Please Help -Synodontis Euptera, New Tank Ammonia Issues

[adoniscat]

Please don't call me stupid, though I suppose I am. We found a good deal on a used 30 gallon aquarium and rushed into adding a fish to it. We chose a featherfin sqeaker. The mom-and-pop store where we got the fish assured us that with gravel and other items from a previous tank, we did not need to cycle it. I came home with Adonis.

It has been 8 days. 2 days ago the ammonia tested at .50. today it is at 1.00. Of course NOW I understand the importance of a cycled tank, but I did not then. I have been checking the water daily.

I have ammonia chips, but I have an older model whisper filter with pre-filled carbon cartridges. I have never used these things and have no idea what to do! I read now that at 1.0, the fish start to feel stress. He is the only fish in the tank. All of the other levels are fine.

Please don't yell at me...I will not make this mistake again. But I adore this fish and need help. He is an adult, about 5-6 inches with adult coloring. They did not even know his exact name...just synodontis. My own googling revealed that he is a synodontis euptera.

[adoniscat]

Hope I got it taken care of for now, anyway. A local fish friend told me to thoroughly rinse the ammo chips and put them in clean, rinsed pantyhose somewhere near the filter. I have done so and will continue to monitor.

[adoniscat]

After more reading, removed the ammopnia chips and did a 25 percent water changw, paying careful attention to temperature and adding water conditioner. I hope this helps!!!! Any advice for the next few weeks is welcome!!!

[Birger]

Eupterus are fairly durable...I would suggest to continue the water change daily with very minimal feeding.

Birger

[adoniscat]

Thank you, Birger.

I have done another 25% change tonight. Both tonight and last night, the change after an hour measured ammonia at .25. Tonight, before the second water change, it was at .50. How many days do you suppose I should continue the water changes?

Many thanks!

[andywoolloo]

you need to continue doing water changes, remembering to add in the decholorinator and remembering to keep the temp of water going in as close to temp of water that came out, keep doing partial water changes to keep the Ammonia and Nitrite at or below 0.25 ppm, while the tank does it's mini cycle.

I say mini cycle cause you mentioned jump starting it with substrate and other items from am already cycled tank.

You can add some Tetra Safe start if you like , i have found it helps control A and or NI peaks, it adds nitrifying(?) bacteria to your yank, the good bacteria.

Did you put in a piece of filter media or sponge from one of your established tanks? even if it's just a piece to put in th enew filter?

[Viktor Jarikov]

most of us wouldn't insult you - these things happen even to experienced fish keepers

if you'd like to seed your filter faster and better, you can add the right bacteria cultures to your tank - can check local garden/pond shops, they'd carry that or buy on-line, e.g., from petsolutions.com ($20 per quart, you will need little).

if you'd been feeding Adonis, I would stop and maybe look for the pieces of uneaten food in your substrate, filter intake, filter media - these can be the sources of the ammonia much more so than the fish itself. He will be just fine even for 2-4 weeks without food, especially in the name of saving his life altogether.

carbon is meaningless, usually. It only takes up the space that would be far better used by filter media.

Keep track of nitrite too. High NH3 usually means high NO2. NO3 is far less dangerous and you will be taking it out with water changes (WC)

do WC as long as needed to get NH3 at zero and stable, may take several weeks but if you are lucky, maybe a week or two; 50% WC is fine too, daily

Good luck and warm welcome,

VJ