Because I used live sand and live rock, I believe the cycle will speed up a bit. I just added one Damsel into my tank yesterday. I was told that the fish will be stress during the nitrogen cycle, but she is scared and hides in the corner of the tank. Does this mean she is stress or she is just scared?
Is my tank fully cycled yet? From my fish's behavior, can I make assumption that my tank is fully cycled and ready to add more fish or I need to observe something else? Is it true that if I tested the water and found only NITRATE that means the tank is fully cycled?
2006-07-17 15:16:15 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Pay attention to the water. It'll cloud up when the ammonia builds up, and then when the nitrite builds up. Your damsel is probably scared if she's hiding in the corner. Give her time, she'll get used to the environment and her surroundings. Damsels usually like to have something to hide behind, whether it's rocks or pieces of coral, or some of each. Back to the cycling, just give it a bit of time, it'll cycle, and with the live sand, live rock, and now a damsel, it'll go quicker than if you just sit and wait.
2006-07-17 15:54:05 · answer #1 · answered by band_geek_til_2007 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is quite possible that your tank is fully cycled. The live sand and rock that you used may have been well cured enough that the cycle in your tank was complete with very little time. If you have been checking the levels daily, and found no spikes you are probably safe. I had the same luck with one of my tanks. Just add the fish in slowly, and have some mixed water at the ready in case there is a spike and you have to do a quick water change to reduce bad levels of ammonia or nitrates. Many types of new salt water fish will hide for a few days after being introduced to the tank. Especially a schooling fish with no other company.
2006-07-18 02:51:35 · answer #2 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normally it takes 6 weeks to cycle a tank. The fish that you added will produce waste, the waste it produces will lead to the changes in the water quality. Since the fish has been in there for one day then you would not see a change in your water chemistry. It hasn't really had time to dirty the place up.Test it in a couple more days.
The goal of cycling is to grow bacteria. Without it you would have to do constant water changes. This Bacteria will be growing in the tank and will help convert the harmful waste into a harmless substance.
If you add more fish then they will create a lot more waste. You do not have enough bacteria to destroy that waste. Your fish will become stressed and die. No fun.
Give the bacteria a little bit of time to grow. Then slowly add more fish over the next couple months. If you add a bunch then you will slam your biological filter (bacteria) and end up with dead fish.
Constanty check your water parameters for fluctuations.
2006-07-18 10:22:21 · answer #3 · answered by Lynn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just keep checking the levels for a while, and you can also start doing water changes if you have added fish. Live rock can just about instantly cycle if it is good quality and there is enough in there.
A lot of fish will hide for a while when first introduced to a tank.
If you are going to add any inverts just make sure your nitrate is gone first.
2006-07-18 04:55:43 · answer #4 · answered by Sage Bluestorm 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fish will probably be scared because if it's the only fish in the tank and it's use to others being with it, it will think those have been eaten???
2006-07-18 06:20:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
cycling of a new tank could take months.
Damsels are good starter fish, and are hearty.
Sounds like your on your way, you will notice all levels will stabilize after time.
2006-07-17 15:29:07 · answer #6 · answered by macssvt....the one and only.... 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in case you study the bottle, Amquel actual binds to ammonia, so that you're not from now on detecting any because it is basically eliminating it. you pick to do water variations to eliminate it, and do not placed it in back. i guess once you're finding out for ammonia you study the nitrogen cycle contained in the tank, see you later tale short, ideal ingredient to do is keep the Amquel round for an emergency (in case your tank crashes and also you pick to bind the ammonia to keep your fish alive, as an celebration). in the different case, in a healthful, cycled tank, you do not pick to apply it.
2016-12-01 19:44:08 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋