Nitrite Spike After Stocking

[nork]

As you can see from my diary, it appeared that my tank had been cycled for a few days before stocking.

I stocked about 28 hours ago.

I decided to do a 24-hour water test and my ammonia levels are at 0 ppm, but my nitrites are at 5 ppm.

I've noticed two of my cichlids seem to be flashing, randomly scraping up against the rocks. I've noticed that 2 of them also have little white spots on them, which I'm assuming is ich. I'm not sure if they're scraping up against the rocks from having ich I can't see or from nitrite burn.

What is the quickest, safest way to treat these two issues at the same time?

My temp is at 80*F and my stocking list is:

4 Labinochromis caeruleus
4 Pseudotropheus crabro
4 Pseudotropheus acei
4 Pseudotropheus greshakei
2 Bristlenose Plecs

Edit - I've only fed them once this morning. I put in a small amount of food, they consumed almost all of it in about 45 seconds and then I fished out the rest.

 

[Defiance]

Hiya,
The spike will generally be to adding the fish, change 10-25% water if in doubt, within a day or two if filtering is working/correctly/not undersized the extra needed bacteria will be produced and the spike will go

Now if any fish try to scrape/scratch/rub against anything it's a darn sure sign of ICH, get some anti-white spot (ich treatment)

I just had ich a while back for the first time and here in the uk the nearest place was pets at home, grabbed some "interpet anti white spot" and treated/dosed as pack said

All was well

Any brand i guess would do but maybe where you are you'll have a choice of brands, mainly formaldehyde and malachite green oxalate in most ich remedies if i recall

ATB

Tony

PS ::: Do not get any of the green coloured treatment on clothing carpet etc etc, also anything not black silicone in the tank eg: if it's clear silicone whether it be thermometer sucker or heater suckers, get em out or they'll be tinted blue/green also if you have shrimp etc check the stuff is ok and won't kill the l'il critters

 

[nork]

I'm in the US, there's a PetSmart about a mile away from my house. I'm headed out to pick up a bottle of Kordon Rid Ich and some API Aquarium Salt.

Since I have two young plecos, I'm going to use a small dosage of the salt, but hopefully this will combat both situations.

 

[mattlee]

did you put all of those fish in at once? if so thats a lot to add in one go.....

if nitrites are 5ppm then i would do a big water change of maybe 80% and re check in an hour. if there are still nitrites showing then another water change is required until 0ppm is showing on the tests. the % of water changed will reduce the nitrites accordingly. 50% change will half the levels of nitrite. this is very poisonous to fish as is ammonia and if not sorted asap then your fish may die or be seriously damaged, fish also flick/flash from poor water quality which you now have. also only treat a tank with meds if you are 100% sure of the disease/infection.....

 

[nork]

Yes I did put all these fish in at once. I thought this was ok as I was under the impression that at this point, my tank could handle a full stockload?

 

[nork]

I did about a 75% water change, added 6 tablespoons of Rid Ich and only 3 rounded tablespoons of aquarium salt. I'd rather add too little than add too much and hurt my plecos.

I'll check my nitrites in about half an hour.

 

[nork]

Now a couple of my albinos are swimming real fast across the back of the tank, back and forth.

Is this normal behavior? It has me a bit worried.

 

[mattlee]

Now a couple of my albinos are swimming real fast across the back of the tank, back and forth.

Is this normal behavior? It has me a bit worried.

plecs are scaleless fish and may not be able to withstand high doses of medicines and are sensitive to salt. if you mean albino plecs then this could be the reason....

 

[nork]

My bristlenose plecos are standard color, I meant my albino cichlids.

 

[waterdrop]

Good move doing 75%. If nitrite is not below 0.25ppm you'll need to change water and redose meds yet again...

WD

 

[nork]

At what point in time does this become a serious issue? I'd rather have a healthy tank than to have to keep throwing salt in to combat the toxicity of the nitrites.

It's been about an hour and my nitrite test this time around after 3 minutes has gone from light blue to bright pink and keeps getting darker. Not a good sign.

Another WC it is.

 

[mattlee]

At what point in time does this become a serious issue? I'd rather have a healthy tank than to have to keep throwing salt in to combat the toxicity of the nitrites.

It's been about an hour and my nitrite test this time around after 3 minutes has gone from light blue to bright pink and keeps getting darker. Not a good sign.

Another WC it is.

if you have nitrites showing then its already a serious issue im affraid. as myself and WD have stated you must keep doing water changes until the test shows 0. any nitrite level above 0 will be harming your fish internally and slowly poisoning them.
as WD said now you have added meds if you do a water change the meds will need replacing to the original dosed levels, so if you changed 75% of the water you need to replace 75% of the meds and salt if you think the salt is going to help....

 

[nork]

Ok, change 80% of the water and nitrites are down to .50 ppm levels tested after only 5 minutes.

Should I let it sit for an hour before I test or should I be fine testing it almost immediately like I just did?

I ask because we have dinner plans tonight and we'll be leaving within the next 30 minutes. I don't have time for another big water change.

I might do a 25% just to be as safe as possible.

 

[mattlee]

Ok, change 80% of the water and nitrites are down to .50 ppm levels tested after only 5 minutes.

Should I let it sit for an hour before I test or should I be fine testing it almost immediately like I just did?

I ask because we have dinner plans tonight and we'll be leaving within the next 30 minutes. I don't have time for another big water change.

I might do a 25% just to be as safe as possible.

its best to leave an hour and let the filter mix the new water with the old thoroughly to get a true reading. as you may have tested a % of water thats not fully mixed with the original water if you get what i mean....!
at 0.5 its still very toxic to the fish though so there must still be enough nitrite present to harm the fish. i would do as much as you can in the time you have before you go out, then retest when you get home and carry on with the water changes if required

 

[nork]

Ok, did another 70% or more water change and we're reading 0 ppm.

Whew. I'll keep monitoring the parameters closely, though.