Help? High Ammonia Levels

[Kairi]

The ammonia level in my tank right now is about 1.0- and I know I need to change the water to lower it- except right now, my fish are being treated for Ich.... can I still do a water change to lower the ammonia level with out it taking the medicine out of the water? I have some of those tablets that lower the ammonia levels in the water- can I use one of those with the meds in the tank? (I'm using Rid-Ich) .... I do realize that at this point in cycling, the ammonia levels are still high.... but w/ the medication in the water- I'm a little confused what I can and can't (or shouldn't) do.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Hi kairi, I would just add the medicine to dose the new water. Ammonia is very toxic to your fish and changing warter rather than adding tablets will work best. I hope you are using a dechlorinator/dechloramine to condition the new water. The dechlorinator/ dechloramine will eliminate the chlorine or chloramine in the tap water.

 

[Kairi]

yes, i'm using a water conditioner that de-clorinates the water.... i'm figuring since the ich is about gone that 2 - 50% water changes will all but eliminate the ammonia in the water. i wouldn't have guessed w/ as much as i've been changing the water that the ammonia would have gotten that high!

 

[fishing4exotics]

You might want to cut back on feeding your fish. The more you feed the fish the more ammonia your fish produce.

 

[Kairi]

They only get a very small pinch of food in the mornings- and I feed the pleco at night after I turn the tank light off... maybe it's the algae wafer... ya think?

 

[fishing4exotics]

Well, you don't want to leave any uneated food in the tank. The uneated food contributes to the ammonia level. If your pleco is healthy I would forgo the late night feedings.

 

[Kairi]

he seems healthy enough- but what will he eat? it doesn't seem like there's any algae in the tank?

btw- i got the ammonia to 0 last night

 

[fishing4exotics]

Congrats on lowering your ammonia to 0

Can you tell me what kind of pleco you have? If you have a common pleco it can feed on left over food and algae. Other plecos have different food requirements.

 

[Kairi]

yeah, he's a plain ol' pleco. He does seem to go a little nutty on the sides of the decorations and the glass sometimes... The fish found some algae wafer last night.... so I didn't give them their daily "dose" of breakfast this morning.... just because none of them seem to eat it. I'm thinking my tetras dont like the flake food I have....