Ammonia Helllp!

[andywatkins]

We have had a tank for a year now up until a few days ago everything fine. Now fish are dying amonia is a 5ppm! It seems something has killed the bacteria. I've added Interpet ammonia remover twice now as it says on the packet but the ammonia is not going down but up!!! We have done several water changes since getting this reading and have now added some bacteria in to try and jump start recovery. We have not cleaned the filter (external canister) so it can't be that. I am at a loss to know what to do. I have an angel fish and a dwarf puffer I am very fond of and do not have another tank to move them to. Please, please help.
I'm at my wit's end and I am due to fly to the States on Saturday!!!
HHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLP!

 

[laurasmithuk]

try and find what caused the ammonia spike. i had one a while back that was caused by adding daphnia in the water they came in.... i did water changes every day to lower it. hope this help a bit

 

[Barracuda518]

How big is the tank and what is in it. Over feeding and being over stocked will cause the ammonia to go up.

EDIT: this might help

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=105826

Good Luck

 

[IMCL85]

Nothing you can do now, but carry out 75% water change every day Or take out everything and start over again. And try to remember what u did before ammonia spike appear(adding chemical/careless washing the filter media the sponge specially in tap water/over feeding like alot/didn't do well in weekly maintain/deadfishes corps didn't pick it up) all this can cause the ammonia to raise to this fatle lvl. I'm afrid ur fish is too much goner. If you have a spear cycled tank. Remove the remain there and see how they do. In that kind of ammonia even convict cichild will have a hard time to survive and convict is well known hardy to a lvl of visually immunted. Good luck

 

[andywatkins]

Thanks for your help
We have a blue acara an angel fish a pearl gourami and 5 tetras.
At a complete loss as to what went wrong cleaned filter not too much over a week ago, leaving in half of the old sponge so as not to kill bacteria, took ammonia readings a couple of days ago, everything was fine. Am doing 25% water changes every morning and evening, have no idea what to do. It's so sad the fish keep looking at me with their big eyes, I feel so responsible.