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im thinking of getting a 10g, and im just wondering if this is a good stock-

-2 cherry barbs (cycling)
-2 golden wonder killies (until the get too big)
-3 black phantom tetras
-2 rosy tetras

i have another question: if i seeded the tank with water from my old tank (but not the gravel), how long would the cycle take? also, would it be safe to use cherry barbs for cycling?

thanks in advance

The tank water doesn't have much bacteria in it, so using that alone wouldn't help that much. I would put some of your existing tanks gravel in a stocking (pantyhose) and use that to seed. That way you wouldn't mix the two types.

Or if you have some type of ornaments or decorations in your existing tanks, then you could temporarily put them in the 10g.

I don't think cherry barbs are good for cycling. They are not as hardy as other fish IMO. I tried that once and they didn't make it.

Your stocking sounds ok. I would either do the cherries or the killies though.
10g tanks are small and usually only 5 or 6 fish (depending on what they are) will stock it.

I don't know anything about those particular tetras, but are they ok in smaller groups? Most tetras need 5 or 6, but I know some are ok in pairs and trios.

*Kristin*

I think you should go for Rosys OR Black Phantoms and have 4-5 of them. Where would the kilies be going after they got too big?

all of the fish (besides the cherry barbs) are from my 35g. my 35g is a little overstocked and my gourami is treating the kilies as food. as for cycling fish im going to get guppies instead.

Hold up, guppies in a 10 gallon when you're already planning on adding an improper stock would be a bad idea. Guppies are not really cycle hardy so wouldnt work well anyway, and if you were to get a female you'd end up way overstocked.

Since you already have a cycled tank which you failed to mention in your original post why dont you simply use the bacteria you already have? Eitehr from the filter or use the 35 to help seed the new filter.

Tetras require schools, you can try talking to your LFS about exchanging some of your tetras to help fill out the other schools. If you don't have the cherry barbs yet don't. Moving some gravel and bacteria from the filter and stocking it slowly will likely minimize the effects of the cycle.

^_^