap would be one option, but preferably something tiny that could permanently school in the tank with my two goldies and dwarf pleco until the goldfish and pleco get too big at which point I will relocate the school of whatever I have in there.

Ideas, anyone? Thanks!
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#3
Oct 15, 2009
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Northern Arizona
#3
NO, bettas are NOT a good cycling fish (for cold-water or tropical tanks)! ACK! Bettas are VERY much tropical fish and very sensitive to cold water (you'd lose more from the temperature being low than from the cycling itself). Besides, you'd only be able to use females if you did bettas.

I would suggest white cloud mountain minnows if you can get them. White Cloud Mountain Minnow - Tanichthys albonubes . I found them for $.99(US) each online. From what I've read, they do better in groups of six or more.
 

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bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#5
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
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Northern Arizona
#5
I'm not sure about that one, to be honest. Okay, just checked a couple of sites...zebra danios aren't as tolerant of cooler temps as the white clouds are. Zebra Danio - Danio rerio Fish Care
Honestly, it doesn't look like there are many fish suited to cool-water aquariums other than goldfish and white clouds. It lists out crabs, ghost shrimp, tadpoles and aquatic snails, but I don't think they'd be good to cycle with.

Sorry if I sounded a bit short about the betta thing. :-/
 

T

Tomato Sandwich

Small Fish
#6
Jan 1, 2010
37
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Canada
#6
Okay, I will try to find the white clouds then. I suppose I could always heat the tank to cycle and then cool it for the goldies, right? If I was heating the tank, could I just get feeder guppies or something like that to cycle with?

No problem about the yelling- I'd rather someone actually tell me what I stupid idea it is than tell me after I killed a bunch of fishies!

You also said not many fish are suited to cold water- does that include the pleco? Can he be in cold water with the goldfish? If not, what would be a temp that would be good for both of them?
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#7
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
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#7
The pleco should be fine. They are more suited to cool-water than warm (I keep getting a warning on AqAdvisor that the temperature ranges of the fish I'll have in my tank aren't compatible because of the pleco, but it's a 2-3 degree difference, so it shouldn't matter).

I would think running a heater to cycle the tank then removing it after the tank is cycled to let it cool for the goldfish would be okay. I don't know for sure, though.
 

misterking

misterking

Superstar Fish
#8
Aug 12, 2008
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Manchester, UK
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#8
bassbonediva said:
The pleco should be fine. They are more suited to cool-water than warm
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Where've you heard this? Plecos are from the tropical amazon.. if anything, they're more tolerable of the warmer extremities you see fish like discus enjoying.. I'd never suggest them for coldwater. The good thing is though, fancy goldfish such as your moor and oranda are better suited to slightly higher temps than "common" goldfish. If you had a heater in there and kept it around 73f/23c you shouldn't have too many issues..

Over here in the UK, zebra danios are quite often sold as coldwater, they could work well. White clouds are the obvious choice though.. just be warned that they may become snacks to your goldfish if you decide to keep them in with them.
 

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bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#9
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
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#9
misterking said:
Where've you heard this? Plecos are from the tropical amazon.. if anything, they're more tolerable of the warmer extremities you see fish like discus enjoying.. I'd never suggest them for coldwater.
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Check AqAdvisor. I am creating a betta sorority/community with tropicals (neons, blue tetras, otos, pygmy cories) and when I put in rubberlip pleco, it says that the pleco needs cooler water than the rest of the fish do. If you put in goldfish and a pleco, the temperature ranges match almost perfectly.

Tomato Sandwich's tank: AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
My 45gL betta sorority/community: AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
 

misterking

misterking

Superstar Fish
#12
Aug 12, 2008
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Manchester, UK
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#12
bassbonediva said:
Check AqAdvisor. I am creating a betta sorority/community with tropicals (neons, blue tetras, otos, pygmy cories) and when I put in rubberlip pleco, it says that the pleco needs cooler water than the rest of the fish do. If you put in goldfish and a pleco, the temperature ranges match almost perfectly.

Tomato Sandwich's tank: AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
My 45gL betta sorority/community: AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
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Perhaps for rubberlip, but we don't know what species they've got. All we've been told is "dwarf pleco".
 

T

Tomato Sandwich

Small Fish
#13
Jan 1, 2010
37
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0
Canada
#13
misterking said:
Perhaps for rubberlip, but we don't know what species they've got. All we've been told is "dwarf pleco".
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I've been looking at pictures of various pleco's and I can't find a picture of the one that I have. Does anyone know a good website with pictures of all the different species? I can't get a good picture yet, but when I do I will post it. It has spots, and has the two hanging down things from it's mouth. Right now it is an inch long.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#17
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
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36
#17
Tomato Sandwich said:
I'm going to start cycling my new 28g tank, but it's going to be a home for my goldies so I won't have a heater to keep it warm enough for something tropical. Something cheap would be one option, but preferably something tiny that could permanently school in the tank with my two goldies and dwarf pleco until the goldfish and pleco get too big at which point I will relocate the school of whatever I have in there.

Ideas, anyone? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Why not put the two goldfish you have in the 4 gallon and 1.5 gallon tanks in the larger tank and do a fish-in cycle with them? You already have them. I think their overall health would be better in a larger container than what they are in now.
 

T

Tomato Sandwich

Small Fish
#18
Jan 1, 2010
37
0
0
Canada
#18
OrangeCones said:
Why not put the two goldfish you have in the 4 gallon and 1.5 gallon tanks in the larger tank and do a fish-in cycle with them? You already have them. I think their overall health would be better in a larger container than what they are in now.
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I'm just very unsure of the cycling process and I am afraid I will kill them if I screw up the cycling process. I'm very attached to them which is why I'd rather buy some fish that I don't know yet and not get attached until the tank is cycled. I know that sounds horrible....
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#19
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
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0
Northern Arizona
#19
misterking said:
Perhaps for rubberlip, but we don't know what species they've got. All we've been told is "dwarf pleco".
Click to expand...
I used rubberlip because it's one that stays small and is more easily found than some of the other smaller plecos (like the zebras, king tigers, queen arabesques, etc)...at least around here. I got the same error messages with the gypsy king tiger pleco when I was creating a future stocking list for my 46gal (way down the road) and the zebra pleco when I had it on the 46gal stocking list. *shrug*
 

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