ammonia poisoning?

[LongRifle45]

Situation:
2 small comet goldfish (daughter won at fair). 10gallon tank. Been trying to cycle tank for 5 weeks. Showing 1ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5ppm nitrates using API Test Kit. Using Stress Coat during water changes, was using Stress Zyme, and just recently used Tetra SafeStart Plus (that was when I finally got nitrates). Currently doing 25% water changes every other day, and still can't get ammonia level down.

Fish are now showing bright red spots on their head and going along their lateral lines. I just noticed this form today.

What are my next steps? Is it safe to do a much larger water change? Should I completely drain the tank, refill and start again? Thinking of giving the goldfish to a friend for her pond, and getting different fish.

Thoughts?

 

[keegster803]

The tank is cycled. There is just so much poop being constantly made, that the bacteria can't take it all in. That tank is way overstocked. Even one goldfish in there is overstocked. Those things are poop machines and should be in a 40 gallon minimum.


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[ReefGuy77]

I agree with keegster803, the gold fish are very messy fish and probably producing more ammonia than the bacteria can handle. If you have the option of giving them to a friend with a pond I'd recommend that. Then do a water change and let the tank stabilize and you should be good to put in other fish. Best of luck!

 

[Fel]

Do larger water changes, feed less ( fish actually don't require much food) and see what happens.

If ammonia stays up despite minimal feeding then it's probably just a cycling issue.

Personally I have two comets in a 20 gallon that are doing fine with no nitrogen problems. they are waiting for their 55 to cycle

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[keegster803]

Situation:

2 small comet goldfish (daughter won at fair). 10gallon tank. Been trying to cycle tank for 5 weeks. Showing 1ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5ppm nitrates using API Test Kit. Using Stress Coat during water changes, was using Stress Zyme, and just recently used Tetra SafeStart Plus (that was when I finally got nitrates). Currently doing 25% water changes every other day, and still can't get ammonia level down.



Fish are now showing bright red spots on their head and going along their lateral lines. I just noticed this form today.



What are my next steps? Is it safe to do a much larger water change? Should I completely drain the tank, refill and start again? Thinking of giving the goldfish to a friend for her pond, and getting different fish.



Thoughts?

Those fish are also seriously ill, are the red spots open sores? Or more like just reddened skin? And I would advise not to add these fish into any pond unless the pond has no other fish in it.


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[LongRifle45]

Not open sores....more like blood under the surface. If I had to describe it, it looks like their lateral line is filling with blood. They otherwise look fine and act fine.

 

[keegster803]

Not open sores....more like blood under the surface. If I had to describe it, it looks like their lateral line is filling with blood. They otherwise look fine and act fine.

Those fish are definitely very ill, they have body flukes, which are normally associated with bad water parameters, as the flukes are flat worms, that are normally found in the water, but only affect the fish when the fish are weakened by stress which allows the worms to get onto the helpless fish. The water parameters probably stressed the fish and now they are being affected with the worms. I'd recommend getting a parasite treatment for the fish immediately.


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[LongRifle45]

I did a 50% water change two days in a row, and I now have the ammonia down to .25ppm. The water is crystal clear, and I vacuumed the gravel pretty well. I poured some more Tetra SafeStart Plus in after the water changes. I am getting nitrates, but no nitrites. It does not appear that the ammonia level is coming down at all unless I do water changes.

The red streak on the goldfish's lateral line has disappeared and they both look very healthy. They have been hiding in their rock quite a bit, but the water changes may have been a little too much activity for them.

I wish I could get the ammonia to drop down on it's own. I am only feeding the fish once a day in the morning, and only putting 4 floating pellets per goldfish in there.

 

[trennamw]

It's good that they're improving but the tank is so small, the ammonia will always be high. Not enough dilution.


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[keegster803]

I did a 50% water change two days in a row, and I now have the ammonia down to .25ppm. The water is crystal clear, and I vacuumed the gravel pretty well. I poured some more Tetra SafeStart Plus in after the water changes. I am getting nitrates, but no nitrites. It does not appear that the ammonia level is coming down at all unless I do water changes.

The red streak on the goldfish's lateral line has disappeared and they both look very healthy. They have been hiding in their rock quite a bit, but the water changes may have been a little too much activity for them.

I wish I could get the ammonia to drop down on it's own. I am only feeding the fish once a day in the morning, and only putting 4 floating pellets per goldfish in there.

Those fish need to be moved to a different tank. The current tank has already been cycled, but the fish are producing so much ammonia, so the bacteria can't convert all the ammonia, thus leaving excess ammonia, and that is also the reason why you have no nitrites.


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[LongRifle45]

I have a friend that has a pond. I think I will wait until spring to transfer them. I am afraid the water may be too cold to do it right now. In the meantime, I bought an Aquaclear 30 for the 10 gallon tank and got the ammonia remover filter. I'll try that with the tank and see if it helps manage the level. All other parameters are good. I am keeping up with the water changes and vacuuming. It may be additional work to maintain the tank, but my daughter is in love with these guys since she won them at the fair.

You all have been a tremendous help with this! Thank you for the guidance.