green chromis through cycle?

I think most people aren't aware of the damage it causes. It's a protocol they've heard from a trusted LFS or friend, or read it in an old book. I cycled with mollies more than once and then let them go in the ocean! Ya... thought it sounded good too at the time.


Can I expand on my question?

Those of you that ever cycled with a fish. Where did you hear to do that?

 

The Concientious Aquarist, by Bob Fenner

 

Wow. He does. Shame on on him.....

Does he only mention it in the diagram or does he also speak of it elsewhere?

 

I would have imagined he'd have mentioned it as something not to do, if at all. He mentions on his website that fish should be brought up .001 SG per day if they're more than .002 SG away from tank level; that's an ultra-conservative estimate, just like most of his other information.

 

I'm not seeing where he says not to.... just the diagram where it says to use hardy fish... sheesh.

 

K found it. He says "Go fishless: it's better and not cruel".

Personally, I think he needs to approach this a different way, especially for new people coming into the hobby. It should only be mentioned as the old school way and that it's no longer an acceptable practice. It had it's place and time... but that's past as we have become more educated in this hobby.

 

He's a bit, um, blunt sometimes, and doesn't elaborate certain points that most other people would; that's likely why this was approached with a quick mention.

 

And we have to remember that books are just one persons opinion on matters. Because it's written, doesn't make it fact. There's many things I've come to disagree with over the years as I learned my own path.

 

I used fish to cycle, it was from lack of knowledge. My next tank will be fish less cycle. As for chromis in the cycle, yes the are from the damsel family, but they are hardly a hardy fish. Most people have to put 4 or 5 in a established tank to end up with 1 or 2 because they die off. I started with 4 and now have 1. No disease, no fighting, they would just die.

 

If it didn't harm the fish, and there was NO negatives would the preferred method be to use fish to cycle or to use dead shrimp?
Which really works better?