Nitrite killing my Betta

[communityfluvalroma]

Hey all

I have a Male Bettain a 36 litre cycled tank.

Water conditions have been perfect for the last month. Yesterday I tested the water and noticed a major Nitrite spike. It was reading 5.0 with my API test kit.

I did a 75% water change straight away which reduced the reading to 0.25.

I tested the water again today and it had jumped to 5.0 again. I carried out another 75% water change which reduced the reading to 0.25.

Ammonia is reading 0 and Nitrate is reading 10.

What could be causing such a major Nitrite spike?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Nitrate is produced by fish wastes, rotting leftover food, and decomposing plant matter. The bacteria in your biofilter convert ammonia first into nitrite and then into nitrate.


Check out this link: https://www.tfhmagazine.com/articles/freshwater/keeping-up-with-nitrate

How much do you feed and how often? Are you noticing any plants dying?

 

[aqua.land]

Hi.

There are few things that may have caused this, any of this happen?

• Something blocking the filter
• A prolonged power cut of more than a couple of hours
• Accidentally forgetting to chlorinate tap water before using it for a water change
• A consequence of certain types of medications used to treat illnesses in the fish
• Consistent overfeeding or failing to remove uneaten food and excess waste regularly
• Death of one or more fish whose bodies are decaying somewhere in the tank (Doubtful...) - Or plant matter...
• Overstocking or introducing too many new fish at a time (I doubt as as I think your betta lives alone)

None of these look like they've happened to your tank, at least it doesn't seem like it to me, I may be wrong though.
I would recommend to make sure to use de chlorinator, use a gravel vacuum cleaner and I'm not sure if you have a planted tank but I highly recommend plants as they help your fish to thrive....just make sure the plants are healthy.


You could consider adding beneficial bacteria to your tank as this may help with the nitrite levels.

 

[seangee]

It sounds like your filter was not fully cycled after all - nitrite production only happens in stage 2 of the process. Reduce your feeding to once or twice a week at most. Ensure there is nothing decaying in your tank or filter and make sure you vacuum your gravel when you do the water changes. Keep doing 75% water changes every time you have a reading other than 0 - even if that means several times a day, luckily its a small tank. If you can get some fast growing floating plants throw them in the tank. Frogbit, water sprite or salvinia are all good choices.

Whatever has happened your tank is not cycled now so you have to treat as a a fish in cycle.

 

[communityfluvalroma]

It sounds like your filter was not fully cycled after all - nitrite productio only happens in stage 2 of the process. Reduce your feeding to once or twice a week at most. Ensure there is nothing decaying in your tank or filter and make sure you vacuum your gravel when you do the water changes. Keep doing 75% water changes every time you have a reading other than 0 - even if that means several times a day, luckily its a small tank. If you can get some fast growing floating plants throw them in the tank. Frogbit, water sprite or salvinia are all good choices.

Whatever has happened your tank is not cycled now so you have to treat as a a fish in cycle.

Thanks all that have replied.

I will reduce my feeding as suggested. I have added some anacharis and water sprite to the tank since I noticed the spike.

I do have a cycled 240l, would adding some of the filter media from this tank to the uncycled filter help?

 

[seangee]

I do have a cycled 240l, would adding some of the filter media from this tank to the uncycled filter help?

Yes its certainly would.

 

[Colin_T]

reduce feeding.
do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until the level gets back to 0ppm.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I agree that it sounds as though your tank is still cycling. You should never see nitrite spikes once the Tank is fully cycled. Nitrates are common with over feeding, etc. but not nitrites. Watch your numbers and do water changes as needed until tank is fully cycled.

 

[Barry Tetra]

Do 75% daily water changes and try adding Tetra Safe Start, it helped.

 

[communityfluvalroma]

Thanks everyone for all of your help.

I’ve added some filter media from my cycled tank. Added more water sprite and anacharis to the tank. I will keep up with water changes as soon as Nitrite reads 0.25 or more.