Ick and High NitRITES

Question
QUESTION: Hi..recently set up a 29 Gallon with the help of my boyfriend whom has his own 30 Gallon and is very successful.
Had it cycling for 3 weeks and added fish about 3 weeks ago.  Was testing Nitrite and PH on a reg basis and all seemed fine, everyone (1 Male SWORD, 4 Female Sword, two lovely white or silver Mollies, 2 female Platy, 1 Pleco - sucker fish) seemed fine until the other day when I found Pleco (sucker fish)dead.  I at this point noticed Ick forming on a few of the swordtails.  I tested water and Nitrite was HIGH, like in the 5 zone the really purple zone.  We immed did a 50% water change, treated all the new water with Cycle and Tap Water Conditioner and I then increased the temp and began adding QUICK CURE.  Next day tested again and no major change other than MAYBE a bit lower, did the process again.  Now we are at today, I tested this morning before I came to work and although the Nitrite had gone down, it is no where near 0.  And that brings me to today.  Last nite I increased the temp and got it up to 90 but I don't have any salt right now so was just continuing with Quick Cure.  How am I doing? The PH was at 7.5 - 8 so I thought that may be a bit high and added a PH decreaser.  I will see how that goes tonite.  Was wondering if the medicine for Ick will cause the spike in Nitrites... I treated the new water with both Cycle and the Tap Conditioner Am I OVERTREATING...can you "overdose" on the chemical CYCLE or the TAP WATER CONDITIONER.  Also, I have stopped feeding totally for today being the 3rd day, was feeling terrible and so last nite I placed a holiday feeder (you know those white star fish shaped feeder you use when out of town) so at least there is something for them to eat.  Is this enough?
Does the QUICK CURE Med affect the good bacteria in tank.  I have one of those BIO Sphere filters (It is the Eclipse hood with bio wheel and the other filter thing)
Also, when is temp too high.  I was so worried about "cooking" the fish I unplugged heater before I left for work this morning....should I keep it plugged in at 90??

Am I making any sense....
Panicked and Worried......


Answer
Hi Samantha;

Okay, let's slow down a bit a take a deep breath. You will get through this and I'm going to help you...

The medicine isn't causing a spike in nitrites, it's just from "New Tank Syndrome", also called "The Break-in" or "Cycling". The high nitrites are right on schedule at the 3 week time period after adding your fish. Cycling cannot begin without fish or another source of ammonia for the beneficial bacteria to feed on. Before the nitrites went up, ammonia was high in there first from fish waste. It's part of the development of beneficial bacteria. When the tank was "cycling" for 3 weeks before fish, did you add a source of ammonia to the tank to get the break-in period started? If not, all it did was circulate the water around in a very clean environment. The beneficial bacteria can't develop without "food", which is ammonia from fish waste. The stress from this crazy process is what caused the fish to be attacked by ick.

Let's start with a couple of basic things to stabilize the situation. The first thing to do is plug the heater back in and get the temperature at a steady 85 degrees. Ninety is pretty high and really doesn't help kill ich any better than 85. The heater is thermostatically controlled. It has a knob on it to turn in order to keep it where you want it. Temperature fluctuations are dangerous. It stresses the fish and stress causes disease and the inability to fight disease.

Keep using the Quick Cure. At a temperature of 85f the ich should be gone in 10 days with the medicine. No matter what the label says, use it for 10 days. I've used this same product for more than 20 years and the parasite is becoming stronger so it needs to be used longer than suggested.

Also add aquarium salt. Not table salt, it has additives. Get some plain uniodized rock salt or salt meant to be used specifically for freshwater aquariums. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt for every gallon of tank water. Every time you make a water change, add back salt only for the water replaced. In other words, if you take out ten gallons and put ten gallons back in, only add 5 teaspoons of salt. This keeps control of the salt concentration. You don't want to be adding a little here and there and not knowing what the real dosage is. Do not salt water that you are using to "top off" the tank from evaporation. The salt doesn't evaporate, only the water. Once the whole crisis is over, stop adding salt with your water changes and it will slowly go away. A weekly normal maintenance change of 25% is what you will be doing by then.

Take out the feeder block. Those things can cause more water pollution than anything else you could do. Many fish don't like them and they are not very nutritious either. The fish are probably not as hungry and not able to digest food as they normally would be right now anyway. They will not starve to death if you don't feed them for a few days. It's for their own good right now. If it really bothers you, feed just a teeny tiny bit once a day.

The pH of 7.5 to 8 is just fine. Don't add any more pH adjuster. Those products cause fluctutations and usually must be added over and over again to achieve the "desired" pH reading. This causes a rollercoaster effect of fluctuating pH within a very short time that is dangerous and extrememly stressful to the fish. You want a "stable pH", not a certain reading. Yours is just fine.

Keep making water changes, 25% daily. Use your water conditioner and don't forget to add salt. Salt has the added benefit of reversing some of the effects of nitrite poisoning. Water conditioner isn't going to hurt the fish, even if you use several times over the correct dosage. It MUST be added everytime you replace water. The cycle product is basically useless though. I wouldn't waste my money on it. After trying it on new tanks in the store and experimenting with it over time I have found it to do absolutely nothing for the break-in period or anything else. Other experts and hobbyists have discovered the same thing. The types of bacteria and "enzymes" that help your biological balance cannot be kept alive in a sealed bottle on a shelf. It makes a lot of money for it's makers and that's the only value I see. Okay, off the soapbox now...

So here's a summary;

1) Plug the heater in and stabilize the temperature at 85f.

2) Keep using the Quick Cure for a total of 10 days.

3)Add aquarium salt, about 14.5 teaspoons initially and treat replaced water at a rate of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. Salt helps kill ich and helps counteract nitrite poisoning.

4)Take out the feeder block and feed the fish very lightly - if you must.

5)Don't use any more pH adjuster. Your pH is good.

6)Make 25% water changes daily until nitrite drops. Use water conditioner every time. Use the Cycle if you want, but in my opinion....it's a waste of money and no more than "snake oil".

Here is a link to my page all about the break-in period to give you more info and details about it;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

Let me know if I missed anything or you need clarification. I will be out of town until tomorrow afternoon but I will get right back to you as soon as I can if you ask a followup...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins