Disaster in my tanks...help!!!!!

[BettaFishGirl]

I'm typing fast so there will probably be a lot of spelling errors

I checked in my fish this morning, and I had just gotten a new Betta rescue and he is in a temporary 1 gallon planted tank. I checked the nitrite and ammonia, ammonia was at .50, nitrite was at 1-2 ppm. I freaked out and I was going to use some of my established tank water which I know has zero ammonia and zero nitrate because my tap water has 0.50 ammonia and 0.25 nitrate, but just to make sure I test my established tanks water and it has 1 ppm nitrite. I test another one of my tanks which has a Betta in it, and that's at zero nitrate. So I do a 80% water change for the 1 gallon with that tank water, but for the five gallon I do a 75% water change with just my tap water. I didn't have enough tank water to do that tank too. I checked all of my other tanks, which include two more three gallons with bettas in it, and a 1.7 gallon bowl that I have a betta in temporarily. The two three gallons had zero nitrate, but the 1.7 gallon had three PPM nitrate. Just a few days ago I did a water change, and had 0 nitrite. I do a 75% water change on that, so now I have relaxed a little but I'm still really worried about my betta babies. When I change the water on the tanks I had high nitrate it had a slight greenish tint to them. And I didn't do anything abnormal, fed him the normal food dropped an algae wafer for down for the one that had shrimp, and for the 5 gallon I just put a little bit of flakes to feed the shrimp and keep the beneficial bacteria alive, but I have been doing that and it has been staying consistently at 0 nitrite. I have no idea what's happened. I can't get a bunch of fancy equipment since I'm a kid, but should I use bottled spring water for now while doing water changes?? I have no idea what to do and I don't want my fish to suffer.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

I forgot to mention, all the fish, shrimp and snails are ok. They didn't seem like they were suffering or stressed, and just a few days before this I did a water change and the water perameters were good.

 

[Colin_T]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?

Do you have chlorine or chloramine in the tap water?

This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

If the tap water has a low GH and KH, and the pH isn't too high (above 7.6), then use tap water with a dechlorinater.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?

Do you have chlorine or chloramine in the tap water?

This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

If the tap water has a low GH and KH, and the pH isn't too high (above 7.6), then use tap water with a dechlorinater.

I looked on my water website before and it has a pH of 7.4, and a GH of 100-120 ppm. They didn't say the KH.

My tap water has .50 ammonia, .25 nitrite, pH of 7.4, and I believe it only had chloramine. They didn't say anything about chlorine. I use the Tetra AquaSafe water conditioner.

 

[Colin_T]

The pH and GH is fine and the KH should be too because the first two aren't excessively high and all three (pH, KH & GH) are linked. A high pH usually indicates a high KH.

If you have ammonia in the tap water, then you have chloramine and will need to use a dechlorinater that neutralises chloramine.

You shouldn't have any nitrite in tap water. That's illegal and you need to contact the press, health department, and state government and let them know there is nitrite in the drinking water.

If you have nitrate, then that isn't illegal as long as the level is below 40ppm (depending on which country you live in). However, it's still bad for you even though it's legal.

 

[Byron]

These numbers are a mystery to me, I'm glad colin posted here. Are you sure of the tests? Which test is it?

 

[BettaFishGirl]

These numbers are a mystery to me, I'm glad colin posted here. Are you sure of the tests? Which test is it?

What you say "which test is it", I assume you mean what testing kit I am using to test? If so I am using the API Liquid Master test kit. I am sure of the tests, I double tested and made sure I was using the right amount of drops.

Only my cycled 5 gallon, my 1.7 gallon Betta bowl (temporary), and my 1 gallon rescue Betta tank have it though. My three 3 gallons, and my 10 gallon all have 0 nitrite.

You shouldn't have any nitrite in tap water. That's illegal and you need to contact the press, health department, and state government and let them know there is nitrite in the drinking water.

I'm 12 yrs old so I can't reaaaly do that, but my cycled tanks can take care of it in under 12 hours. As for my rescue tanks that don't have a filter, I just use the cycled tanks water for them. But now I can't do that since there is nitrite in my main tank. It's only those 3 tanks though.

 

[Byron]

What you say "which test is it", I assume you mean what testing kit I am using to test? If so I am using the API Liquid Master test kit. I am sure of the tests, I double tested and made sure I was using the right amount of drops.

Only my cycled 5 gallon, my 1.7 gallon Betta bowl (temporary), and my 1 gallon rescue Betta tank have it though. My three 3 gallons, and my 10 gallon all have 0 nitrite.

Yes, the type of test. Be careful with the drops though, it is so easy to miss one or add one, I've done it.

It is the nitrite that concerns me, in the fish tanks. If nitrite really was 1 ppm or 2 ppm, I would not expect the fish to be normal, or even alive. Which is why I wonder about the test.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

Yes, the type of test. Be careful with the drops though, it is so easy to miss one or add one, I've done it.

It is the nitrite that concerns me, in the fish tanks. If nitrite really was 1 ppm or 2 ppm, I would not expect the fish to be normal, or even alive. Which is why I wonder about the test.

Honestly they all look normal, even the ghosts shrimp which I know can be more sensitive. There breathing is normal, and they don't look damages by it in any way. I will test again later and make sure I see every drop.

 

[Essjay]

Is the test bottle still in date? The reagents can go off if it's old.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

Is the test bottle still in date? The reagents can go off if it's old.

I got it just a few weeks ago and the expiration date is in 2028

 

[BettaFishGirl]

I just tested the 3 tanks with nitrite, all around .50 The bowl might be a little higher, maybe .60. I get Betta fish are hardy, but there are no signs of nitrite poisoning, labored breathing or sickness. Except in the sick Betta I just rescued, but he was sick at the pet store so I don't think there additional sickness from the nitrite (if there is any). All my ghost shrimp and snails are perfectly healthy, and I heard shrimp are very sensitive to nitrite. I'm so confused right now.

 

[Colin_T]

I'm 12 yrs old so I can't reaaaly do that, but my cycled tanks can take care of it in under 12 hours. As for my rescue tanks that don't have a filter, I just use the cycled tanks water for them. But now I can't do that since there is nitrite in my main tank. It's only those 3 tanks though.

You can still write (snail mail or email) to the press, health department and state government. Let them know you have nitrite in the drinking water and it shouldn't be there because causes cancer in people and animals. Say you have concerns about the safety of the water you and your family drink, and you would like something done about it. Then see what happens. The worse that will happen is you get a response in a few months time saying they have investigated the matter and there is nothing to worry about. If that happens and you still have nitrite in the water, kick up a stink But a 12 year old who has safety concerns about the drinking water would be front page headlines in any local newspapers. If it goes that far you can mention your pet fish are dying from it and you don't wanna die from it. Throw out a sob story and watch the politicians run for cover for not acting on it earlier.

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Nitrite poisoning is more common in acid water (pH below 7.0). This combined with the low level of nitrite is why the fish seem ok. They will still be having issues, but they won't be noticeable to you.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

Nitrite poisoning is more common in acid water (pH below 7.0). This combined with the low level of nitrite is why the fish seem ok. They will still be having issues, but they won't be noticeable to you.

Ok, I will just keep doing water change untill it hopefully goes away. I have no idea what caused it though, I didn't do anything abnormal to the 3 tanks that have nitrite and not the other 4 tanks. They both have live plants, the 5 gallon heavily planted. I added some Tetra SafeStart to my 5 gallon since it has a filter.

I just tested the water and on the 5 gallon the nitrite was .25-.50, the 1 gallon tank had the same reading, and the bowl had 1-1.5 ppm of nitrite. WHY?! I have done 3 75% water changes on the small tanks and 2 60% water change on the 5 gallon. It seems like the beneficial bacteria in that tank is finally taking care of the nitrite, but should I keep doing WC on the small tanks? I'm scared that my fish are suffering from the nitrite even though they look unaffected.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Salt blocks nitrite from getting into the blood of fish. For larger size tanks there is a formula for how much salt it takes to counteract any given concentration (ppm) if nitrite in any given size tank. But your tanks are very small, so I would suggest just a pinch of salt should be enough and should not bother any of the inhabitants.

Just for your own education about this, I suggest you read the section on SOME FACTS ABOUT NITRITE in the cycling section here in the paper in the link below. You do not need to figure all the stuff in out because all you need in such small tanks and for such low nitrite readings is a very small amount of salt. https://www.fishforums.net/threads/rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-il.433778/

I know you are not cycling with fish- but nitrite is nitrite no matter how or when it appears. And salt will stop it from harming fish until you get the bacteria working to handle nitrite.

A pinch means a very small amount of salt whicch you can hold between your thumb and a finger - sort of like how you would pinch something. Take a bit of water out of the container with the fish and put it into a clean small glass container and stir it. Then pour that liquid back into the contrainer with the fish. Do not pour it all into one spot. Spread it around the surface as you pour it.

Salt does not evaporate. So the way to remove it from the water is via water changes. They dilute the salt until it is gone.