Can I have a tankmate with fishy in my tank?

[dukie1346]

As many of you may know, I'm not technically cycling my tank. I'm letting it do it alone. I'm going to clean the tank partially about 2 times a week. Is it safe to have a tankmate in the tank? If it is ok, what can survive inside the tank while it is slowly cycling itself?

[Chicklet]

I honestly think the less the better, Because the more fish you add the sooner and more often you will need to change the water,,,, Cycling is hard on fish... I would wait until the cycling is finished before adding more fish

[Nataku]

Ditto on what Chicklet said. One fish needing to suffer through the cycling process is bad enough, do not attempt to add another fish until the tank is fully cycled. Patience is a virtue, you can get another fish when the tank is cycled. The betta has the better odds of making it anyhow, since they are fairly hardy fish, but even sometimes that is not enough and plenty of bettas do not make it through the process (it is very frustrating to me, but one of my LFS uses bettas as their 'live ammonia producer' when they are setting up their tanks because 'they're such hardy fish, they don't mind!' .... lies, all lies. Most of the betta do not survive to the end of the process, but they don't care, they just leave the dead body in the tank while it continues cycling because 'it produces ammonia too!' >.>;;;; )

[dramaqueen]

I agree with Chicklet. Wait until the cycling is done.