Will 3 goldfish help cycling?

[mark]

Hi folks,

I've been reading up on this site for the last 24 hours. I currently have a very cute axolotl on reservation at the local aquatic centre. I will be getting the tank on Tuesday and plan on setting it up that night. I currently have 3 goldfish in a plastic cold water tank who have been in there for 6 months and are all healthy.

I was planning on adding the goldfish water to the new axolotl tank to provide a base level of healthy water and then top it up with dechlorinated tap water.

Would the 3 goldfish living in there for 5 days assist the cycling of the tank?

P.s. Does anyone know where to get nice white sand online in the UK?}

 

[jennifer]

Five days is enough time for the goldfish to produce ammonia, but not enough time to cycle the tank to the point where the ammonia goes back down. Thus, the fish could do more harm than good. Do you have an ammonia test kit?

In addition to using the water from the fish tank, you should also add some of the rocks or other decorations or filter medium: this is where the good bacteria live.

 

[amber]

Also, you don't want to use fish to cycle a tank - it's cruel.

The ammonia burns their gills and skin.

Use a frozen prawn instead - that will do all the work for you.
If you put the prawn in a bottle with tank water, leave it somewhere warm for a day, and start adding it to your tank over the next three days then pour the whole lot in on day four, this will speed your tank cycle up no end.

Works wonders every time for me.
Should take about 2 weeks to stabilise, longer (and more cruel) with fish.

 

[paul-mark]

God, Amber, I wish I knew this before! My tank is on the cusp of being cycled (no ammonia, nitrates and nitrites coming down as we speak) after 6 weeks...

How long does it take using the prawn method?!?!