Nitrite Troubles Help Needed ASAP

[CSouth96]

Okay so i previously have posted troubles on here with my water chemistry but now I believe on the last stage of my problem. I before had ammonia problems with the water have bad ammonia levels but now the bacteria has caught up and has been converting the ammonia into nitrites. But that's where i stops. from what my tests have been telling me their is NO ammonia in the water but instead there is a high amount of nitrites in the water. But there is some conversion going on as it is picking up a concentration of nitrates. The weird thing is i have 2 Goldies in this 60 gallon tank, One of them is suffering obviously as he has white spots scattered on him and the end of his tail seems to be burning away. (I assume that this is Nitrite Poisoning). The other one how ever. is the one of the healthiest looking fish i have ever seen. he swims around constantly without a care in the world only stopping to sleep for no more then a minute and gobbles her food up. I'm starting to wonder if she is a super fish. But regardless. im getting about a reading of 2 nitrites, 'I have been diligent enough to do daily water changes of between 20% and 50% depending on how bad the water is and i can typically keep it below 1. But obviously this isnt enough and i need to find a solution fast, the one i am losing is a beautiful calico lionhead with a brilliant blue in him that i have found hard to come by. Please Help Me... For the fishies sake

 

[sinibotia]

White spots indicate a disease called ich. Do you have a picture of this fish?

 

[threnjen]

Do you have prime? If not, get some asap and dose the full amount of the tank every 24 hours. Prime is like magic and it chemically binds ammonia and nitrites to help protect fish while you wait for your cycle.

 

[Mebbid]

Large water changes are key. The nitrite consuming phase takes about twice as long as the ammonia consuming phase.

Also, you're correct about the nitrate. The nitrate test will pick up the nitrites as well. Its not usually high enough to cause a big misreading, but it can happen.

 

[CSouth96]

Do you have prime? If not, get some asap and dose the full amount of the tank every 24 hours. Prime is like magic and it chemically binds ammonia and nitrites to help protect fish while you wait for your cycle.

Yes, I have many Sea chem products including, Prime, Stability, Flourish, and Clarity, but i have not been adding full doses every 24 hours only during water changes

 

[coralbandit]

Yes, I have many Sea chem products including, Prime, Stability, Flourish, and Clarity, but i have not been adding full doses every 24 hours only during water changes

Read the directions on the bottle(of prime).
They will tell you how much you can add to help with the nitrites.
I believe it is safe up to 5 times normal dose?

 

[CSouth96]

White spots indicate a disease called ich. Do you have a picture of this fish?

I dont think its ich but here is a picture of the fish.

 

[CSouth96]

Read the directions on the bottle(of prime).
They will tell you how much you can add to help with the nitrites.
I believe it is safe up to 5 times normal dose?

But will that actually solve my Nitrite problem???

 

[coralbandit]

NO!
But it will help your fish from having permanent damage from nitrite poisoning,if you can't keep up with the proper water changes necessary to cycle with fish in tank.
Nitrites should not be allowed to go over 1ppm with fish in cycling.
It is one or the other!
Change 75% or use prime to detoxify the nitrite(more toxic then ammonia to fish).
The second phase of cycling often takes longer then first.
Fancy goldfish are very "tender" and require stable water.
He will not tolerate or survive much more IMO.
Just saw picture and that is ich!

 

[CSouth96]

NO!
But it will help your fish from having permanent damage from nitrite poisoning,if you can't keep up with the proper water changes necessary to cycle with fish in tank.
Nitrites should not be allowed to go over 1ppm with fish in cycling.
It is one or the other!
Change 75% or use prime to detoxify the nitrite(more toxic then ammonia to fish).
The second phase of cycling often takes longer then first.
Fancy goldfish are very "tender" and require stable water.
He will not tolerate or survive much more IMO.
Just saw picture and that is ich!

Ok well if its ich then what should i do?? i Know ich is easy to cure if you catch it early so what should i get

 

[coralbandit]

I am a 100% medicine person!
Others will say heat.
Some will say salt.
My med of choice is kordon rid ich plus (not herbal).
It is important to know how to kill ich(it is easy if it doesn't trick you) so PLEASE read this link;
Ich | The Skeptical Aquarist
Know the enemy!
Any questions and I or others will help you out.

 

[CSouth96]

I am a 100% medicine person!
Others will say heat.
Some will say salt.
My med of choice is kordon rid ich plus (not herbal).
It is important to know how to kill ich(it is easy if it doesn't trick you) so PLEASE read this link;
Ich | The Skeptical Aquarist
Know the enemy!
Any questions and I or others will help you out.

Okay so ill do the medication route of this but I know meds can kill your bacteria so i want to do this in a manner that wont do that. Is there a method to get rid of it quickly?

 

[coralbandit]

The kordon rid ich plus will NOT kill the bacteria you desire for the filter.
Salt has also been used to aid fish with/from nitrite poisoning.

 

[CSouth96]

The kordon rid ich plus will NOT kill the bacteria you desire for the filter.
Salt has also been used to aid fish with/from nitrite poisoning.

Okay i just purchased Kordon Rid Ich Plus off of amazon because my local stores dont carry it and it will be here in 2 days, Fingers crossed!!!

 

[coralbandit]

Change as much water as you can in the mean time.
The life cycle of ich has it fall off fish and develop(multiply by thousands possibly) in the substrate.
Quick but thorough gravel vacuum done daily should be part of any ich treatment IMO and will help with the nitrites also!

 

[CSouth96]

Change as much water as you can in the mean time.
The life cycle of ich has it fall off fish and develop(multiply by thousands possibly) in the substrate.
Quick but thorough gravel vacuum done daily should be part of any ich treatment IMO and will help with the nitrites also!

Last question, How will the Ich Medication effect my Goldie who is healthy? Should i remove her from the tank or will she be ok during treatment?

 

[coralbandit]

The healthy fish has the best chance for survival!
It has been exposed to the ich so do not remove him.
Be warned when ill and stressed any treatment(med/heat/salt) can be the straw that brakes the camals back and your sick fish is at greatest risk of not surviving.
On that note if infected fish dies I would still do a full thorough treatment of tank and survivor.

 

[CSouth96]

The healthy fish has the best chance for survival!
It has been exposed to the ich so do not remove him.
Be warned when ill and stressed any treatment(med/heat/salt) can be the straw that brakes the camals back and your sick fish is at greatest risk of not surviving.
On that note if infected fish dies I would still do a full thorough treatment of tank and survivor.

OK sounds like a plan thank you so much for your help