# 3 fish dead this morning, ammonia spike. One is struggling.



## homegirl2180 (Jul 6, 2007)

1. Size of aquarium (# of gallons) -47
2. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or saltwater? fresh
3. How long the aquarium has been setup - july 4th 07
4. What fish and how many are in the aquarium (species are important to know) Oh goodness...barbs, danios, tetras, mollies, platys, corycat, red tailed schark, horseface loach, hatchetfish...
5. Are there live plants in the aquarium? yes, anacharis, white ribbon plant, japanese grass, onion plant, wisteria, money wort, and a few others
6. What make/model filter are you using? emperor 400
7. Are you using a CO2 unit? no
8. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? yes, but not directly
9. When did you perform your last water exchange, and how much water was changed? This morning, 3 gallons. 
10.How often and what foods do you feed your fish? livebearer food, blood and tubifex worms, sinking shrimp pellets, and sinking wafers with fish meal and algae.
11.Is your aquarium light incandescent or fluorescent and how often is it kept on? Fluorescent i believe.


12.What specific concerns bring you in with a water sample at this time? I recently added more fish to my tank. I think I added too many at once. I had an ammonia spike this morning that killed one of my albino tiger barbs, one of my gold barbs, and my white cloud minnow (think thats what it was). I did a water change immediately. The ammonia was at 2.5-5 in color and my nitrates were between 40 and 80 (Ive never seen it SO dark before). Nitrites were 0. Weird. 

I just retested after this mornings water change. Ph is 8.0, ammonia is back to bright yellow, so 0ppm, nitrites are 0ppm and nitrates are looking like they are between 10 and 20 (the reds are hard to distinguish). 

So that's all background really, my main concern now that my parameters are better is that my new rosy barb, is gasping and not moving much. Its been that way since last night. I was surprised that she made it through the night. I moved her to my one gallon quarantine tank to ensure that the water was clean and fresh and also to keep her from being harassed. Her long fins are prey for my tiger and gold barbs. They don't mess with my healthy rosy barbs, but with her lying on the gravel and all. 

Is she too far gone? Is there anything I can do to help even more? My one gallon doesnt have a filter or air bubbles, will that make it worse for her? How often should I change the water in her tank? 

Also, I thought I would note that I have a plastic breeder tank. So I could put her in there and she'd be safe from harrassment and still get filtration...

Thanks in advance...


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## homegirl2180 (Jul 6, 2007)

Also, I was just watching and her gills look red and inflamed....


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

This may be because of the ammonia. Ammonia can cause gill burns. Continue monitoring the water parameters in the tank where the affected fish is. I'd do partial daily water change of 10-20%.


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## Matty_808 (Jun 14, 2007)

YEA juss keeping doing water changes daily u should notice within a week or 2 the parameters will begin to go down.......actually if i were to say ur tank is over crowded actually count the amount of fish.......wut i do is by the number of gallons to the size of the fish for everygallon is 1 inch roughly of a fish....it all depends really.....i use it due to waste management


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## Andyandsue (Jan 23, 2007)

What you've got is a mini-cycle. Been there and done that!

I recommend a natural product called BioSpira. It is nitrifying bacteria that will make any tanks ammonia free overnight. I've used it with each cycle and whenever I add fish. NO spikes ever.

Only get it at at reputable LFS, not available at chains, and it must be refrigerated.

Other than that, test test test and change some water whenever you see ammonia, and you'll be ok.


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