Hello

[Mollydolly]

How do i lower my nitrite levels they arent extremely high but id be happier if i could get them a little lower will they drop down in there own or do i need to do a water change. The levels are 0.6mgpl which i think is to high isnt it for my fish to safely live in

 

[Ninjouzata]

Well, I stink at measurements so take this with a grain of salt, but a water change would help to lower that.
Make sure it's roughly temperature matched & dechlorinated

 

[Arcticfox1977]

From what I've been told any levels of nitrite is bad for fish. Do a large WC, it should drop after that.

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, 0.6 ppm is far too high.

You, ideally, want both ammonia and nitrite to be zero, at all times, but certainly no higher than 0.25ppm (that's, as near as makes no difference, the same as mgpl).

A large water change (and buy 'large', I mean at least 80%, preferably leaving just enough for the fish to swim upright, before refilling with temperature matched, dechlorinated water) will bring it down to an acceptable level.

You'll need to be testing every day, and water changing as necessary, to keep them in check though, and it would be good if you could find out why the nitrite is so high; is your tank cycled, and are you making sure you never replace any filter media, and cleaning it only in old tank water?

 

[Mollydolly]

Ive done some cycling and the tank has its first fish in it since yesterday only thankyou i will do a water change and hope that works

 

[Ninjouzata]

May I ask how you cycled the tank?

 

[Mollydolly]

I used a mature media from a well established tank added the water and a sponge from the other established tank. I only put fish in yesterday and have checked the levels today. Ive just done a 60% water change. When do i retest the levels please ?
Ive not touched the media or the filter yet as ive only just added the fish and i know to leave that mature media in the tank. Wash the sponge in same water i take out also. Odd how these female fish are still fighting to the point one now has a damaged tail. Maybe they are stressed from the change from the shop to here

 

[fluttermoth]

How long was the mature media in the filter before you added the fish? And how many mollies (I know you've said somewhere, but you've started a lot of threads and I can't find it!)

You can retest pretty much as soon as you've finished water changing.

 

[Mollydolly]

It was in this tank for 3 days and before that it was in another tank. I have just 2 mollies and yes sorry about that i didnt know how to find the thread here again but now have done. The nitrite levels i just read again and are at 0.1 which is much better and ammonia is 0.25. I thought i could add this media and it would work straight away but i think i have gone wrong somewhere seems alot better since the big water change

 

[fluttermoth]

You're probably just experiencing what we call a 'mini cycle'; sometimes the bacteria don't take so well to being moved and die back a bit, but they usually bounce back pretty quickly and some extra water changes for a few days should sort it, although it does depend on how many bacteria were in the media to start with, which we have no way of knowing!

I'm afraid a lot of livebearers, females as well as males (and a lot of other fish, come to that), can be aggressive in small numbers. If you added a couple more, if your tank is big enough they might settle down, but you don't want to do that until your ammonia and nitrite levels have stabilised at zero.

You may just have to split the up/rehome one

You're not having an easy run at this are ?! You have my sympathies!

I would suggest another large water change today, if you can manage it.

 

[Mollydolly]

Well something has gone hortibly wrong because i did the water change checked the temperature, added the dechloranation to the water before adding it. And checked my levels all which dropped and i was happy, however since i did this 60% water change my fish has not seemed to happy. Both are now sat in the corner bottem of the tank not really swimming around at all and have been like that for a while. I guess ive either shocked or stressed them. Im not very good yet i guess at fish keeping

Thankyou Fluttermoth well i did a little research and as my partner had had alot of trouble getting his tank cycled i thought this was one thing i didnt want to have to go through so hopefully the bacteria are just needing a little more time to do there thing. And yes i agree since start up ive had some issues. Just hope i dont lose these as id be sad as i like them and trying hard to do my best for them. Lol i feel like a new mother.

Ive turned the lights off for a while and hoping if they are stressed or shocked that the quiet and calm might help them. Fingers crossed and thankyou everyone for such great help and understanding xx

 

[Mollydolly]

One of mollies is now laying upside down and swimming in a verical position, i think maybe this fish was ill when i brought it. It feels awful to see it laying upside down in the tank it moved occasionally but then goes back upside down again very offputting for a new keeper to see. I honestly hope if its going to die it does soon as watching it struggle is not nice at all. The other ones improved. I guess i wont be buying fish frim there again im told its a swim bladder problem no clue how id fix it at all very sad tonight

 

[bloodyeagle4]

I would do water changes like 10-15% a day till everything levels out. Make sure to prime the water (declorinate it and what not) and if you have aquarium salt in your aquarium make sure to replace the amount you take out!

 

[Arcticfox1977]

My silver Mollie started doing that after being harassed by my dalmation mollie. It isn't nice at all to see. My dalmation Mollie did try to help it swim by getting under it and pushing it along. I made a post on here about it, and found out that mollies can be quite aggressive.

 

[Mollydolly]

Aww thats upsetting. I am going to check my levels daily and do water changes acvording to thise result and see how that goes. Thankyou for the insight into mollys as this is my first set up i didnt realise they could be like it.

Well this morning i cant bear to look in my tank any longer, this Molly is now only staying either upside down or on its side it cant swim apart from nose down!!! The other one is now staying in the corner.

I am going to ring the shop today and ask if they have any illness in that tank because someone said this sounds like its desease and not from my level which are now lower.

I actually feel like i am being cruel watching this poor fish, is is not cruel to allow it to suffer like this. Wish there was something i could do for it but think its poss got swim bladder disease. I think bith are ill as bith displaying similar behaviour.
I wouldnt say it appears to be from the level rising yesterday. It is only since the water change they started to act strange. Maybe i did something wrong. But i did match the temp add what i was supposed to and am unsure what has happened.

Can someone give me advice on how long a fish with swim bladder prob will survive please. I dont like fish dying but its worse seeing it struggle so much and if it is going to take a long time id rather try and find a kinder way for it.

I guess this is my first learning curve as a keeper and its not all happy swimming fish sometimes the reality is your going to lose one at some time so prob best not to buy expensive ones yet and read up alot on ways to help ill ones that i get. Poor dolly fish fingers crossed for molly couldnt stand it if both went the same way.

Thankyou everyone here for the great advice and help x