High Nitrite.

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Read this before posting!!

Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Fernzero
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Fernzero »

edmlfc1 wrote:Wow....$15 is cheap. I paid $29.99 + $19.99 for shipping on a 3oz. package. I don't have a store near me that sells it.
Sweet Jeebus, that's highway robbery! :O

One thing I noticed today, My GSP (Still unnamed) was doing something odd today. Now and then (only a few times) it seemed to "dart" into an object deliberately, looked like it was itching it's eye area. Is that normal behavior? It was about 1/2 an inch away each time from the object, slowly drifted near it and when close he jutted into it quickly, not hard enough to damage itself, but more like a scratch. Should I be concerned? Haven't found anything online about it yet, so I thought I'd ask here and see. :? It's eyes look perfectly fine, not cloudy or bulging.
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by PufferGrrl »

I think I pay about $15 for a 1oz to treat 30 gallons, $25 for a 3 oz for 90 gallons, there's one place in the area that sells it.
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by zombiefetus »

Fernzero wrote:
edmlfc1 wrote:Wow....$15 is cheap. I paid $29.99 + $19.99 for shipping on a 3oz. package. I don't have a store near me that sells it.
Sweet Jeebus, that's highway robbery! :O

One thing I noticed today, My GSP (Still unnamed) was doing something odd today. Now and then (only a few times) it seemed to "dart" into an object deliberately, looked like it was itching it's eye area. Is that normal behavior? It was about 1/2 an inch away each time from the object, slowly drifted near it and when close he jutted into it quickly, not hard enough to damage itself, but more like a scratch. Should I be concerned? Haven't found anything online about it yet, so I thought I'd ask here and see. :? It's eyes look perfectly fine, not cloudy or bulging.
It could be parasites of some sort. It wouldn't be a bad idea to treat for parasites anyway, most GSPs have them when you first get them.
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Pufferpunk »

Although this is probably too late, do an 80% WC before adding the B-S & add it directly to your filter. Do not change the water again for 48 hours, unless it really doesn't seem to be working. If is isn't, then it was left unrefrigerated for a time, before it got to you.

Also, next time nitrite gets that high, you must do much larger WC, more often--whatever it takes to get them to 0. I was doing 80% 2x/day at one point, until I found the source of my high ammonia & nitrite (a rotting carcass inside an ornament).
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Fernzero »

Pufferpunk wrote:Although this is probably too late, do an 80% WC before adding the B-S & add it directly to your filter. Do not change the water again for 48 hours, unless it really doesn't seem to be working. If is isn't, then it was left unrefrigerated for a time, before it got to you.

Also, next time nitrite gets that high, you must do much larger WC, more often--whatever it takes to get them to 0. I was doing 80% 2x/day at one point, until I found the source of my high ammonia & nitrite (a rotting carcass inside an ornament).

You are AWESOME PP! As it turns out I did a 70% change before adding the Bio Spira (directly to my Bio-wheel out of instinct, great instinct I suppose!). I felt it might be necessary to do such a change based on what the packet said (with the meds I had been adding). I hope the 10% difference won't be too much. I am SO GLAD you mentioned to NOT change again for 2 days! (phew!) I was in a water changing mentality. The BS WAS in fact in a refrigerator (took me 20 minutes of looking for it, only to be told it was in the store's fridge... lol). They sold it to me along with a baggie of Ice, so I think the store knows what they are doing. With luck my Bio-Filter will be awesome soon, Thank you SOOOoooo Much everyone! Much love <3.
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Pufferpunk »

Good to know about your store but it may have been neglected on the way to the store. I have a wholesaler-friend who was at a warehouse on a hot summer day & they had cases of thousands of bags of B-S sitting out in their warehouse in the heat for weeks. That's why I always write a disclamer when I suggest it now.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Fernzero
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Fernzero »

Pufferpunk wrote:Good to know about your store but it may have been neglected on the way to the store. I have a wholesaler-friend who was at a warehouse on a hot summer day & they had cases of thousands of bags of B-S sitting out in their warehouse in the heat for weeks. That's why I always write a disclamer when I suggest it now.
Wow... that seriously concerns me. I hope that expensive little bag I bought is ok! Thanks for the info. :?
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Jay.B. »

I hope all is going well with the WC, levels and B-S :)
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Fernzero
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Re: High Nitrite.

Post by Fernzero »

Only time will tell. :) I'm taking PP's advice and not gonna change the water for 48 hours after adding BS. Added it on Friday, so either today (sun) or tomorrow I'll do a 50% change and see what happens. I treated for fungus yesterday (Following Ich treatment recommendation), and I'll follow up with parasite Meds after the water change. You are all so helpful. I really do appreciate all the advice!
Fern.
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