csbudd Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hello all, my name is Chris and recently I purchased my first fish tank. It sounds daft, but it has been a lifelong ambition after being mesmerised by the fish tank in my doctors surgery as a child. It is a second hand 20 litre Blue Water tank with a three stage filter (bioballs; nylon wool; ceramic rings) and aeration. I cycled the tank for four days with StressCoat and Stress Zyme, and achieved a pH of 7.3 before adding five neon tetras. A week later I added two pigmy corydoras and a betta. All appeared to be going well for a couple of weeks (albeit I suspect I may have been overfeeding), but then I noticed my betta appeared to be struggling to breath. I ran a two stage ammonia test and found a level of 4ppm. I added AmmoBlock, an ammonia removing filter media, and have been changing 30% of the water each day being careful to match the temperature of the new water with my tank which is at 26 degrees. All of the fish other than the betta appear fine, but for the past few days he has been lying on his side, is not eating, and continues to appear to be struggling to breath. The ammonia level is currently at 1ppm. Any advice would be gratefully received, but specifically I am interested in: 1) Ways to keep the ammonia under control in a new tank given what I have done to date. 2) Whether my betta is likely to recover, at what point I should consider euthanasing him, and if I do this how to do so humanely? 3) How long each day I should run the light and aerator I am enjoying the hobby immensely, but the learning curve is steep, and I am obviously sad to watch my first ever betta suffer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 In my opinion a cycle time of 4 days is far too short. That together with potential overfeeding is the cause of the high ammonia. Any detectable ammonia will be detrimental to your fish. All you can do now is keep up the water changes. Feed absolutely minimum and hope your fighter makes it. In terms of ending the fish's life I would just wait and see if it dies. Sometimes fish can look in a really poor state and still make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Do waterchanges. You tank hasn't cycled. You have pretty much the worst situation. Tiny tank, uncycled along with (probably)newbie massice overfeeding. Cut the feeding way back, do daily water changes. It should come right in a few weeks. And my preference for euthanasia of tropicals is to put them in a bowl of water in the freezer. The just slow down and stop. Easiwr than finding clove oil or chopping their head off or slamming them on concrete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 18, 2014 Report Share Posted June 18, 2014 Keep water changing - water change twice a day if needed when the ammonia reading is that high. I don't know ammoblock - I know of ammo lock which turns the ammonia in to a non toxic form. It is still there, just not lethal. Regarding the beta - it may recover but often ammonia does irreparable damage and in this case I suspect the labyrinth has been burnt along with the gills. Keep the aerator running 24/7 while there is ammonia in the tank as ammonia reduces oxygen in the water. Then its up to you (I assume the aerator is not connected to your filter) but most people either have it on all the time or don't have one at all. It will take around 3-4 weeks for the nitrogen cycle to complete i.e. for your filter to build up enough beneficial bacteria to deal to the toxic waste produced in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csbudd Posted June 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Thanks for your responses. You are correct, I meant AmmoLock. Is there a way of telling if his gills are burnt? He is alive but still lying on his side. Have been making twice daily water changes and Ammonia is down to 0.5ppm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Likoma Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 All good advice. Next step find a person withh a healthy aquarium in your area. Take a fish bucket along to theirs. Syphon water into the bucket and rinse their filter media in the bucket. This seeded water can be placed into your tank speeding up the process drastically. Lots of testing, water changes and minimal feeding for 3 weeks. Good luck and welcome to the stressful, rewarding and exciting world of fishkeeping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Or you can get a bottle of TLC start smart . The current in your tank might be too strong for the poor fighter. I would put the fighter in a container /bottle and float it in the tank for the fish to recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csbudd Posted July 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 Well after numerous water changes and the discovery of Prime, my tank appears to be cycling. All my fish survived other than my fighting fish Dr No, who has now be replaced with Dr No. 2! Next issue...algae! Any advice!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverdollarboy2 Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 To my knowledge prime only removes ammonia and chlorine and you should look into seachem stability. Unless ammonia and nitrite are at 0 and nitrate under 40 you shouldn't add new fish also your ph is abit high for neons the ph should be <7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 You sound like things are improving. All tanks get algae Describe what the algae you have looks like as there are hundreds of different ones but a few are very very common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csbudd Posted July 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 It is a brown algae that appears more prevalent across a corner of the tank that is most exposed to sunlight. Tank light is on 5 hours a day. Algae is on glass, artificial plant leaves, and gravel but water appears clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thats pretty standard for new tanks. If you have bristlenose in the tank they will eat it. Direct sunlight on the tank will cause algae issues in the long run though. Can you stop it hitting the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverdollarboy2 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Bristle nose will eventually get too big for your tank. I would agree that the munch up brown algae . The pair in my 350 litre do a great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csbudd Posted August 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 Are there any algae eating fish I can introduce to a tank my size? Also, do my Corys eat algae? Finally, is there anytging I can do with chemicals or filter media to help? All of you hel is really appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Are there any algae eating fish I can introduce to a tank my size? Not really. Also, do my Corys eat algae? Not really. Finally, is there anytging I can do with chemicals or filter media to help? Some plants and not overfeeding is about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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