Cycling tank for discus

[Zephaniah]

So the kid working at my local Petland Discount says that to cycle a tank for warm water tropical fish like discus, I should not use goldfish. Instead he directed me to some cheap mollies.
He said goldfish produce different bacteria and should be used to cycle a tank for cold water fish.

I never heard of this before. Is he right?

[Andrew Soh]

Never heard of such and definitely not a correct statement.

To initiate a recycle system, pure ammonia may be used....and seeding of nutrifying bacteria if you want.....till the ammonia turns to Nitrite then to nitrate and a test showing zero ammonia, zero nitrite but an increase in nitrate before you put in your discus.

Never use other fishes as an ammonia source to run-in your filtration system as you might accidentally introduce undesireable pests/parasites.

If it is meant to be for discus....let the tank be filled with discus and not gold fishes or guppy or molly....and definitely not even flowerhorn.

Take care,
Andrew :wink:

[Hollowman]

You got here first Andrew :) I was going to say a fishless cycle is far better. No introduction of foreign bacteria/parasites, and no poor suffering fish that have to endure the cycle time.

Hollowman :wink:

[Andrew Soh]

Ha!ha!ha! Steve,

That's great and that's what we call "Active participation" 8-)

You are right...fishless initiation of bio-flora is the best!

Take care, mate

Andrew :wink:

[Greggy]

One prawn 'rotting' away for two months should do the trick! :)

Regards,

Greggy

[Zephaniah]

Thanks, I kinda thought the kid was talking out of his other end.

It's not that I intended to use goldfish, but in another thread I mentioned that I had moved some angels and discus to a 10 gallon tank that used to be inhabited by goldfish to let my big tank cycle.

So what he told me had me worried a little bit.

[Andrew Soh]

Who accuses you of intending to use goldfish to run in a filter system???

No one did and it is not Steve and defintiely not even me. :roll:

All I am saying is not to use other fishes whether it is molly or something else and fishless cycle is deemed the best.

Take care,
Andrew :wink: