Newb Fry Question

[marcybeth0281]

My platy fry were born 2 days ago and they are in the 5g hospital tank which I *thought* had cycled due to 5 days worth of 0 NO2 and NH3 readings and an elevated NO3.

But, alas, last night I did my nightly testings and there was .25ppm of nitrite and 0 NH3. Did a 50% water change and tested this morning. NH3 0, NO2 .50ppm.

I did another 50% water change and then fed the babies before work and turned on the airstone to promote movement and oxygen in the tank. I'm planning on going home at lunch and testing again. I have used salt with my adult fish to help lower the nitrites before successfully - but the fry are new to me and don't know if it's okay to add salt with them. Do I need to lower the amount? How much should I use for the 5g tank if it *is* safe?

Thanks -

 

[drobbyb]

Salt will do nothing to lower nitrites. Large waterchanges will however.

 

[marcybeth0281]

I read this a while back - "The sodium and chloride will reduce nitrite levels in aquariums and studies in the past have shown that chloride reduces nitrite by providing extra ions, which offer fish a form of protection against nitrite." - and tried it in a tank that had a stubborn nitrite issue and it helped significantly. Am I crazy?

I *am* doing water changes - I know it's the best way to reduce and I'm doing as many as I can....but was hoping I could help in another way -

 

[drobbyb]

If that were the case, then all saltwater and brackish aquariums would have no nitrites. The quote you input claims that it will protect against (not get rid of) your nitrites.

If you are doing waterchanges with little to no effect, make larger waterchanges.

 

[marcybeth0281]

Oh, i assumed "reducing nitrite levels in aquariums" meant that it could reduce nitrite levels in aquariums.

It may have just been a coincidence in the other tank - nothing seemed to work to reduce the nitrites. It would test 1ppm and I would do a 75% water change then in 5 hours it would be back up to 1ppm. I added salt as another method of prevention and the very next day my levels were near 0.

Either way, I added some salt when I was home on my break. 1/2 tbsp for the 5g. I did this after another 75% water change. The nitrites were at .50ppm again after just 5 hours. *sigh* poor fry.

 

[marcybeth0281]

One more fry question...


Everything I read tells me to feed the fry and then after 3 or so minutes, remove any uneaten food. How exactly can this work when feeding a powdered food like the Hikari First Bites? The powder is so fine you can hardly detect it in the water (and I never know if I am feeding too much or too little).

UGH!

 

[H. Houdini]

One more fry question...


Everything I read tells me to feed the fry and then after 3 or so minutes, remove any uneaten food. How exactly can this work when feeding a powdered food like the Hikari First Bites? The powder is so fine you can hardly detect it in the water (and I never know if I am feeding too much or too little).

UGH!

I read the same kind of info too, but it's a bit late by then. (unless you're a complete ***** like my gf, who dropped ALL the food in I had prepared)

I don't have platies, but I'd suggest what I do with my mollies. (depending how many you have) I throw a very small pinch 5 or 6 times a day. I know whatever I put in is being eaten. Less, more often. Seems to make sense to me.

 

[marcybeth0281]

ah, but a "pinch" can be easily misjudged. i can pinch a bit, and easily pinch double that and even triple that!

right now i'm dipping a matchstick (butt end, of course) straight into the bag of food, bringing it out, shaking of excess and dipping it into the tank. how you can measure how much that is, i will never know - lol. i mean, even then you could completely cover the end of the matchstick OR shake it off and get half the amount.

ugh, i hate subjectivity.

 

[Truck]

as well as water changes shoving a bunch full of fast growing plants such as hygro will get rid of the nitrites providing it gets light

 

[OldMan47]

That is a good way to measure the food MarcyBeth. The other suggestion I have seen, when people have judging how much, is to dip a toothpick into the food and shake the fine layer of dust off into the tank.