Save my betta Part II

Question
Okay, I just checked the levels in my aquarium.  My ammonia test shows stress but not harmful or dangerous.  Remember, my fish are a betta, a pleco, and a corydora catfish.  Total hardiness . . .75.  Total alkalinity . . .80 or moderate.  Total ph  72 or Neutral.  Nitrtie . .safe.  Nitrate. . .0 safe.  I did a 25% water change just last night.  So, does that help?  Should I isolate my betta or no??

Answer
Hi again Marie,

I'm glad you do have a test kit after all. The fact that ammonia registers but not nitrite or nitrate tells me that your aquarium is still uncycled. It must be very new.

When you go to the store, pick up some bacterial starter such as Stability or Cycle. Dose these according to the instructions on the package for as long as they say to.

Two water changes of 50% a day would be ideal to keep ammonia levels down. Remember, ammonia is the very first step in the nitrogen cycle process. It is also the most toxic of levels, nitrite is roughly half as toxic. Stress (probably .25 on your test kit) is not as bad as say 1 ppm, but still stressful, just as it says on your test kit.

Cycling takes longer when you do so many water changes, but at least 50% a day will be needed to keep ammonia at a safe level so your fish do not show the classic symptoms of ammonia toxicity - gasping for air, red inflamed gills, blood streaked fins, lethargy, lack of appetite, etc.

Feed very little, only about 3 pellets a day for your betta. If he doesn't eat the first pellet, he won't eat the next one, so hold off until he eats the very first pellet. Tap on the glass to get his attention, anything you can do to incite a feeding response. I hope your cory is a bronze, or green cory. These little guys are really sensitive to water quality, but the bronze cories are the hardier ones. Divide half of a sinking wafer for him and the pleco at feeding time, but if he doesn't eat it, remove it within an hour.

I would add 1/4 teaspoon of aquarium salt to your water, this will help your betta considerably and at this small dose will not hurt your catfishes. When you have eventually changed 100% of the water, add another 1/4 teaspoon. It's important that you dissolve the salt in some warm water first so it doesn't burn your fish, should a grain land on them. The easiest way to do this is to put it in a mug half full of drinking water and microwave it for 30 seconds.

By the way, what's the temperature of your water? That's really more important than the hardness and alkalinity - which is fine, incidentally. Hydor makes a heater that is only 7.5 watts, it can be purchased at Petsmart. Your betta would like his water to be 78 to 80 degrees. Try to keep his little tank at that temperature, otherwise he will be prone to disease - just like we are when we're cold! All of the fish you have are tropicals and like that temperature, too.

Good luck, feel free to write again.
Nicole