high nitrite

[jhelen]

Hi

i have -2 angelfish
4 platies
2 clown loach
1 pleco catfish

in a tank I have had for 12 days and have the following readings: (I know the fish shouldnt be in yet but I didnt know then)

ammonia- between 0 and 0.6 - hard to tell but going down
nitrite - 0.8 - going up
ph -7
nitrate -10

Is the nitrite reading too high? I did a water change yesterday and have also been treating for Ich , so i dont want to mess them around too much

I know the tank is still cycling.,but can I do anything else about the Nitrite and do I need to?


thanks

 

[tstenback]

As long as you do daily water changes and keep the ammonia and nitrite levels at or below 1 ppm you should be OK. The clowns and the angels are quite sensitive to the nitrite so if they seem like they are looking a little worse for the wear then do an extra water change. remember that it all about the fish surviving both the ICH and the cycle so watch them carefully for any sign that something is going wrong. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[jhelen]

the fish actually look OK...apart from the Ich..and only one of the angels has it and both the clowns

Do I have to change water EVERY day? they wont get stressed?

 

[tstenback]

It is extremely important to do water changes and vac the bottom when dealing with ICH as the cycsts sink to the bottom so if you vac you remove some of them and with the water changes you remove some of the free swimming ones. So to answer the question, Yes, do them daily the fish will get used to routine.

 

[jhelen]

ok
Do i vac right down to the very bottom..i was told not to do it too much as this gets rid of the good bacteria

Also can you see the free swimming ones?? and are they there even before all the spots have fallen off?? how long after alll the spots have fallen off should i keep treating with medicine and changing water for?

Sorry..

 

[canarsie11]

No need to worry bout your good bacteria right now, You need to get that ick out of your tank first.

 

[jhelen]

i have just put the ich medicine in..will a water change remove it..??

 

[canarsie11]

I would wait couple hrs before doing water change if you just added medicine.