OhNeil1969
Aquarium Advice Addict
Good job McLumpy! Keep up the good work! 
High Nitrates During Ich Treatment
- Thread starter McLumpy
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Coleallensmom
Planted Tank Enthusiast
Sorry about that, just trying to help! So glad to hear that everyone is looking happier this morning!
Do you have any plants in your tank? If you are doing weekly PWCs and have a Nitrate problem again in the future, you might want to consider getting a few live plants for your tank. Might help!
So glad to hear that everyone is looking happier this morning!Do you have any plants in your tank? If you are doing weekly PWCs and have a Nitrate problem again in the future, you might want to consider getting a few live plants for your tank. Might help!
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Good job McLumpy! Keep up the good work!
Sorry about that, just trying to help!
Do you have any plants in your tank? If you are doing weekly PWCs and have a Nitrate problem again in the future, you might want to consider getting a few live plants for your tank. Might help!
Thanks!
Nope, no live plants, just fake. I do know that live plants will help keep my Nitrates low and I had considered getting some Ferns and such, but I read that Plecos eat live plants.
I don't know if this is true or not, but I was going to research it more after I remedy my current situation. But, what the heck, if anyone knows more about that, I'm all ears! If I were to add live plants though, I would want to go w/ something low maintenance and difficult to kill.
Coleallensmom
Planted Tank Enthusiast
What type of pleco do you have? Recommended plants would probably be Anubias and Java Fern because the leaves are tougher and thicker and not as easy to eat. Having the driftwood in your tank may help distract him/her from plants as well since plecos are known for enjoying driftwood to chew on.
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I believe it's a Common Pleco, (sex unk). Currently around 8 inches long. It's already quite fond of the driftwood that I put in there. If the driftwood will deter him/her from eating live plants, I will definitely consider getting a few and see if it works out.
I read up on Java Ferns and that sounds like the perfect plant for my tank. I never heard of an Anubias, but I'll look into that one too. Thanks for the recommendations!
I read up on Java Ferns and that sounds like the perfect plant for my tank. I never heard of an Anubias, but I'll look into that one too. Thanks for the recommendations!
Coleallensmom
Planted Tank Enthusiast
Common Plecos are messy little buggers! Java ferns would be great...require little as far as lighting/ferts. Easy to find too. I wouldn't normally advise anyone to buy plants from Petsmart as a lot of their (Top fin brand) plants are not truely aquatic but they do sell java fern if you have a store near you. Just make sure the package says "Microsorum pteropus".
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I agree about them being messy... and I'm sure it will only get worse as he/she gets bigger. lol Great fish though, fun to watch, and mine keeps algae growth to a minimum.
I saw some Java Ferns at the Petco near my house, (the Petsmart store is a bit too far away), but I'm seriously thinking about shopping at this locally owned store instead. I'm sure they have Java Ferns too. I'll be sure to read the package. Thanks for the heads up!
I saw some Java Ferns at the Petco near my house, (the Petsmart store is a bit too far away), but I'm seriously thinking about shopping at this locally owned store instead. I'm sure they have Java Ferns too. I'll be sure to read the package. Thanks for the heads up!
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good: Nitrates are now registering at either 40 or 80ppm. I can't tell as the API color chart shows both 40 and 80 as almost an identical light shade of red. Regardless, the water is no longer a dark shade of red so I'm going to say the water is at 60ppm. So... it looks like I'm making progress! Although, I'm not going to be really satisfied until I see an orange shade, but I'm sure w/ a few more pwc's it will get there.
I did another pwc after testing the water tonight. This time I only did a 20%, but we'll see if that takes it down even more.
The Bad: My RT Shark is STILL flashing really bad, his fins are clamped, and now it looks like his eyes are sunken or else he has swelling around his eyes! I no longer see white spots on any of my fish, but w/ the Shark flashing, it's throwing me off. I know that Sharks do this every once in awhile, (especially when they're stressed or angry), but I can't tell if it's that or if he still has Ich. The clamped fins and eye issue leads me to believe that he's either still infested w/ Ich or this is something new. GAH!!!
The Ugly: It appears as though one of my Neon Tetras, (the one that I believe caused the Ich outbreak), now has a white cotton substance all over its body.
It's really tough to see the Tetra up close, (or to take a pic for that matter), as the fish is really small. Not to mention, he's way too fast to catch in the net so I can get a better look. But if I had to guess, it could be fungus.
All I know is I have never had so many problems at once! So much for me getting 4 Neon Tetras from :censor:. I don't currently have a quarantine tank... but I will definitely be buying one now!
I'm beginning to think that I should have posted this thread in the "Unhealthy Fish" forum.
The Good: Nitrates are now registering at either 40 or 80ppm. I can't tell as the API color chart shows both 40 and 80 as almost an identical light shade of red. Regardless, the water is no longer a dark shade of red so I'm going to say the water is at 60ppm. So... it looks like I'm making progress!
Although, I'm not going to be really satisfied until I see an orange shade, but I'm sure w/ a few more pwc's it will get there.I did another pwc after testing the water tonight. This time I only did a 20%, but we'll see if that takes it down even more.
The Bad: My RT Shark is STILL flashing really bad, his fins are clamped, and now it looks like his eyes are sunken or else he has swelling around his eyes! I no longer see white spots on any of my fish, but w/ the Shark flashing, it's throwing me off. I know that Sharks do this every once in awhile, (especially when they're stressed or angry), but I can't tell if it's that or if he still has Ich. The clamped fins and eye issue leads me to believe that he's either still infested w/ Ich or this is something new. GAH!!!
The Ugly: It appears as though one of my Neon Tetras, (the one that I believe caused the Ich outbreak), now has a white cotton substance all over its body.
It's really tough to see the Tetra up close, (or to take a pic for that matter), as the fish is really small. Not to mention, he's way too fast to catch in the net so I can get a better look. But if I had to guess, it could be fungus.
All I know is I have never had so many problems at once! So much for me getting 4 Neon Tetras from :censor:. I don't currently have a quarantine tank... but I will definitely be buying one now!
I'm beginning to think that I should have posted this thread in the "Unhealthy Fish" forum.
dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you have to treat fungus, I would recommend Melafix/Pimafix. They are all natural, and won't mess with your good bacteria.
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Apparently the Ich Attack I have is suppose to fight off fungus, (along w/ Ich and a few other things). My problem, however, is I don't know if I still have an Ich situation. If I do, I need to keep the temp around 86F and keep treating. But if this is in fact fungus, I read that high temps can make it worse.
Seeing as how there are no more spots on any of my fish, (w/ the exception of the Tetra w/ the fungus), I'm going to assume that my Ich problem is under control. I plan on dropping the temp, (gradually, of course), when I get home. I'm also getting low on my Ich Attack, so I may just stop by the LFS later today and pick up some Melafix or Pimafix and see if that helps.
Thanks again for all your assistance, everyone! I will report back w/ one last reading on my Nitrates tonight and hopefully this will be a closed case.
Seeing as how there are no more spots on any of my fish, (w/ the exception of the Tetra w/ the fungus), I'm going to assume that my Ich problem is under control. I plan on dropping the temp, (gradually, of course), when I get home. I'm also getting low on my Ich Attack, so I may just stop by the LFS later today and pick up some Melafix or Pimafix and see if that helps.
Thanks again for all your assistance, everyone!
I will report back w/ one last reading on my Nitrates tonight and hopefully this will be a closed case.
dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well, the heat speeds up the life cycle, and if you are using the meds anyway, you will be okay. I would lower the temp and continue with the meds. I didn't know you had Ich Attack. The ich can ony be killed in it's free swimming stage, so even if you do have more, they might be in their cyst stage in the gravel and when the cyst explodes, they will be free swimming, which is when the meds kill them.
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
40ppm!!
Just tested the water... Nitrates - 40 / Nitrites - 0 / Ammonia - 0 / pH - 7.6
It looks like I'm a pwc away from registering at 20ppm!!
Oh and yes, gotcha on the Ich lifecycle, dkpate. I decreased the temp a little, (down from 86F to 84F), when I got home and I'll continue w/ the Ich Attack until I run out. I didn't get a chance to stop by the LFS to buy the meds you had recommended, but I will definitely try one of them.
Thanks again to everyone that helped me out! You guys are awesome!
Just tested the water... Nitrates - 40 / Nitrites - 0 / Ammonia - 0 / pH - 7.6
It looks like I'm a pwc away from registering at 20ppm!!
Oh and yes, gotcha on the Ich lifecycle, dkpate.
I decreased the temp a little, (down from 86F to 84F), when I got home and I'll continue w/ the Ich Attack until I run out. I didn't get a chance to stop by the LFS to buy the meds you had recommended, but I will definitely try one of them.Thanks again to everyone that helped me out! You guys are awesome!
OhNeil1969
Aquarium Advice Addict
Congratulations McLumpy!!!!! I knew you would do it!
OP
OP
McLumpy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Awww shucks... thanks guys!
I'm sooooo glad that I took the advice from you guys to perform the pwc's!! My fear though is that this did possibly delay the Ich treatment and the little buggers are still around. However, I have no regrets doing what I had to do in order to get my water quality back on track!
So yeah, I'm still not out of the woods yet w/ the possibility of Ich still lingering in my tank, and my Neon Tetra possibly having fungus. Not to mention, this evening my Red Tail Shark has been flashing non-stop, still has clamped fins, and his eyes still look sunken.
I will hopefully find a cause and solution to these issues, but having the Nitrates down will help keep their stress level down so any medications used will be effective.
For the mostpart, the majority of my fish have improved dramatically, (especially my Pleco... he's diggin' the Mopani driftwood btw!). I'm just really worried about my RT Shark now. He has never acted like this and he's been in the tank since the beginning, (he's also my husband's favorite), and I hate seeing him so uncomfortable.
I would think that w/ the Nitrates decreased and with me treating the tank for Ich/Fungus, it would kill off anything that would cause my Shark to behave this way... but it seems like he's in worse shape now. I will more than likely post a thread about this in the "Unhealthy Fish" section if my research on it leads to a dead end.
Again, I can't say thank you enough to you guys for your advice! /searches frantically for a Wayne's World "We're not worthy" Smilie
I'm sooooo glad that I took the advice from you guys to perform the pwc's!! My fear though is that this did possibly delay the Ich treatment and the little buggers are still around. However, I have no regrets doing what I had to do in order to get my water quality back on track!
So yeah, I'm still not out of the woods yet w/ the possibility of Ich still lingering in my tank, and my Neon Tetra possibly having fungus. Not to mention, this evening my Red Tail Shark has been flashing non-stop, still has clamped fins, and his eyes still look sunken.
I will hopefully find a cause and solution to these issues, but having the Nitrates down will help keep their stress level down so any medications used will be effective.
For the mostpart, the majority of my fish have improved dramatically, (especially my Pleco... he's diggin' the Mopani driftwood btw!). I'm just really worried about my RT Shark now. He has never acted like this and he's been in the tank since the beginning, (he's also my husband's favorite), and I hate seeing him so uncomfortable.
I would think that w/ the Nitrates decreased and with me treating the tank for Ich/Fungus, it would kill off anything that would cause my Shark to behave this way... but it seems like he's in worse shape now. I will more than likely post a thread about this in the "Unhealthy Fish" section if my research on it leads to a dead end.
Again, I can't say thank you enough to you guys for your advice! /searches frantically for a Wayne's World "We're not worthy" Smilie
OhNeil1969
Aquarium Advice Addict
Awww shucks... thanks guys!
I'm sooooo glad that I took the advice from you guys to perform the pwc's!! My fear though is that this did possibly delay the Ich treatment and the little buggers are still around. However, I have no regrets doing what I had to do in order to get my water quality back on track!
So yeah, I'm still not out of the woods yet w/ the possibility of Ich still lingering in my tank, and my Neon Tetra possibly having fungus. Not to mention, this evening my Red Tail Shark has been flashing non-stop, still has clamped fins, and his eyes still look sunken.
I will hopefully find a cause and solution to these issues, but having the Nitrates down will help keep their stress level down so any medications used will be effective.
For the mostpart, the majority of my fish have improved dramatically, (especially my Pleco... he's diggin' the Mopani drifwood btw!). I'm just really worried about my RT Shark now. He has never acted like this and he's been in the tank since the beginning, (he's also my husband's favorite), and I hate seeing him so uncomfortable.
I would think that w/ the Nitrates decreased and with me treating the tank for Ich/Fungus, it would kill off anything that would cause my Shark to behave this way... but it seems like he's in worse shape now. I will more than likely post a thread about this in the "Unhealthy Fish" section if my research on it leads to a dead end.
Again, I can't say thank you enough to you guys for your advice! /searches frantically for a Wayne's World "We're not worthy" Smilie
Give it some time. Believe it or not, if there is still ich in your water, you're still better off with "healthy" water. Ich is usually always present in some form. I've heard it described as a fish's version of the common cold. BUT, if your water is OK and your fish aren't stressed they will usually fight off the attack of ICH. And remember, if ich can't find a fish to infect it will eventually die off in your tank.
Similar threads
