How To Add Fish Right Away To Your NEW Aquarium - Easy Guide

So you just got a new fish tank, and you are excited to put fish in your new aquarium. If you add fish right away, you could have some issues, as the tank has not been cycled. This video explains how you may be able to add fish right away to your new aquarium. I also cover how to have a quarantine tank always available.
Here is a playlist of videos that you may find useful if you are new to keeping aquarium fish: • Beginner Tips
Here are the medications that I use when quarantining my fish:
Ich-X: www.aquariumcoop.com/products...
ParaCleanse: www.aquariumcoop.com/products...
Maracyn: www.aquariumcoop.com/products...
To see my colleagues easy guide to understanding the nitrogen cycle, watch here: • What Is the Nitrogen C...
Link to fish foods, plants, and aquarium supplies www.aquariumcoop.com
Follow me on Instagram: / tazawa_tanks
Tazawa Tanks Merchandise: shop.spreadshirt.com/tazawa-t...
Editor: Matt Gray at www.grayfamilyfilms.com/
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Steel Pan Island
Music City Reggae Squad
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In This World
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#aquariums #fishtank #tazawatanks
Mail To:
Tazawa Tanks
58 West Portal Ave 235
San Francisco, CA 94127
Email (for business and sponsorship inquiries only - no fish questions or asking about buying fish): [e-mail]
Disclaimer: This video and description may contain affiliate links. I am also employed by Aquarium Co-Op, LLC. Some video content may be sponsored by Aquarium Co-Op.

[@TazawaTanks]

If you enjoyed this video or found it useful, here are some videos that may help you with learning how to care for your fish: kzbin.info/aero/PLQfZ4SsSis1Plg36H_GnwhpGBI5UtWQw5 Here are the medications that I use when quarantining my fish: Ich-X: www.aquariumcoop.com/products/aquarium-solutions-ich-x ParaCleanse: www.aquariumcoop.com/products/fritz-paracleanse Maracyn: www.aquariumcoop.com/products/mardel-maracyn

[@bubblerings]

Hey.. I subbed already... What's the setup over your shoulder with plants wayyy high up to the surface.? Is that on a rock pile or something else?? Looks like a cool way to have plants with those blue (zebra?) Cichlids..

[@bubblerings]

Found your How to with Plants for African Cichlids.. Mahalo. Scotty on Maui.

[@TazawaTanks]

@@bubblerings 🤙🏾

[@TazawaTanks]

@@bubblerings The plants in that tank are called hornwort. I float them on the surface. 🤙🏾

[@jayson9363]

Hi sir, so i setup my brother's 5 gallon betta tank and put my 8 months old seeded filter media to his. But im worried if BB will survive to that kind of new tank because it has different ph, temperature etc. I already put the betta also with aquasoil and couple of plants

[@joecassara3070]

Great video with a ton of useful info for beginners. It's sad how so many people leave this great hobby due to frustration from a bad start due to misinformation.

[@alexiswilson4186]

The amount of people online that argue with me when I mention instant cycling is insane. Thank you for this video, I’ll be sharing this link next time it comes up :)

[@TazawaTanks]

The trick…never argue with people online. 😜

[@alexiswilson4186]

@@TazawaTanks they always seem to find a way though. Apparently instant cycling is a “myth” even though I have done it with almost every tank in my house with no issues 🙃 I can hardly give advice online anymore

[@ritenour12]

Yep ever since my first tank I’ve used this method I usually just squeeze a sponge filter from another tank into any new tank and it cycles immidetly I’ve had no problems in seven years doing this

[@purpleheart9023]

How soon after doing this did you add fish to the tank if it cycles immediately?

[@erikayalberto2577]

@@purpleheart9023 I'm wondering the same

[@susanprice148]

So just squeeze one filter in to tank? I have a 10 gallon I just set up.

[@DashDrones]

​@@erikayalberto2577once the water is crystal clear.

[@bbetbbet5691]

@@DashDroneshi I got a 10 gallon fish tank for my betta do I also do the same?

[@swimmye.8133]

Nice work Zenzo! You had a lot of ideas in this video I hadn’t thought of before!

[@cindylou3205]

Thank you! I research so much I sometimes confuse myself, and this brought all of it together in my head for me.

[@amandajoanbaker]

Happy Saturday Zenzo, always nice to have my lazy Saturday morning routine watching your video! For years I kept an aquarium without understanding the cycle, understanding it makes it sooo much easier! I’ve done fishless cycling but find a fish-in cycle with used media easier. With used media I rarely get ammonia, but do get nitrite and still need to stock lightly and test regularly.

[@alan19844]

Your posting was very helpful. I really appreciate it!

[@theresaabshire711]

All great ideas & info ! I learned a long time ago to keep extra filter media in my filters so I have cycled media available at all times. Always a must have for fish keepers !

[@treefiddy5673]

Great video you explain things well! Thank you!

[@joeycarter2678]

Great video and very informative. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@InsideTheStadium]

Thanks for the tips brother, you rock 👑

[@osenifabua1912]

Very helpful, thank you🙏🏾

[@behzadshahri5596]

Amazing video love it ❤

[@rollingstone1689]

Thank you sir . Great video

[@felixtheophilus790]

Thank you very much! This video is exactly what I was looking for; it literally helped me set up my first new tank!❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉

[@jhuckobey]

I always have some tanks to jumpstart the cycle, but I am also fond of the fritz product as well.

[@nancyzepp7247]

Very good video presented well.

[@PROMOERECTUS]

Great content Z. I'm watching Lucas at LRB Aquatics reset his fishroom using this method.

[@alanburris463]

Great information. I buy the potted plants when I start a new aquarium. Works great

[@KnowingGodExplorers]

With no fish in the tank at first ..what feeds your plants?

[@joe-orange3597]

Wow.... Very informative and easy to follow.... I am one step closer in buying my very first aquarium.... I need to review, one more time, the nitrogen cycle. thanks in advance for your video.

[@TheRealGame77]

I am going to have my first aquarium. It will definitely be a sand substrate aquarium. I do need any and every tip you are willing to give. I plan to have a 10-20 gallon tank. Maybe a 15 gallon. I want to have a couple of guppies and minnows. Thanks for your tips. :)

[@wendyperez679]

This information is very useful but what plants would you recommend?

[@deskjockie4948]

We live near a spring fed freshwater river. Would adding a pint or so of the river water be a good thing to add good bacteria to a newly set up 10 gallon tank? Thanks for the information in your video; I am learning so much!

[@ItiswhatItIsmahn]

Hey Zenzo! I am having a heat wave here in India. Does excess aeration help in bringing down water temperature?

[@BogdanBogdan-dk9iv]

In the last years i.ve always did fish in from the first day using prime and stability from Seachem with absolutly no problem ever...

[@ajporter7487]

Prime Stability is very good for a new tank.

[@kristenbargouti5044]

Do you need to dechlorinate store-bought spring water?

[@kamila8354]

Can i use the sponge gunk from my outdoor pond for an aquarium?

[@drewsta005]

What is a good alternative to treating with salt when you have corys? I believe salt is bad for Cory cats. Thanks in advance.

[@alisonnicholson]

All my tanks are planted heavily but I do run 2 seeded sponge filters along side my 2 canister filters on my 55g as its been up and running 2 years. I learned the hard way with African dwarf frogs as when I started my local pets at home dudnt ask or inform me about the nitrogen cycle yet were quick to sell me the frogs🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️all 6 dead within 4 days. Live and learn as they say.

[@Peacelovepuppies]

Can you use goldfish tank filter in a future tropical tank?

[@p3rdiid4amelia]

what about lake water?? can adding that help start off

[@cutlasscutty6262]

So how long after squeezing the matter with good bacteria into take can u place my fresh water fish into the aquarium?

[@adkgaladkgal1799]

I use aquarium co op bags of rings and move them - when I need to move my teenager goldfish. Sometimes I move him to a 20g so the slow moving older fish can get a break from the teen.

[@jeffalbillar7625]

I have never quarantined a fish or cycled a tank without putting in fish . I've never lost a fish doing this. Of course I almost always put Catfishes or plecostomus in first. Not one loss.

[@whataboutrob442]

How come this was never discussed in the 70s-90s? I remember doing the 24 hour thing and not having a real problem.

[@smalltown89]

Will this work with salt water?

[@absolute-zero79]

Im sure there is bottles of beneficial bacteria you can buy now instead of the ask for media or squeeze method?

[@spuddymonster3942]

Omg a 10gl tank for that cheap wow. In Ireland a tank that size is like €100 here. I'm getting a 15gl for my beta fish and it nearly €200. And we don't really have that much variety in the big chain pet shops like you do. And we don't have petco and petsmart like ye do. love the vids btw.

[@FishRfun]

In a brand new tank, when it's cycled, how many fish do you add 1st and how long do you wait till you add more and so on? I'm stocking a 55g tank. I'm planning on adding corys and otocinclus first, then platys, then praecox rainbows, then angelfish. Maybe some Amano shrimp as well. So how long do you wait between adding fish. I'll be using prime and stability with every weekly water change. About 30%each week

[@TazawaTanks]

In your case, I’d add them in groups. For example, I’d add the corydoras, then in a couple of days, I’d add the otos and Amanos. Then maybe wait a couple of days, test the water, and continue on. The biggest thing to consider is how much you’re feeding them. It’s best to feed lightly in the beginning, and slowly ramp up.

[@FishRfun]

@Tazawa Tanks got it...I'm really trying not to overfeed in my 15g with my Celestichthys Choprae and honey guarami. I have a juvenile bristlenose pleco in that tank that I'm moving over to the 15g, so that will actually be tye first fish in there tomorrow. I'm seeding the 55g with some bio rings that have been in my 15g for a couple of of months, plus I bought API quick start AND Fritzyme 7, plus stability and prime with every weekly water change. Do you think I should do weekly water changes while the tank is trying to get established?

[@cindy1274]

I just started using sponge filter but water doent look clean .?

[@heatherebers2127]

My friend is starting her fist tank, can I mail her a used sponge in a bag of water? Will the bacteria survive? I’m also sending her plants (in a bag with water). I think the package would take a few days to get to her. Thanks for the info, super helpful in todays instant gratification mindset.

[@TazawaTanks]

It’s unlikely that they would survive for that long.

[@dnvfilms9062]

I had my goldfish for 2 years already And it's very healthy And it loves to play with the air bubbles in the fish tank. I learned about goldfish the cleaner the fish tank the healthier there . They don't need Victoria. To live

[@KP-nk7fo]

Can you buy bacteria pods and put those in and then put your fish in? I’m still having a hard time understanding why you have to wait to put fish in once the bacteria is in

[@ritenour12]

My advice to any newbie is water changes are key I been in the hobby all 21 years of my life and the one thing I’ve learned is never skip that water change

[@yonation4160]

Water changes help with cycling your tank? If it's a new tank, how does water changes help if your taking out any potential beneficial bacteria that is starting to build up in your tank?

[@jeffstahl9107]

@@yonation4160 the beneficial bacteria does not grow in the water, it grows in the filter, the substrate, on the glass and on the decorations. So by doing a water change you are not removing the beneficial bacteria from the tank

[@the_DOS]

I change the water once every year 50%. Honestly, you don't even need to do that but I do it to remove TDS. Water changes is not necessary and my tank is crystal clear.

[@eddiestonerbud7188]

So I’ve just set up a 200 l plated tank but without fish , how often should I do water changes during a cycle ?

[@Droveit]

How long with a used sponge in the new tank does it take for there to be a established "cycle" in the new tank?

[@TazawaTanks]

I would leave it in for a few weeks.

[@elenavillareal9413]

Could I use some of the tank water before water change? I did a complete water change

[@brandonfaubert7180]

Bacteria is on the decor and in the filters. Its not in the water.

[@JTCT371]

You can set up an aquarium and add fish on day 1 without any beneficial bacteria. If you don't have live plants, stock slowly and be on top of your aquarium to dilute ammonia, and nitrites....If you have a good ratio of plants to water (think 2 per gallon), now you have a place for ammonia and nitrites to get filtered out of the water as quickly as it begins to accumulate. No human can create a filter which does what plants do. They were designed that way and create a much healthier, stable aquarium.

[@fishiefarmer11]

I just squeezed out a sponge I had in another tank that was loaded with that gunk stuff and put it back in my tank it was in I hope that speeds up that nitrite issue I was having

[@thefightfarm5692]

I never cycle my tanks, I have 6 of them now and they work just fine some of them now are more then 3years old

[@dappledlight8073]

One thing to add would be that if getting mulm/cycled media from a LFS, that it can be a route to introduce certain diseases to a tank. Just something for folks to be aware of.

[@jordanbabcock9349]

Do you often purchase fish from local stores that have diseases? If you're adding fish I day one chances are you're buying the fish from the same store you're buying mulm/water so there is no new disease. *Most* would Not add any others' tank water to their own.

[@tamiweir8041]

I'm buying a new fish tank because my snails are out growing out of there old ones. So can I just use the filter from my existing tank or tanks on my new tank along with the plants I already have? Will that work?

[@TazawaTanks]

Yep, if you swap over your used filter and plants and put them in the new tank, you can start using the new tank right away. Maybe hold off on feeding for a couple of days.

[@MRFLIP]

Can you transfer tank water from old tank to new tank

[@logankue9627]

What about those bottles containing beneficial bacteria?

[@unikeko96]

I have to ask. Can I save the fish that live in a tank that hasn't been taken care of for a long time. The owners said that they will let the fish die and I can have the tank after that. But i feel like I want to save those fish. But I just thought that if do I have to change the water entirely or can I take the tank with me with a little bit water in it even tho it has some algae problem? But does it get better if I change half of the water?

[@Asherz1]

Yes you can. One thing you could do is get one of those big plastic storage tubs, save as much water in there as you can move safely and use it to move the fish too. Try to keep the filter sponge if you can too as it will help keep some bacteria. Once everything out of the tank drain it and clean it with water only then use what you saved to start it up again. Slowly add more water back to it over a few days (this will help keep the water parameter close to what the fish are used to) until the tank is full again. Once it’s full, you can keep doing really small occasional water changes (10\20%) at a time. This won’t be too much of a change to shock the fish but you will gradually remove the excess nutrients from the water which will naturally help with your algae problem. I hope that helps

[@unikeko96]

@@Asherz1 Hey. Thank you very much for all that information 😊👍🏻 It's good you told all the little details what I should do to save the fish and the habitat they're used to. Btw, can I buy new fish to the tank where the old/saved fish are after 2 or 4 weeks of having the tank filled entirely?

[@Asherz1]

@@unikeko96 I would monitor the fish already in it to check that they are doing well. When you have it set up in your home, feed very sparingly at first. Fish can go a long time without eating (up to a week or more), so don’t feel bad about feeding sparingly. Your bacteria will take a while to reestablush to the levels before moving/cleaning it - and in this period I would not add more fish and feed only a little food perhaps every 2 days and over time more regularly to once a day. In this time it would be useful to buy some test strips to check the amonia level - you want it to have as close to 0 amonia as possible to avoid hurting the fish - and the more fish you add the more amonia they make. Once it is stable at 0 amonia - then you can look to add more fish. When adding new fish, they should come in a long bag with water in. When you bring it home, roll the sides down to make it less long, and put the bag into the water and it should float in the water. Leave it like this for maybe an hour or so, and this will help the water in the bag go to the same temperature as your aquarium slowly - helping to avoid shocking the new fish. During this hour, occasionally pour a little of the water from your tank into bag. This will slowly help the water in the bag get closer to the condition of the water in your aquarium. After you’ve done this for a while, it should be as safe as possible to add the fish into your aquarium. Adding the fish - there’s 2 ways to do this - the intention is to ensure the water in the bag does not get into your tank. Method one 1 - use a fishing net to net the fish out of the bag and into the aquarium - after you’ve done this dispose of the bag of water down a drain or toilet. Method 2 - pour the bag of water with the fish in over a fishing net with a bucket underneath - the water should go through the net and the net catch the fish - then quickly move the netted fish into your aquarium. Once they are in - keep an eye on them for any signs of illness - strange swimming, floating sideways or upside down - any sores torn fins or white spots on them can all be signs of illnesses. If you spot anything like this - get them out asap to protect your other fish - and you can quarantine in a smaller tank for a while to see how they do. Most people advise to always quarantine Newly bought fish first before adding them to your aquarium - but not everyone has a spare tank to do this or a spare heater pump etc. Just beware of this when adding new fish - its always a risk of introducing a new disease into your aquarium. Lastly - depending on where you buy the fish - check the tank they came from to make sure there are no pest snails present. These are usually bladder snails but can be other little snails that can reproduce asexually (on their own). If one of these snails gets into your tank it can turn into hundreds and be a real headache to remove - so check the bag carefully before adding the fish and make sure no little snails have snook along for a ride into your new aquarium. Sorry it’s a long post but I remember when I got into the hobby and there are so many things I wish I knew then - so wanted to get in as much info as I can. Hope you enjoy fish keeping, it’s so much fun!

[@unikeko96]

@@Asherz1 Thank you so much again for telling all the important things all beginners need to know about aquarium hobby😊👍🏻When I get the aquarium and the fish I will do exactly as you told. I will check if there are snails. I think I saw some small weird snails on the walls of the aquarium. But now I know that they should'nt be there if they're not bought intentionally. It's good that you learned to take care of aquarium and all the fish during years. No-one is an expert when you're new to something so don't feel bad 🙏🏻

[@blissfulessence8707]

Y I don't see what ur showing??

[@Swordstress1]

If you upgrade your tank, can you use the water from the old tank? Would this be beneficial at all?

[@TazawaTanks]

No, the water won’t be beneficial. However, if you transfer your filter and substrate, that would be very helpful and you could possibly add fish right away if the filter and substrate are kept wet.

[@Swordstress1]

@@TazawaTanks thank you! So i should not bother with the old tank water at all? It just seems wasteful in a way if you know what i mean 😅

[@TazawaTanks]

@@Swordstress1 You can totally use it if it’s relatively fresh and low nitrates. Just not a necessity.

[@Swordstress1]

@@TazawaTanks thanks so much for your help, i really appreciate it! Do you have or can you recommend a video on how to clean internal filters? Mine is an Aqua One, i’m worried about cleaning it and removing all the good stuff 🫣

[@susanprice148]

Can I add water from a tank that has the cycle already going?

[@rubenabiudgutierrez7534]

The water itself has only trace amounts of the beneficial bacteria; it’s best to use dirty filter sponges or cartridge filters as suggested to expedite the process. Use live plants, actual mud from a pond, and sand substrate and your water will look clear whilst promoting the growth of the healthy bacteria. Bacteria need surfaces to grow so plants and the sand substrate provide these surfaces for the bacteria to grow quickly which will break down the nitrites into nitrates.

[@reyamazona9075]

Sir Any Update Of Your TURKANA Jewel FISH🐠🐠🐠

[@TazawaTanks]

All 10 are doing well. Next week’s video will show them.

[@ShowSquadEnt]

Can I use my old decor from a turtle tank?

[@TazawaTanks]

Yes

[@Tr1shqplqys]

I already have a fish tank in my house, but I wanna move my fish to another tank, can I take a bit of the old tanks water and put it in my new tank?

[@TazawaTanks]

Transfer your filter and the substrate and decorations. Those matter more than the water. The main thing is to reuse the filter for a few weeks to take advantage of the beneficial bacteria already in it.

[@TazawaTanks]

This recent video covers it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqjNhZpvnNNqrqMsi=8a_IxXv7g0Kee3pE

[@rainlittledeergrace5756]

Adding a dirty filter or filter water to a new tank is a good idea, however, the pet store I work at has a terrible pest snail problem. I'd feel kinda bad giving a customer a bag of water full of pest snail eggs :/ Any advice?

[@frankiem1741]

add assassin snails to the tanks to keep the pest snails controlled, works for me

[@rmi2548]

lol no dont do this@@frankiem1741

[@shesellsfish]

👍❤👍

[@Droveit]

How about sharing water stuff an existing tank? 🤔

[@TazawaTanks]

Sharing water is not enough, as there is hardly enough bacteria in the water column to make an impact.

[@AaronSmith-su9ug]

Yeah the lady from PetSmart told me to use spring water not RO water. Well I did and now my tank is all messed up. My fish are dying

[@TazawaTanks]

Sorry to read that. I hope that you get it sorted soon!

[@brandonfaubert7180]

Everyone that is asking about putting water from a tank to a new tank. It's not going to work. The beneficial bacteria lives on the plants. And on the decor and in the filter sponges

[@jacobmeleciox8707]

Uhhhhh you move the decor and plants to new fish tank😂😂😂😂

[@karlkuffner1457]

Zenzo is amazing... if you only follow his advice you will be fine... guppies are hard to kill, almost never get sick... spend the money get live plants and one catfish, to help vacuum the substrate... in 1957 my father bought a 5 gallon aquarium, sand from the stream, plants from the stream no lights, never even a filtration system! No heater.. after 10 years many guppies plus many ," babies" alive and well... hardly ever lost a fish.... never even cleaned the tank!! Massive friendly bacteria kept everything running like a electric clock.....

[@JB-dd2qw]

How does the Ammonia get in the tank without Fish ?

[@JB-dd2qw]

It strikes me that when you add fish you will add Ammonia load and that will change the balance in the tank?

[@JB-dd2qw]

I assume you need the Ammonia for the cycle?

[@TazawaTanks]

Ammonia can arise from something as simple as a tiny bit of decomposing fish food or plant matter. Anything organic that is breaking down.

[@Katy-km2vb]

I can’t believe you can get a 10 gallon for only €15 😱, where I live it would be around €50 😭

[@razromank2324]

if I get the beneficial bacteria from a sponge that my friend, store, or who ever. how long do I have to wait until I can put the fish back into the tank?

[@TazawaTanks]

As early as a couple of days if you get enough or even the same day.

[@caitlincohen4495]

Put my betta in my new tank today and he's just laying at the top not moving. Barely moving. Not eating. Idk whats wrong with him.

[@denisgonzalezblandon1538]

What ended up happening? Did u add dechlorinator to the water first? What else did you add