Help my ammonia level spiked high to 0.50 and the 2 fish i have (platys) well one of them died . After the spike i did a 20% water change and made the level go down. They were new and developed fin tot which is being treated right now.
What should i do?
Should I add interpet ammonia remover that i got now to take the ammonia out of the water?
Add a bacterial additive filter start, nutrafin cycle?
The water change you done wasn't quite big enough so first change another 30 or 40%.
I wouldn't add the ammonia remover, opting for regular water changes instead until the tank stabilises. I dont think the nutrafin cycle will do much either, I dont see how the bacteria can survive in an air tight bottle for months with no food!
Sounds like the fish were sick to begin with so it may be hard to determine the cause of death. Platies are usually quite hardy fish.
How long has the tank been set up? How big is it?
Keep a close eye on your levels and water change as required.
I agree, 20% is not enough of a water change for an ammonia level that high.
How long has the tank been set up for? If it is new, it's not recommended to add ammonia remover, as this will slow down the growth of the nitrifying bacteria. If the tank was established already, then an ammonia remover is fine. In a new tank setup, it's okay to add something to neutralize the ammonia, turning it into a less toxic form. This will make it safe for the fish, while still allowing the nitrifying bacteria to grow. If you do not have anything like that, then water changes are your only bet; enough to keep the levels below 0.25 ideally.
. After the spike i did a 20% water change and made the level go down. They were new and developed fin tot which is being treated right now.
