Other hardy fish
- Thread starter Tomas
- Start date
If you've got gravel and a filter from an established tank, you should forgo adding a fish just for cycling, and having to remove it later. Just start with 1-2 of the hardier fish that you want anyways, and moniter water quality. There shouldn't be too much cycle if you've got established stuff and you don't add too many fish to start off with.
You're asking a question that is fundemantally different from the way most of us think about fishkeeping.
Your question is basically "What fish are likely to not get killed by the stress induced by ammonia and nitrite poisoning?"
That's why you're having a hard time getting someone to answer your question in a straightforward way.
~JW
Your question is basically "What fish are likely to not get killed by the stress induced by ammonia and nitrite poisoning?"
That's why you're having a hard time getting someone to answer your question in a straightforward way.
~JW
If you've got established gravel and filter media, you could add 2 zebra danios on the same day as those things. There shouldn't be too much of a cycle, and with just 2 fish there shouldn't be much ammonia/nitrites at all... but you'd still want to keep an eye on it for a few days to make sure. A used and grungy filter cartridge is about the same as Biospira, it should instantly cycle the tank if it's got a small enough bioload added.
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UP UP AND GUPPY
Pure, you're such an enigma to endorse fishless cycling but eschew chemicals otherwise. 
I know, I know, ammonia is natural...but so is copper sulfate!
Zebra danios are purportedly the toughest thing going. Might also apply to leopard and pearl danios, and they're cheap enough to make trying it not costly ($0.89-1.29). Bettas are naturally resistant, and quite hardy, but you don't hear much about folks using them to cycle.
Among native US fish, Gambusia (mosquito fish) are as tough as they come. Can't kill them with a lead hammer and a bottle of Mr. Clean.
Cheers!
I know, I know, ammonia is natural...but so is copper sulfate! Zebra danios are purportedly the toughest thing going. Might also apply to leopard and pearl danios, and they're cheap enough to make trying it not costly ($0.89-1.29). Bettas are naturally resistant, and quite hardy, but you don't hear much about folks using them to cycle.
Among native US fish, Gambusia (mosquito fish) are as tough as they come. Can't kill them with a lead hammer and a bottle of Mr. Clean.
Cheers!