Unsure about a couple things on nitrites and ich - MyFishTank.Net Freshwater Saltwater Aquarium Fish Forum

CANOECRAZY_2002 · 12-23-2002, 03:13 PM

I like to try to do my research when I am doing anything with my fish, but when I initially set up my tank, I did so using a manual that came with my aquarium kit, followed it very well, but it went through the cycle set up with a couple of fish. I did so with a couple of mollies. Now my tank has been going for about 3 weeks, I don't know whether it has fully cycled, I read the good articles from this page, just wanted a more personal opinion as well. I have 4 mollies and 4 swordtails right now (plus 4 baby mollies in a breed net in main tank and 1 baby swordtail so far). My main question is, my mollies are doing great, but swordtails aren't, one swordtail i bought from LFS must have had ich, and so i have now been medicating for ich (going to do over 2 week period). At same time I recently purchased ammonia and nitrite test kits, and I am having to do far too many water changes in my opinion (sometimes 2 times a week) to keep ammonia levels in check, and nitrites have climbed pretty high too (up to about 3.0). Am I doing the right thing doing water changes and trying to vacuum gravel to remove sporing parasites of ich, or is this depleting natural aerobic bacteria so that my ammonia levels won't go down on own. How long can it take for bacteria to take care of the ammonia and nitrites in my 33 gallon tank (I don't overfeed, do regular water changes, etc., only 8 fish?) My swordtails are acting very sluggish in water and I am not sure if it is higher nitrites or ich that may be in gills that I cannot see.

nonamethefish · 12-23-2002, 03:54 PM

i'd say ot let them climb....if the ntrites never peak out and go down by the bacteria, the cyle won't be completed.

A completed cycle is when ammonia and nitrite are at zero.

If the fish die...I'd continue on with the fishless cycle.....

go to my website for more info( posted in the lounge)

CANOECRAZY_2002 · 12-23-2002, 04:24 PM

Yes I had considered that option, but I would really like to see my babies survive especially after trouble getting them and getting them into breeding net. Maybe if I let it spike a little but keep it under extreme thresholds? it might work and complete the cycle? Thanks for the help, I appreciate the advice. What is highest level I should let nitrites go?

Matt Nace · 12-23-2002, 11:51 PM

I totally disagree. Let the fish die?

No, you do exactly what you have been doing with the waterchanges. You keep those nitrItes(which is suffacating them) and ammonia (which is burning their gills with each breath) to as low as you can, without completly eliminating them.

Your test kit should have a reading where it saya(toxic or stress)

I cycled with fish my first time too. I was less informed than you are..I didn't even know about a cycle. So keep doing the waterchanges to keep the fish from the toxic levels. Eventually, the tank will cycle.

Unless doing a fishless, you just need to work at keeping the fish in there as stress free as possable. You could also reduce the amount of fish in there(if possable)

HTH

CANOECRAZY · 12-24-2002, 12:12 AM

k guys thanks for the input. I think I am going to continue the way I am just for now, I just did a 30% water change tonight and ammonia was less than 2.0 and nitrites .5-1 (much better). Male marigold swordtail just seems to be hanging out at top of water (I have increased my flow of filter just in case it might help agitate the water for more oxygen, in case the ich is in it's gills). I noticed also the white spots are "still" on the female red velvet, yet it has been about 48 hours already, with temps around 82, I would have thought according to literature I have read, the parasites should have dropped off to become free swimming at this stage. Oh well, medicated after water change again, no carbon in, and will repeat in 48 hours, and hope it works. This really is an addictive hobby. Any other final suggestions for me would be greatly appreciated, I would love to beat this ich on my first contamination here.

nonamethefish · 12-24-2002, 12:42 AM

Good point Matt...i kinda forgot about that.....

As of the ich......
Medication only affects the free swimming parasites, so you should continue for seven days.

Looks like quite a struggle is going on in the tank.

I hope that you get the upper hand.

colesea · 12-24-2002, 01:43 AM

you are going to take forever to cycle your tank if you continue at the rate you are going. Not only does medication destory the parasites, but it also destorys all your beneficial bacteria which you are trying to culture in your tank. Constant water changes and gravel vaccuuming are also hindering already delayed bacterial growth. Your tank is only three weeks old, two of which you've been medicating for. You probably don't have any beneficial bacteria in that tank yetl, which is why your ammonia and nitrItes are still climbing constantly.

I would return your fish to the LFS and do a fishless cycle. Do a 50% water change then create an ammonia source for the tank (either with commercial ammonia or by allowing a piece of meat to rot in the tank). Increasing the temperature to approximately 86oF-90oF (something I do not recommend with fish in the tank) and leaving the tank barren of life for four weeks will starve out the parasite without the use of medications.

One thing to keep in mind is that mollies and swordtails do enjoy a double dose of aquarium salts in their tank. Mollies are truely brackish water fish, and while many people may have them in fresh water without problems, this is because their tanks are already chemically stable and drinkable clean. Any fish in unstable conditions such as a cycling tank will continue to repeatedly get ich or other diseases because the chemical imbalances stress them out and leave them opened to infection. Mollies kept in fresh water are also more prone to get fungal/bacterial infections and ich than mollies kept in brackish conditions.

Good luck and lots of patience. You have a long (and seemingly fustrating) journey ahead of you.
~~Colesea

CANOECRAZY_2002 · 12-24-2002, 09:32 AM

Thank you. Very good advice. Unfortunately, I don't believe taking my fish back at this point is going to work, so what I think I will do is try to keep as many water conditions stable as i can and keep medicating for another week or two until ich is gone (very unfortunate about medication killing bacteria, that is a tough one). Then I suppose I will monitor the levels, but I do believe I am starting to get some beneficial bacteria starting. Oh well, if I lose the fish so be it I guess, just thought I should try to save them. Can I remove some of my water into a new tank (small one), try to fishless cycle it with that water (the ich can't survive without fish right?), and once small tank is cycled, add my babies at least to that tank? I would really like to keep them going