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Betta Fish: Can I add Shrimp as sacrificial lambs during the cycling ?


Hey so, I just set up this 10 gal last week and I’m just starting the cycling process (Doing it with fish food and used filtration from an already stablished tank) but I’m really anxious and want that cycling quick. Could it be possible that adding shrimps can help me speed up the cycling process? I feel like it’s putting them in an extermination tank 😭

https://i.redd.it/imo32rkoc6vf1.jpeg

Posted by iGetLostinTheEter

9 Comments

  2. Fun_Explanation2619 on

    I’m laughing because this is silly but I do mean it, I’ll loan you some rosy minnows. They’ve survived multiple tank setups now. I believe it’s a male and two females. I’ll pay shipping both ways if they survive your cycle setup and need to come back. I’m sure you could use shrimp but assume the betta will murder them, if you want to avoid that then I am willing to help.

  3. BeezBreeze on

    Why would you want to risk them? Just wait for it to cycle, you used filtration from a cycled tank so it shouldn’t take long.

  4. West_Permission_5400 on

    I suggest you read about the Stanford Marshmallow Test, especially the part about its correlation with future success. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and you’ll know what to do.

  5. YgrainDaystar on

    You can of course but why? They’ll make zero difference to the bio load and also need mature tanks

  6. CasiyRoseReddits on

    Not for the same reason, but I used five ember tetras to see if a tank was still leeching chemicals into the water after three of my bettas died with the same symptoms. Also found out that they’re surprisingly hardy. My fiance has a personal grudge against the five of them and it’s really evolving into an amusing story lol

  7. AvocadoOk749 on

    Shrimp do not have a very big bioload. If you are willing to stay on top of water changes and check parameters diligently get a couple of hardy fish. I had no choice but to do fish in cycling however it’s less stressful for you & less potentially harmful on fish not to use them. It shouldn’t take too long provided you feed your tank enough while using cycled filter media.

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