Parameters in 10G....need advice

[smoochxoxo]

Hey all I need some advice.

Params are not terrible but noticable...
Still cycling 10G

About 10 days ago set up new tank.
Added sponge from established 5G and some gravel and some plants.
Added more plants the other day to help cycle along from LFS, figured they would have some good bacteria on it as well.

#1 thing.
Ammonia- .25
NitrIte- .25
NitrAte-10
Ph 7.6
temp 78-79 degrees
Should I change out the water, about 20% to get the ammonia and nitrite down since there is a fish in there. Mind you it is one fish BUT still, I wont syphon gravel just remove water.



#2
I noticed a small white dot on fish side fin. The only white dot and since it is a sand substrate it looks like a grain but then I would have thought maybe would have come off by now. I didn't notice last night just this morning. Would ich or whatever it is called have just one grain of white looking on a fin? I have looked at him and notice nothing else on him at all. He is not rubbing on anything or acting funny. What more should I look for. I was doing a fishless cycle in the 10G and house this fish in the 5 for the time being but one of my white clouds was being a butt heat and relentless on him so I had to transfer him. Since the params are going on the cycled end hopefully it wont be too much longer. I am adding so cycle to the tank today as well. I know people don't chose that but it worked for my 5 gallon. I was able to do a fishless cycle with food and the cycle and it only took a few weeks to make the params normal.

[DragonGoby]

Did you add ammonia to your tank? Or did you try to establish your cycle with this fish? What kind of fish is it?
you can do a water change for the fish, but the level of ammonia, for a tank in cycling process is not so high... The problem is, if you do this, you're certainly slowling a little the process. If it's a resistant fish, like a platy, perhaps you can do a water change of 10% rather than 20%, or no water change at all?

Unless the fish is ill, for sure... Do you have a picture? ich looks like grain of salt, not just a dot... More of a 3D thing :14:... if it's a white place on his fin, it can be a fungus. Can you give us a more detailed description of this invader?

Good luck and keep us posted

[RainMan]

1) Small waterchange probably won't hurt the cycle at this point. .25 isn't terribly bad anyway.... try a 10% as goby mentioned.

2) ... one spot can be the very early stages of ich. Not a stage... but the early start of its multiplying. It can start as a single small cyst and then cause an outbreak quickly (within a week, usually). However, usually it much more prolific. Keep your eye on that. But, could be fungal too. Is it granular like salt?

[smoochxoxo]

Thanks for the quick response.
I can't get a good picture but it is seemingly similar to a grain of salt. Actually it is the size of a period on here ( . ) Just one little spot on the fin. It is a gourami by the way :14: It started as a fishless cycle with food, and cycle and plants and stuff from my 5g but ended up putting him in the tank since the other fish mates in the other tank were beating him up a few days ago, so I moved him.
I added more of a splash from the filter too just so it would agitate the surface for more oxygen mix to the water. He isn't gulping for air, swims around fine and is eating. I only crush up 1 flake so it wont go to waste and do that 2 x a day since I don't need the food for the cycle.

I dreaded adding him to the tank.

Assuming it is ich or a fungus, should I treat now with a broad spectrum antibiotic? Or is there something that I can add that I may already have? I know non iodize salt? may be one thing? I do have real plants but I don't care if they die due to a treatment if it helps the fish.
thanks again
Imma fish dope!

[DragonGoby]

You can treat with melafix/pimafix, for the fungus...
Melafix and pimafix won't set back your cycle, nor harm your plants...

As for the ich, I never use mela/pima for it... In fact, since we bought those two, we don't have a case of ich...
But before that we treated it with salt or with malachite green...

hope it helps a little.

wich kind of gouramy it is?

[smoochxoxo]

Powder blue gourami.

Also I wasn't planning on doing a water change since I knew it would set the cycle back a bit but then was thinking I have to add water like maybe 1/2 gallon on so to the tank because of evap. Would the stresscoat + aid in not keeping the ammonia and nitrite stressful. I was going to add 1/2 gallon or 1G of distilled to the tank today anyhow, so If I added the sctresscoat + maybe that would help him. I will keep a look on it for the day and see if I notice anything else on him.
Thanks
Jenn

[DragonGoby]

Do you aerate the tank? it can help lower the stress of the presence of ammonia...
I don't know stresscoat+, but I'm suppose it's not going to do any harm.

Keep us posted and good luck!

[smoochxoxo]

no bubbler just surface agitation from the filter which produces bubbles in the tank that way.

[pinsonpa]

smoochxoxo,

You mentioned you were adding some "Cycle" today (I assume you already bought it). I know that there are plenty of people who've had no luck with it, but I must be the exception (sounds like it worked on your 5 gallon too). Granted, I can't be sure that product really had much to do with my success (luck) but all I know is that my 10 gallon cycled (with fish...opps) in 11 days. I had 6 Cardinal Tetras and some live plants but the used gravel had been cleaned with hot water and the used filter and bio-wheel had been dried out so I doubt there was much in way of beneficial bacteria still living.

Anyway, I'd check your parameters again about 24 hours after adding two caps full of Cycle. If it's working, you should start to see a drop in your ammonia level. I've also heard of people putting in quite a bit more than the recommended amount. It can't hurt your tank or your fish and the only advantage to saving it is if you plan to establish another tank in the near future. It says on the bottle to use "one cap full a week for continued maintenance" but once your tank is established/cycled, it's not going to do much for you anymore.

Hang in there Chiquita!

[MandyL]

I agree with the above... Your levels are not dangerous unless over a long period of time. I personally wouldn't bother changing the water. Just keep an eye on them over the next couple days. Have you seen a nitrite spike yet?

[RainMan]

mela/prima fix are good preventative measures... but, not good treatments for ich or fungus IMO. Heat and Salt is the best for ich. Jungle labs fungal cure seemed to work good for me with my fungal related issues.... and is cheap, doesn't hurt your biofilter, and easy to get.

I wouldn't do anything right now... just let it ride for a day. Keep an eye on it. If it worsen... then start with a water change and then treatment. It's hard to treat in an uncycled tank.... because your ammonia/nitrite levels may increase. However, you can perform waterchanges if absolutely necessary (just reapply the appropriate ammount of meds/salt to the changed water).

[smoochxoxo]

pinsonpa:
Yes I did use cycle with my 5G and had no established anything...I used white clouds and they did well. I also didn't see a ammonia or nitrite spike with cycle. I know most say it is junk but I have had luck with it soo I guess I will plug it along with this tank. I can't say as to what my true readings were with the cycle since my lfs was doing the testing (0 amm, 0 ite and 5 ates after one week with the fish and using cycle) and I had the crappy sticks and no liquid testers but the ammonia and nitrite didn't read on them so IDK.
Using the liquid test kits and being anal about the water is where my worry comes in even with a .25 of either ammonia or nitrite. But the Nitrates are at 5 so I am thinking something is plugging along.

I added 2 caps of cycle along with some treated water to bring the water levels back up and maybe dilute what ammonia and nitrite was in there. Not sure if it will set me back any but if I don't see a change within a few days I can go get biospira, its only 20 bucks so what have I got to lose other than a 20.

Have you seen a nitrite spike yet?
both ammonia and nitites went from 0 day before yesterday to .25 today. I know the test is accurate otherwise I would have had a similar issue with the 5G. I tested that right after the 10G and the 5G is 0 and 0 (nitrates are my problem there)


RainMan:
You are going to think I am nuts but I don't see that speck anymore. I am thinking it is either my imagination, or a speck of sand from the substrate that stuck on somehow??? I keep checking to see if I can see it and since my 5 yr old is home everytime I go look she does and for some reason Ohgo likes her better and follows her by the tank and I can't get a look in edgewise!!! Go figure! Me nice and quiet up to the tank and he swims away, her coming up like a rabid pit bull and hes all fishy lips at her!
:hmm3grin2orange:

I will see how things are in the am and go from there.
Thanks again everyone!
Hugs
Jenn

[RainMan]

Nah... I don't think your nuts. Could have been a grain of sand or a flake of skin. But, make sure you keep an eye on that. Because ich has 3 stages where it lives in different place in your tank... on the fish (tromites...grains of salt), free swimming (to gravel or back to fish), and in gravel (multiplies).

However, usually ich shows some symptoms and starts at the head of the fish (develops in and around the gills)... watch for continuous or sporadic rubbing against the tank and decorations.

....I keep checking to see if I can see it and since my 5 yr old is home everytime I go look she does and for some reason Ohgo likes her better and follows her by the tank and I can't get a look in edgewise!!! Go figure! Me nice and quiet up to the tank and he swims away, her coming up like a rabid pit bull and hes all fishy lips at her!
:hmm3grin2orange:


That's really funny... :11:

[smoochxoxo]

make sure you keep an eye on that. Because ich has 3 stages where it lives in different place in your tank...

Will do. I haven't seen anything as of yet. But will keep a look out!!! Thanks again!

[pinsonpa]

Glad to hear the speck is gone...I'll keep my fingers crossed that it really wasn't "ick".

Good luck with your cycle and your "Cycle".:hmm3grin2orange:

[smoochxoxo]

Good luck with your cycle and your "Cycle".
Thanks will keep ya informed on what happens. So far today all is well with the fish so I don't know what that might have been other than a speck of sand. Crossin my fingers, toes and legs!!! lol I am thinking since there was traces of Nitrate I am on the downslope of the cycle in the tank and if that is the case it worked in about a week with seeding the aquarium, and the cycle! testing waters this morning......eeekkk.lol
Hugs
Jenn