update/suggestion

Question
QUESTION: i have a 55 gallon tank with 8 fish in it. for the past 2 days all of the fish have been sitting at the bottom of the tank.  this behavior is strange.  can you advise

ANSWER: Hi Roni,

I really need to know: what kind of fish do you have and how many, how long has the tank been set up, what kind of filtration do you have, what is your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings?  I really cannot help you much until I know this information.  These are the keys to finding out why your fish are ill.  The number one reason fish are ill is directly related to the water so it's immensely important you get your ammonia, nitrite and nitrates tested asap.

Thanks! : ) April M.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: my tank has been set up for about 2 months.  ammonia level is high however i use amo lock evry 2 days with a weekly gravel vaccum and partial water change.  i also add stress coat and water conditioner each time.  i have 3 parrot fish a shark 2 cat fish a pleco 2 green terrors  the temp is at 79

ANSWER: Hi Roni,

It's the definitely the ammonia level that's doing it.  A tank at the 2 month mark with that many fish present is not finished cycling.  This is very, very bad for the fish and they really shouldn't been present.  If they are lying on the bottom this is very bad.  They are either getting ready to break out with bacterial or parasitic infestations from the stress of the ammonia or all out die.  This is why it's always best to do a fishless cycle before adding fish.  It's so much less work and less frustrating.

First things first.  Throw out that Ammo-Lock.  These kinds of products are total garbage.  Nothing REMOVES ammonia except for water changes and a lot of these products throw off your test results when you test for ammonia.  They are awful.  

And what is 'high' ammonia?  ANY ammonia is fatally toxic to fish.  I need to know how high it is to advise you properly.  1.0 ppm is very different from 8.0 ppm, even though they are both horribly bad.  Make sure you are using a liquid drop kit and not strips.  Strips are horribly inaccurate.

Weekly water changes aren't enough with high ammonia and 8 fish.  Here is what to do:

If you have more than 1.0 ppm ammonia do 1 50% emergency water change.  Then, do every other day 25% partial water changes.  Do not use any product other than Seachem's Prime and double dose it.  This will conditioner your water and strip out the chlorine, chloramine and will detox the ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.  Still only vacuum the gravel weekly, you don't want to over clean your gravel for fear of tearing up any of the good beneficial bacteria you have accumulated.  Lower the temp slowly to closer to 75-76 as the lower the temp they can stand the better as ammonia isn't as harmful to them.  If you have a filter with toss out cartridges then add a Hagen Biomax insert.  This is a mesh bag with white rocks.  This will help accumulate and store your beneficial bacteria so that when you toss out a cartridge you don't throw out all of the bacteria that you need.  You never throw out the biomax insert and you never rinse it in tap water.  Rinse it once a month with tank water and put it back in the filter.  Only feed the fish every 3-4 days and only 2 mouthfuls per fish.  This will help preserve the water quality.  You should see a vast improvement in a week or two but you'll have to keep this up because after the ammonia spike comes a nitrite spike, which is 50% as toxic as ammonia.  

Once you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites and 5-20 ppm nitrates you can go back to monthly 25% partial water changes and gravel cleaning.

Good luck : ) April M.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi April, i just found the seachems prime and did the water change as u directed.  i also turned down the tempto 75.  they are fine so far.  i will keep u posted on the condition of the water.  now i have a ciclid that has been in a tank by himself for 4 years.  i tried putting others in with him but he kills it.  so, i have upgraded his tank to a 20 gal. he is now in need of a larger tank.  i have an option of purchasing a 48 gal at a good price.   is this to big for him alone.  if not, how do i cycle this tank for him.

Answer
Hi Roni,

What species of cichlid is it?  Some, like an electric blue jack dempsey, are difficult to keep with anything because they are so aggressive.  It's hard to say without knowing exactly what species he is but usually most aggressive cichlids require a 50+ gallon tank so if you found a 48 ata good price I would jump on it.

You can transfer the gravel from his 20 gallon, the water and the filter media (any of the sponge or floss or ceramic pellets) and put them in the new filter.  This will just about instantly cycle the new tank.  Keep an eye on it with your test kit for a couple of weeks after the move to make sure that you don't have an ammonia or nitrite spike but the best way to seed a new tank is using all of your old contents.  DO NOT rinse anything in tap water, just transfer it over and don't let anything dry out.  Once you have transferred everything over you can top it off with Primed water.

Good luck : ) April M.