Ammonia Getting Higher! Pls Help!

[Fishy friend2]

it okay and it should be cycled now if it has been 2 months

 

[KittyKat]

[…] but I kept the old filter running in it for a long time...[…]

How long?

(It would have needed to be at least 4 weeks, preferably 6+ weeks… otherwise fish-in cycles do take 8-12+ weeks)

 

[Meggie :)]

yea it was probably at least 3-4 weeks...and the ammonia has been fine these last few months...up until this week when the fry started growing more...

 

[Fishy friend2]

when are the fry gonna be taken out and how many will you have left

 

[Meggie :)]

The fry will be taken out today, will have maybe 6 or 7 at the most.

 

[Fishy friend2]

okay

 

[KittyKat]

yea it was probably at least 3-4 weeks...and the ammonia has been fine these last few months...up until this week when the fry started growing more...

That's really on the too little side.. you could be having such a bad problem because the filter really is not mature enough to adjust to the fry fast enough. Admittedly, the tank is far too small for that many fish (as is, probably, also the bio-media, aka wheel, does not have enough surface area), but the un-matured filter probably didn't help at all.

p.s. the fry may grow faster with increased frequency of water changes, or larger water changes.

 

[Fishy friend2]

is this the tank that the betta is gonna go in?

 

[Meggie :)]

yes, it is! lol! And kittykat I am getting a new 20-30 gallon tank soon so all of the fry, every single one that is left over, will be going in it as soon as I cycle it with mature media...but the majority is leaving today and I was afraid that this is all my fault for not letting the filter run long enough sorry fishies

 

[Fishy friend2]

oh i was wondering because i was just posting on the other one that you posted abput compatibility and the stocking sounded the same

 

[Meggie :)]

haha yea and I was completely wrong! wow! I only removed about 12 fry just now and the only ones I left in are two of the older ones, about 3/4 of an inch long that I'm going to keep because they are really cute and unique (one has 1 black eye and 1 white eye) and the others there are only about 5 and they are the balloon mollies that are too small to take in...so at the most I've at maybe 20 fry all along..or maybe some got eaten either way, the fry are out now and I'm going to go drop them off right now. Hopefully things will start to get better

 

[Meggie :)]

great news! did a 50% water change yesterday and gave away most of the fry and ammonia was 0.5 ppm...just tested this morning and it is back down to 0.25 ppm...I am going to do another 50% water change right now, and if it is down to 0 by tomorrow, I will do a 25%. If it stays down at 0 for a few days, I might add my betta in the tank

 

[KittyKat]

For the sake of the fish, please do larger water changes. 0.5 or 0.25 ppm is not great, it is still harming the fish. Your aim is to try keeping the ammonia as close to 0 as possible and below 0.25 ppm at all times.

You should wait at least 7 days, and preferably 14 days before adding any new fish after ammonia remains at 0 ppm without any water changes for 24 hours. If you add a new fish any earlier, you are a lot more likely to have ammonia problems again.

 

[Meggie :)]

okay yes. After removing the fish and doing the 50% yesterday it went back down to zero...will be doing several more large water changes in the next couple days too. I decided on not putting the betta in, but I might have to get another female guppy soon as I only have 1 female, and they do better in groups.

Thanks for all your help!
Megan

 

[KittyKat]

[…] but I might have to get another female guppy soon as I only have 1 female, and they do better in groups.

You did get the point that it's better to add fish "not so soon" rather than "soon", right? Also, females do not to better in groups, but they do better when there is approximately 2 females per male in small groups because males can harass them too much otherwise.