Poorly Fish :(

[4seasons]

I couldnt get out today to buy the Master Test Kit, but my cousin lent me a Nitrite Test Tablet - So I done test and it came back that the filter bacteria was not yet established and to keep adding Filter Start... (sorry i'm not great with wording things, just going by what the wee leaflet says).
So i'm guessing that this is causing the illness in my tank?

High Nitrite won't cause Ich. (whitespot) However high ammonia or nitrite levels from unestablished filter bacteria will stress and eventually kill fish. Higher stress levels in fish make them more prone to other illness. Some medicines can kill off your filter bacteria and cause you to have to re-cycle and established filter. You need to test your ammonia and nitrite levels at least once a day in an unestablished tank and if you get any reading other than 0ppm of either ammonia or nitrite, do a 70-90% water change. Once you get 0ppm readings for a week straight with no water changes then you can back you testing off to once a week.

 

[TC7]

I couldnt get out today to buy the Master Test Kit, but my cousin lent me a Nitrite Test Tablet - So I done test and it came back that the filter bacteria was not yet established and to keep adding Filter Start... (sorry i'm not great with wording things, just going by what the wee leaflet says).
So i'm guessing that this is causing the illness in my tank?

High Nitrite won't cause Ich. (whitespot) However high ammonia or nitrite levels from unestablished filter bacteria will stress and eventually kill fish. Higher stress levels in fish make them more prone to other illness. Some medicines can kill off your filter bacteria and cause you to have to re-cycle and established filter. You need to test your ammonia and nitrite levels at least once a day in an unestablished tank and if you get any reading other than 0ppm of either ammonia or nitrite, do a 70-90% water change. Once you get 0ppm readings for a week straight with on water changes then you can back you testing off to once a week.

Thanks for the info. Will be purchasing the Master Test Kit tomorrow

 

[TC7]

So guys, I purchased the master test kit today and here are my water stats -

pH - 7.0
High Range pH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 5.0 ppm
Nitrite - 5.0 ppm

I know that the Nitrite is still high, so should I just do a 20% water change for a few days or what do you recommend?? I am currently treating my tank for Ich & Popeye and I am unsure if I can still do a water change whilst treating??

 

[Salam]

With Nitrite 5 ppm, you are looking at 90%+ water change right now. This amount is a lethal dose.

 

[TC7]

Ok I will get onto it now, I really dont want to lose anymore fish. Do I need to add anything else to the water apart from the normal water conditioner/quick start?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Nitrite of 5ppm? Yikes...

Any nitrite reading over 0.25ppm warrants a massive water change, ~95%.

Most meds should not be dosed at the same time, the only way I know of where you could treat the bacterial form of Popeye (there are different types of Popeye) while treating Ich would be by using Esha 2000 with Esha Exit.

Medicating does not stop the need for emergency water changes, what does matter is knowing if the meds you are using is something that lasts short or long term in the water. For instance, Waterlife's Protozin kills the Ich over the course of days by adding more and more meds to the tank (on days 1;2;3;6), so if you do an emergency water change during treatment, you need to compensate for meds lost in the removed water.

 

[Salam]

No, just water conditioner. Best one that most recommend is Prime, so if you don't have it I suggest you buy it when you need some again.

It might not be 0 after a huge water change, so you might have to do two or even three consecutive water changes. It's hard work, but you'll get there.

 

[TC7]

I have an API Quick Start & Nutrafin Aquaplus water conditioner. Which is best, I was told I needed them both when I first purchased my tank

 

[Salam]

It won't do any harm adding the API quick start, but most here don't believe in bottled live bacteria. It won't harm though, so go ahead and add some, might work.

 

[TC7]

Nitrite of 5ppm? Yikes...

Any nitrite reading over 0.25ppm warrants a massive water change, ~95%.

Most meds should not be dosed at the same time, the only way I know of where you could treat the bacterial form of Popeye (there are different types of Popeye) while treating Ich would be by using Esha 2000 with Esha Exit.

Medicating does not stop the need for emergency water changes, what does matter is knowing if the meds you are using is something that lasts short or long term in the water. For instance, Waterlife's Protozin kills the Ich over the course of days by adding more and more meds to the tank (on days 1;2;3;6), so if you do an emergency water change during treatment, you need to compensate for meds lost in the removed water.

The treatment I used for Ich was a two day dosage given on day 1 & 4 - 1st dose was given on Sat & 2nd yesterday morning. It had visibly cleared within 48hrs of the first dose. I was given an anti fungus & finrot treatment on Tues night to treat what I thought looked like popeye. The following morning my platy looked 10 times better than she did the night before, the swelling had gona way down and she's perked up a good bit... It says to treat again in 7 days, which I will to be on safe side.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Don't forget that even if you did nothing, the spots will disappear off the fish, this is only one part of the Ich life cycle... They then fall onto the tank floor and release lots of free swimmers that need to find a fish within 24 hours. Meds only kills the free swimmers.

 

[TC7]

Don't forget that even if you did nothing, the spots will disappear off the fish, this is only one part of the Ich life cycle... They then fall onto the tank floor and release lots of free swimmers that need to find a fish within 24 hours. Meds only kills the free swimmers.

Oh god, I didnt know that

 

[TC7]

Have just completed a water change and the nitrite is between 0.25/1.0 ppm - quite hard to tell the difference in the colour, but its a good bit different from what it was sitting at - 5.0 ppm

Will do another water change tomorrow, does it have to be 90/95% again??

 

[Salam]

That's much better already. Do another massive water change, the more the better, so it is definitely 0. Keep you eyes on the stats daily and react if it ever goes over 0.25 again.

 

[Tizer]

Keep you eyes on the stats daily and react if it ever goes over 0.25 again.

By react she means do a water change, not bust some moves in front of a mirror.