Fish: [tropical fish club] Re: ich, but not ich

Hi Chris,

Ideally, your ammonia and nitrite should be no higher that zero, but then I'm sure you're probably aware of this. You're probably aware too, that you'll get elevated organic waste parameters in an uncycled tank. As to how toxic they'd be, Nitrite at 5.0 ppm is high, especially when considering that this compound can be much more toxic than ammonia, unit for unit. I don't recall you supplying you pH parameter info, unless I missed it or just don't remember that part now, but I'm sure it's in the alkaline range.

Unless your pH is much over 7.4, your 0.25 ppm ammonia is not toxic -- but of course any amount can be stressful, and moreso as it increases. Nitrite really becomes more toxic as the pH drops into the acid range, but again, with it being as high as it is, it's still extremely stressful in this amount. At pH 6.6 this nitrite level would be far more than lethal. Many water conditioners greatly reduce the toxicity of ammonia -- and of nitrite when used in larger amounts.

To keep your organic waste levels down, you can make PWC's every day. The allowable amount of these partial water changes will vary, depending on individual water sources (and the normal maintenance schedule of the individual hobbyist). If the hobbyist isn't maintaining the parameters enough to more closely stay nearer their tap water's parameters, large PWC's can't be done safely. When making PWC's frequently enough anyway, on a regular basis, a good water source would allow large PWC's at any time they're needed. The key here also, is quality water source. Good water changed frequently enough so as to have the aquarium's water parameters closely match the tap water will allow for up to 90% water changes, but it's not universally recommended as source water can vary too much in quality. After a while, with working with one's water in the hobby, the hobbyist will get to know exactly how good the source water is. Once that's known to the hobbyist, the amount of water that can safely be changed at any one time will also be very familiar, but up until then, and as long as the tank is regularly maintained, 50% PWC's should probably not be exceeded, nor should these need to be done if making daily PWC's.

As for the splitting of his ventral fins, they're not going to grow back completely, all that soon. The main thing is that any infection of them has been eliminated so that they have the chance to grow back. Once some growth and healing has been noted, usually well within the week after eliminating the infection, the fish can be placed back in the larger tank to continue the fins' grow-out. No neeed to rush things though, as long as the water is kept clean. redosing the proper medication needs to be done as the water is being changed, and while meds doses will weaken over time after being added to the water, the main thing to consider is to replace the amount of meds being lost with the water removal when doing daily PWC's. Most medications will need to be redosed completely after 48 hours though, so if doing PWC's every other day, a complete dose for the entire tank quantity is needed anyway. Different meds have different instructions though, as to how often they should be redosed.

Ray

In tropicalfishclub@yahoogroups.com, "Chris" wrote:
>
> Hi. Well the Gourami is looking good very active and eating well, I just need a little advice on the water parameters.
>
> I did a 20% water change yesterday and my parameters now read;
> Ammonia 0.25ppm Nitrite 5.0ppm Nitrate 20 ppm, am I right in thinking this is dangerously high? How much water and how often can I safely change?
>
> This is a temporary isolation un-cycled tank 30litres with no filter, just an air stone and a heater.
>
> I really want to keep the fish on the mend now he has come this far, I would return him to the main tank but he still has a little splitting on he's feelers and may need more medication.
>
> Or should I just return him and maybe isolate him again later if needed?
>
> Thanks Chris.
>