# Frustration



## Deathscythe617 (Mar 22, 2010)

This tank is beginning to frustrate me, I thought i had it cycled, the ammonia and such went up, then dropped, however now the levels are higher again. It seems like ammonia is never the problem but the Nitrites seem to be growing too quickly, I am currently trying to use Seachem Stability to make it grow the beneficial bacteria. Its probably just a cycle problem right? 

16 Gallon bowfront aquarium
Aqueon 20 filter
5 Zebra Danio
3 corydoras catfish.

I am also frustrated because the water will not clear, it has been a milky coloration ever since i have had to use some IchClear, to cure the Ick on one of my danios. I just want to know what i could do to help make the water clear, and is using the stability product going to help with my slight cycle problem?

Thank you! Please help!


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## Deathscythe617 (Mar 22, 2010)

Please?


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*It sounds like a cycle problem if your Ammonia and NitrIte is fluctuating like that. When you said you thought you had it cycled, how long has it been?

I usually try to not add any medications to to the tank because it will kill the beneficial bacteria. What I like to do for ick is seperating the fish from the main tank and give them a saltwater dip and then a bath in seperate containers. I dont remember the exact amounts of salt per water but I think I used 5 tablespoons of aquarium salt per gallon for the DIP and I usually leave him in there until I see stress and move him out immediately (about 3-5 minutes). Ive witnessed my dips to literally remove the white spots off my fish. It has to do with water moving from a lower concentration to a higher concentration (osmosis) causeing the cysts to burst. I know its pretty salty but it will harm the ich more than the fish. And its a short period of time so dont worry.

After I remove the fish from the DIP I move him to a BATH and I think I use 1 tsp per 5 gallon of water in this one for a period of 3-5 days or more and I add the recommended dosage from the ich medication to this bath as well. Or half the dose. 

During this time you need to increase the temperature of the main tank to 80-85 degrees to increase the ich life cycle. If you dont have any plants in your main tank add salt to the main also so it will kill the ich. But do not add any medications. And its important to not have any fish in here. (This will be easy for you because you dont have many fish to catch). The ich will die due to not having any fish hosts. It wont kill all of the ich espcially the ones that are dormant along the gravel. Medications do not kill these either. It is really easy to kill ich and help your fish if you follow these guidelines, Ive never lost a fish since. 

Your water is probably cloudy because your medications killed some of the beneficial bacteria causing the tank to go into a mini-cycle. Thats why I try to avoid adding medications to my tank unless its my last resort. I recommend Quick Cure medication if you can get that. All cloudy water will clear on its own when you give it time and can last from anywhere from a week or more*


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## Deathscythe617 (Mar 22, 2010)

Gah, ok, of course i was doing everything wrong... So i should try the dip thing? But what if i don't have an extra tank or filter to put them in? Because i can't afford to buy something else? I can't just use a bucket for 3-5 days. So what should i do? I'm sorry, i am completely stupid when it comes to this. 

Thank you for the help, I'll have to get some aquarium salt and something to put the sick fish in, although i really don't know what.

Thanks,


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*No problem, I like helping people out. 

If your fish has ick it will definitly benefit them. I do a dip on the first signs of ick symptoms. Right when I see my fish rubbing itself on a leaf, I quarantine all my fish with a dip then a bath.

Im sure a bucket would be fine because its only temporary. I dont think its necessary to use a filter because 3-5 days isnt a long time to build up water toxins. When I put my fish in a seperate container I dont go all out with a filter, heater and all that. I have an extra 10 gallon tank on the side that I use as a quarantine tank and thats what I use. I tested it out with my liquid tests and the ammonia rose but it was nowhere close to toxic levels and was still in the good zone. I do however, vaccum the bottom of my bath tank just to get the fish poop out to reduce ammonia. 

Yea aquarium salt is good stuff and cheap too . They range from $3-$6 depending on the size of the carton you are wanting to buy. *


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

You QT your fish for nothing? that does more harm them good.


Just because a fish "itches" itself on something doesnt mean its a health issue at all.
My fish do it all the time, and there is nothing on them or in them at all, fish do this alot, I witnessed a good 2000+ school of larger fatheads in the creek next to my house doing this two days ago. I had my dipnet, scooped about 30 of them up, looked them over in a glass jar returned them, they are in the spawn mode right now as well and the typical NA fathead minner is a handsome beast in full spawn. Flashing is normal in fish, every fish does this. My male gups have turned it into part of their serenade.

as for using salt to treat ich and the like

when using salt, take the heat up to around 86 degrees as well and treating with salt and heat you need to continue treatment for 14 days AFTER all visual symptoms are long gone.


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## Deathscythe617 (Mar 22, 2010)

Dang i wish this ick would just go away, i want to get my cycle going again, so i can just get this thing settled. It just seems like every time i look at it something else goes wrong. Gah, i can't wait to just get into routine of changing water weekly etc, would make it much more enjoyable. But, whatever, gotta get through these tough times.

So it seems the ich clear, (which i added before i asked on here, stupid of me i know) has worked, the fish that had ich seems to be without it now, but i know for next time to catch it early and do a salt dip, then bath. Hopefully i can prevent this from happening again. I just want my tank to be happy and healthy! Since my cycle seems to be all messed up, i am using a little Seachem stability to bring my cycle back up to par! Thanks for the help guys!


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## Deathscythe617 (Mar 22, 2010)

I had a random idea, which i may just try. When i get a bit of money, i will invest in a small tank, possibly smaller than 10 gallon. And set that one up with plants etc, get it well established, move my fish over to that one from my already set up tank, and work on the large tank?

Maybe someday, 

Fish seem a bit more active today, will need to do a water change soon to get rid of nitrate tho.


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

WhiteDevil said:


> You QT your fish for nothing? that does more harm them good.


*No I dont do it for nothing because I love my fish. And I try to help them in any way possible. When I say fish I dont mean one fish. Ive dealt with many ich breakouts and out of nowhere 4+ fish start itching themselves. When i was starting the hobby these symptoms led to ich cysts. And this itching thing isnt a normal routine for my platy's. They NEVER do that. If your fish does it, thats cool, but mine never do that. I look at my fish and deal with them everyday so I know whats abnormal and whats not for them. I believe the quarantine will do more good then harm because whatever parasite that is causing them to itch will be removed. The harm from the salt will be less harm than the white cysts that will appear. *


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