Though if you’re Winston Churchill, you might give it a go…
Eta: Apparently San Diego zoo is intending to get two platypuses? Platypii? Platypodes? next year, as Aussie captive breeding programmes have been so successful these past few years.
You can either pluralize the English to platypuses or the Greek to platypodes.
ETA: I so want two platypodes as pets now. A boy and a girl named Johnny and River [*To the Moon *reference]
Watch out for the venomous spurs on the males.
Glad to help. I was a complete mess when I started and online buddies walked me through. I’m always glad for a chance to pay it forward.
Gravel transfer was a great idea. It won’t entirely negate the cycling process, but will speed it up. Scoop some into the filter cartridge if there’s room for it. Have you done water changes at all? If not, fresh water, slowly introduced, may be all that is needed. But we won’t really know where you are until we know the water parameters.
What water conditioner are you using? Does it mention chloramine on it? There are many out there that only address chlorine, but can not break the chloramine bond. Or worse, those that do, but then leave you with toxic levels of free ammonia. If you can, get some Prime, and use it double strength at first.