BeavisMom62
Aquarium Advice Freak
On 5-8-11 I noticed my rainbow shark had fin rot, "white eyes" (not pop eyes) and white "stuff" on his mouth and on his head. Did a water test and noticed I had ph of less than 6, ammo of .5, nitrite of 0 and nitrate was 40! Very abnormal for this tank and the probable cause of the shark's problems. I've been doing water changes and it seems that the ammo is getting higher. (the shark is in a hospital tank and has been treated with antibiotics and melafix. He's fine right now in the hospital tank). The parameters below are from today after numerous w/c's yesterday.
1). What are the pH, KH, Ammonia, NitrIte, and NitrAte levels?
ph 7, KH?, Ammo .5-1 !, nitrite 0, Nitrate 5
2). What test kit do you use? (Including if it is a liquid or dip stick form) API Master
3). How long has the tank been running? since 6-09 approx
4). How many gallons/liters is the tank? 60 gal
5). What are the dimensions of the tank?... 36" L x 19" W x 20" tall
6). What is the frequency of the water changes, and how much water is changed each time?
usually 50-60% every two weeks, lately every other day to daily
7). Do you use well water or city water, and do you treat for chlorine/chloramine? (What product do you use to treat water?)
City water, Prime
. What products, chemicals, and/or medicines have been used or added to the tank? Coral gravel in the filter to stabilize ph and cuttlebone for calcium for the snails
9). Tank inhabitants (number, size and type of fish/frogs)?
4 angels, 2 BN's, 2 apple snails, 1 "ivory" snail, 1 raphael cat, 1 DG, 1 platy, 1 serpae tetra, 1 rainbow shark (in hospital tank right now)
10). If this is a possible aggression problem, what sort of cover is available for the fish? No aggression, but three caves and usually lots of plastic plants (taken out yesterday for ease of cleaning)
11). Give a detailed description of any behavior/or color changes. 75% w/c on 5-5, on 5-8 noticed the shark had fin rot and probably bacterial infection, white "stuff" on his fins, mouth, head and his eyes were white. None of the other fish are affected. YET!
12). Give a detailed description of the problem. High ammonia. It was .5 on 5-8, on 5-9 after a 50% w/c it was .5-1`. Did a 50% w/c on 5-10 (didn't do a test that day). On 5-13 ammo of .5 - 1!!!! DId a 50% w/c, added water, then did a 30% w/c. Tested the water tonite and ammo is still .5-1!!
13). Unusual findings on fish and/or unusual behavior? Only the shark as above. The other smaller fish might be a little lethargic. The apple snails were too, until I started with the consecutive water changes, now they are improved.
14). Aeration? Bubble wall.
15). Filtration? Emperor 400 and an Aqua-Tech 20-40.
16). What, how much and how often are the fish/frogs fed? Once daily, fast on Sundays. Alternate between flakes, granuels, crisps, also algae tabs for the BN's and snails, occasional frozen blood worms and frozen "Freshwater Multi-pack" and "Emerald Entree", romaine, zucchini, cucumber, peas.....
17). New additions/changes to the tank? None
18). Medications/what has been tried or done do far? Water changes. Removed shark to hospital tank. Removed the plastic plants, but left the driftwood and three "caves".
19). Summary of potential fish/frog stressors? Extremely high ammonia with no cause found!!!
What in the world could cause such incredibly high ammonia that seems resistant to water changes. Can't find a cause. No dead fish. That I can find. I have lost two serpae tetras and 1 platy within the past few months but I would think that by now something would have eaten them. The tank is pretty bare, can't find any dead bodies. No live plants in the tank to be rotting. The gravel has been vac'd pretty well over the past week, so no rotting food or waste.
Admittedly, this tank isn't cleaned as often as the other tanks (My Python broke and I have to haul 5 gal buckets of water! Changed out 7 buckets yesterday) but I keep an eye on the nitrate and if it starts to get high, then I will definitely change the water. But I've never had an ammo problem. Nitrate and nitrite are good. Shouldn't be any sort of minicycle.
Although I did take the filter media out of the AT filter during the last week of April to use to help cycle my newly set up 55 gal tank. But I didn't touch the larger Emperor filter. And I left sponges in the AT filter as well as the Emperor. Shouldn' have affected the cycle.
So in short, what could be causing such a sustained high ammonia level that isn't improved with water changes? What can I do? This is scaring me. I want to take the shark out of the hospital tank and return him to this 60 gal tank, but not while the water isn't perfect.
I've done nothing different. Nothing added or taken away. What could cause this in an established, cycled tank all of a sudden?
HELP!
1). What are the pH, KH, Ammonia, NitrIte, and NitrAte levels?
ph 7, KH?, Ammo .5-1 !, nitrite 0, Nitrate 5
2). What test kit do you use? (Including if it is a liquid or dip stick form) API Master
3). How long has the tank been running? since 6-09 approx
4). How many gallons/liters is the tank? 60 gal
5). What are the dimensions of the tank?... 36" L x 19" W x 20" tall
6). What is the frequency of the water changes, and how much water is changed each time?
usually 50-60% every two weeks, lately every other day to daily
7). Do you use well water or city water, and do you treat for chlorine/chloramine? (What product do you use to treat water?)
City water, Prime
9). Tank inhabitants (number, size and type of fish/frogs)?
4 angels, 2 BN's, 2 apple snails, 1 "ivory" snail, 1 raphael cat, 1 DG, 1 platy, 1 serpae tetra, 1 rainbow shark (in hospital tank right now)
10). If this is a possible aggression problem, what sort of cover is available for the fish? No aggression, but three caves and usually lots of plastic plants (taken out yesterday for ease of cleaning)
11). Give a detailed description of any behavior/or color changes. 75% w/c on 5-5, on 5-8 noticed the shark had fin rot and probably bacterial infection, white "stuff" on his fins, mouth, head and his eyes were white. None of the other fish are affected. YET!
12). Give a detailed description of the problem. High ammonia. It was .5 on 5-8, on 5-9 after a 50% w/c it was .5-1`. Did a 50% w/c on 5-10 (didn't do a test that day). On 5-13 ammo of .5 - 1!!!! DId a 50% w/c, added water, then did a 30% w/c. Tested the water tonite and ammo is still .5-1!!
13). Unusual findings on fish and/or unusual behavior? Only the shark as above. The other smaller fish might be a little lethargic. The apple snails were too, until I started with the consecutive water changes, now they are improved.
14). Aeration? Bubble wall.
15). Filtration? Emperor 400 and an Aqua-Tech 20-40.
16). What, how much and how often are the fish/frogs fed? Once daily, fast on Sundays. Alternate between flakes, granuels, crisps, also algae tabs for the BN's and snails, occasional frozen blood worms and frozen "Freshwater Multi-pack" and "Emerald Entree", romaine, zucchini, cucumber, peas.....
17). New additions/changes to the tank? None
18). Medications/what has been tried or done do far? Water changes. Removed shark to hospital tank. Removed the plastic plants, but left the driftwood and three "caves".
19). Summary of potential fish/frog stressors? Extremely high ammonia with no cause found!!!
What in the world could cause such incredibly high ammonia that seems resistant to water changes. Can't find a cause. No dead fish. That I can find. I have lost two serpae tetras and 1 platy within the past few months but I would think that by now something would have eaten them. The tank is pretty bare, can't find any dead bodies. No live plants in the tank to be rotting. The gravel has been vac'd pretty well over the past week, so no rotting food or waste.
Admittedly, this tank isn't cleaned as often as the other tanks (My Python broke and I have to haul 5 gal buckets of water! Changed out 7 buckets yesterday) but I keep an eye on the nitrate and if it starts to get high, then I will definitely change the water. But I've never had an ammo problem. Nitrate and nitrite are good. Shouldn't be any sort of minicycle.
Although I did take the filter media out of the AT filter during the last week of April to use to help cycle my newly set up 55 gal tank. But I didn't touch the larger Emperor filter. And I left sponges in the AT filter as well as the Emperor. Shouldn' have affected the cycle.
So in short, what could be causing such a sustained high ammonia level that isn't improved with water changes? What can I do? This is scaring me. I want to take the shark out of the hospital tank and return him to this 60 gal tank, but not while the water isn't perfect.
I've done nothing different. Nothing added or taken away. What could cause this in an established, cycled tank all of a sudden?
HELP!
