A Few Questions On A 'with Fish' Cycle - Update-- Got Test Res

[Underwurlde]

When I go to the pet store today and get the testing kit, I am also going to check out the live plants, as I read that they will help ammonia levels. What percations do I need to take to be sure the plant is not poision. I dont want to believe the pet store LOL, I am assuming that I just rinse it very well and check for forign objects, but is there something more I should do?

My favorite question. The answer to which is to always sanitize your plants BEFORE putting them into your tank.
I just love to bore everyone by pointing them at my thread here about this very subject:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=167686

Andy

PS
Actually, while you are looking at the plants, look inside the holding tank and see if you can spot any pest snails....

 

[evelester]

ok, i finally got a test kit... it is confusing, i took a picture of the results, maybe yall can tell me what the 'right numbers' are. By me looking at it - I got:

a PH of 7.6 (didnt take pic, that one was easy)
a nitrate of only 0-0.5 (cant really tell, it is a little darker than 0 though LOL)
a nitrite of 0.5
and a unbelievable ammonia reading of somewhere between 4.0 and 8.0

what do yall think? am i close? here is the picture, if you need more let me know - i can try other angles

 

[evelester]

i am about to run out to wall mart to get more water to do a 10% change tonight. i will retest when i change the water -- let me know if my readings were close. thanks!

 

[newtankgirl]

ok, i finally got a test kit... it is confusing, i took a picture of the results, maybe yall can tell me what the 'right numbers' are. By me looking at it - I got:

a PH of 7.6 (didnt take pic, that one was easy)
a nitrate of only 0-0.5 (cant really tell, it is a little darker than 0 though LOL)
a nitrite of 0.5
and a unbelievable ammonia reading of somewhere between 4.0 and 8.0

what do yall think? am i close? here is the picture, if you need more let me know - i can try other angles

Difficult to see the readings but if you have any ammonia you need to do as has been suggested - water change and limit fish dinner! Good luck

 

[evelester]

thanks! I did the waster change (1 gallon) and added a tank buddy tab - "ammonia clear tank buddies" -- it helped lower the ammonia by about half, so that is really good. I also noticed the betta has a little bit of a black rim on his tail, like tail rot, but not bad at all, just like a thin 'trim' on the end if that makes sense, so tomorrow we are getting some meds for that and also adding a new filter, we picked one out-- it has 3 filter mediums....

another question, when we were adding the water after the change, there were little stringy white rope looking things getting all stirred up, it may just be settled poop or something, but I am worried it is worms, none of the fish are acting like anything is wrong, and none of the 'strings' are on them or hanging out of thier rear. Any ideas? I am also looking it up and may try to get a pic if i see more (ill start another thread LOL)

thanks so much for everyones help!

 

[Dutchie]

I think this is poo...it can take a while to 'drop off'..............ie 10 minutes.....

How long has it been hanging........??

 

[evelester]

hi, it may be 'dropped' poop, cause it is not hanging off the fish, just when i stirred the gravel a little did they show up, we lost a guppy today, dont know why, probably the darned ammonia levels. when I found him this morning his tail was almost completely gone, but it was perfect last night - i check them all daily to be sure there is no picking going on. I dont know what else happened. This is the first one we have lost since i got the tank aside from the 2 that died before they even went into the tank (sick from pet store I guess) - we are not going to replace him though. So we are down to a male and a female guppy. at least she wont be overwhelmed by boys.

 

[Underwurlde]

Yoinks!! Hold on a min....

You have guppys in with a Betta

There's your answer right there! To a Betta, a Guppy looks like another Betta to be fought with.
The Guppy will loose!

Could it be this

Andy

 

[Miss Wiggle]

probably planaria worms.... they often show up in timnes of high ammonia, like when new tanks are cycling. don't worry about them, they'll go away when things have settled.

yeah guppy and betta is a very very very bad combo..... your gonna need to seperate/re-home someone