High nitrite

[ROO4NFG]

I am very new to tropical fish keeping, i have had my tank set up about 6 weeks and added fish about 3 weeks ago, i was advised to get a nitrite testing kit in order to keep a eye on the water, i have 4 female guppys 2 male guppys 2 platys (not sure of the sex) 2 male sword tails, 2 balloned mollies. about 2 weeks ago i added 2 female sword tales and with in 4 days both had died, both had what looked like shed there skin down one side, and now my nitrite level is very high i have been advised to change the water upto 50% if it turns almost red which it almost has, i told my local pet shop what had happened and he said to keep takeing samples of the water and keep changeing it if need be, i have not added or lost any more fish since, in fact i have gained 3 baby guppys is it possible i have a faulty tested kit, i have tested the water also that im putting in for nitrite and that is ok, i bought a gravel cleaning tube ino order to clean that in case the fault lies there, but no change, the water is very clean and the fish look very healthy, i have not cleaned the filter out yet that i think is my next step.
please help.
thanx

 

[WILDER]

Don't vac the gravel just give the gravel a stir to lift the debris, dont touch the sponges in the filter, only rinse the floss in old tank water, and check that your filter isn't blocked, guppys and molly are fragile fish not cycling fish, I would do smaller water changes to keep the nitrite down, add some aquarium salt to the tank it will help them one tablespoon to 5 gal.

 

[yvez9]

guppies and molys fragile?
i cycled with 4 guppies and they are still doing well. The female give birth every month and the offspring look very healthy.

Mollies are quite hardy too, though I have never really kept them so i wouldn't know how hardy they are

 

[ROO4NFG]

Thanks very much for your replys, guess its of down the pet shop to get some salt, and idea when i should clean the filter ( how oftern)

 

[Slyspy]

When you do a water change give the filter material a swish around in the water you have just removed. Quick and easy (just don't use water straight from the tap, use water from the tank). That is alot of fish to add at once to an uncycled tank and I am surprised that you haven't lost more. Keep doing frequent water changes since this will help to protect the fish you have. However the only long term solution is to wait until the nitrogen cycle establishes itself properly. This will require patience, especially since you may lose more fish in the process.

 

[Crookster]

It sounds like the tank wasn't cycled before you put the fish in.

When it was sat there for 3 weeks it won't have been cycling because there was no amonia (fish poo). The Cycle won't have started untill you added the first fish, and you added way too many. Don't worry about it, we've all done it, or I did anyway, but at least you'll learn the hard way. As some already said, I'm suprised you havn't lost more.

The high nitrites are to be expected, get some Cycle from your LFS as this will help your filter mature and do daily water changes. When the filter kicks in the nitrites will start to come down, this could be a couple more weeks though. Just keep on top of water changes and feed only once a day and very little. Maybe even feed on odd days until the problem's sorted. The fish will tolorate little food much better than high pollutants.

Good luck!

 

[ROO4NFG]

Once again thanks very much for ur help, you have really shed some lite on what seemed to be a never ending problem will take ur advice and keep changeing the water, will keep you informed of how im doing.
thanx

 

[fish_face]

Well done on not adding anymore fish. Although it is damaging, it is my experience that your fish that have been resident as the nitrite had increased are likely to tolerate it while new fish from 0 nitrite tanks would most certainly suffer.

 

[sylvia]

It may also be helpful to you to read the first 3 links in my signature

 

[ROO4NFG]

i am so pleased i joined this site, this has really help explain this prob, once again a thank you.

 

[ROO4NFG]

This has really help explain this prob. cheers