Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: New fish on October 20, 2013, 09:32:23 AM
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I have lost one of my Phantoms, I noticed that he had red spot around one side of he's gills. I am in the process of setting up a new tank. Fish in cycle.
I have ordered the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, as I have been using my lfs anyone know what may have happened?
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Possibly ammonia burns. When you say you have been using the LFS, I assume you mean for testing? Have they been telling you the actual numbers for both ammonia and nitrite or just a word like 'fine'? Even with a shop testing the water, until your own kit arrives I would be doing a 50% water change every day. In a fish-in cycle, changing too much water is far better than not changing enough. Once your kit arrives then you can test a couple of times a day and the results will tell you when you ned to do a water change. Basically, change the water whenever you see a reading above zero for both ammonia and nitrite.
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they don't specify, its just fine, they did say today that the Nitrate is a bit over. :-[
when pressed he said a bit up but okay. :(
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Don't bother with nitrAte unless it is in the 100s. It is difficult to make a tester that is accurate. NitrIte is the one to look at. And I wouldn't trust some shops to get nitrIte and nitrAte the right way round :-\
The problem with relying on shops is a lot of them think having ammonia or nitrite in the water is acceptable, particularly if they know you are doing a fish-in cycle. Too many shop workers seem to think the levels should be quite high or the tank won't cycle. So in their eyes, high levels are OK during a cycle. If you get it tested there again, ask them for the actual numbers.
The aim with fish-in cycling is to keep both ammonia and nitrite as close to zero as possible. They should never be allowed to go over 0.25. Yes, it will make the cycle slower than if you let the levels get higher. But levels over 0.25 are more likely to harm the fish. If the fish don't die straight away, they will have a reduced life expectancy and be more prone to becoming sick.
Water changes are the best precsription!
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Ty I will keep them low.... Test kit should be here by Wednesday.