Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have had a guppy in a tiny three gallon tank for about three months. A week ago my daughter came home with a balloon molly. We intended to set up a larger tank but now the molly has had babies.

Our gravel is black so I don't know when they were born (couldn't see them). We only have four, which I put in a plastic critter keeper. I don't have a tank set up for them. Can I move them to a larger tank without cycling it? I'm afraid to put them back in that tiny aquarium.

First off, congrats on the babies. Babies are fun. I strongly recommend buying a bigger tank asap and cycling it before you put the adults in the tank. Then you will be able to use the smaller tank for fry. The critter keeper will work for a while.

As a side note you can purchase Cycle which is a bacteria additive that will promote a healthy tank, and also help with the cycling.
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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Cycle is a crappy product that purposely uses the wrong bacteria, which can only live so long in your tank. These bacteria compete with the correct bacteria and keep your tank from ever fully cycling, which is why they say you need to keep adding the cycle product (because their bacteria die after awhile).

The only product that has the correct bacteria is bio spira, but its so hard to get it, and get it when it has been properly stored.
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Melissa
Aquariphiles.com - where I blog about aquarium stuff

I'm not sure how true this is. There are only 3 kinds of bacteria that are good for you aquarium, and all bacteria die eventually. I know people who live by cycle, and others say bio spira is good. Personally I use cycle, and have had no problems, nor did I have to continually add it as you say you do. I used it as a jump start for the cycle.
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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."