Mini cycle

[juriaste]

Hiya,
I have recently given my 60l tank to my boyfriend, I am unsure on what the filter is that is currently running but believe it is big enough for the tank, I have an ehiem heater on it and the temperature is at a constant 24 degrees. When I gave my boyfriend the tank it was fully cycled with nitrates reading at around 20ppm. Which it was still testing at once everything was set up at his house. He then added 3 guppies, 3 cardinal tetras and a Chinese butterfly Pleco. I told him that this would be enough fish for the tank otherwise there would be problems with the water. But he decided to add 4 danios and 2 larger plecos that we cannot identify yet. When we tested the water the next day the water was reading 2ppm in ammonia 0 nitrite and 40ppm in nitrate. The next day the ammonia went down to 0.25ppm but the nitrite had shot up to around 2ppm and the nitrates remained at 40ppm. We have been doing large water changes and I have already told him that the plecos would properly have to be rehomed. I have taken one of them and placed him in my tank. So far he has lost 3 danios and 1 female guppy. I was wondering whether there was anything other than water changes which could help? As he wants to keep the fish in there. Possibly looking for a bacteria that could be added or something a long those lines to help it recycle faster. He now realises that he has too many fish but doesn't want to lose the remaining ones. He will rehome the other large Pleco as soon as possible.
Thanks

 

[jetajockey]

It sounds like a minicycle from adding too many fish at once.

The stock list sounds ok minus the plecos.

Doing water changes every other day and dosing with Prime or another water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia/nitrite is the best route, I don't suggest adding any bacteria booster, you have a proper bacteria colony in there already, just give it some time to grow to handle the new bioload. Adding a bacteria booster might do more harm than good depending on which product you get ahold of, so it's not worth it.

 

[juriaste]

It sounds like a minicycle from adding too many fish at once.

The stock list sounds ok minus the plecos.

Doing water changes every other day and dosing with Prime or another water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia/nitrite is the best route, I don't suggest adding any bacteria booster, you have a proper bacteria colony in there already, just give it some time to grow to handle the new bioload. Adding a bacteria booster might do more harm than good depending on which product you get ahold of, so it's not worth it.

Thank you for the advice, we are going to continue doing the water changes, let's just hope the fish are going to be okay for the moment