The Puffer Forum

Is there anything else In need to be doing other than water changes to get her back on track?

something caused that to happen, left over food or the windex (which may contain ammonia). The changes are your best bet.

J-P wrote:something caused that to happen, left over food or the windex (which may contain ammonia). The changes are your best bet.

I just realized that i sprayed the mirror behind my tank with windex too. some of it may have drifted down into the tank and it was just enough to cause a spike. I guess im doing water changes tonight lol. Shes doing better but i dont think im out of the woods yet. At least i know the cause

Keep up the changes until your nitrites read zero. If possible test again after 8 hours, if not test again asap and repeat the process if necessary.

As mentioned befor there are 2 sides to the coin on water changes:

A) The massive water change will dilute the water proportionate to the volume taken out. 50% change = 50 reduction is the bad stuff. The down side to this is adding the correct amount of declor, adjusting the temp and trying not to shock an already distressed fish.

B) Multiple smaller water changes are much more manageable, temps remain steady, declor is easy to measure out and very little shock to the fish. The down side is that you only take out 50% of what you did on the previous water change. Example: You reduced ammonia by a factor of 1.0 on the first 25% water change. Your next 25% water change would reduce the ammonia by a factor of .5 and the one after would be .25 etc... Less effective, less shock to the fish, more chance for the bio filter to catch up.

Like PPG, I am an advocate for the bigger ones, but the frequent smaller ones have value also. If you are comfortable with changing 10-15% hourly than that is ok. If you feel that you can do a big one without stressing an already ill fish, then that is your choice also

Note we're talking over a 24 hour period here.. not a 10% daily over a week. That scenario is completely different.

P.S.
If you have any active charcoal .. not would be a good time to add it

J-P wrote: Keep up the changes until your nitrites read zero. If possible test again after 8 hours, if not test again asap and repeat the process if necessary.

As mentioned befor there are 2 sides to the coin on water changes:

A) The massive water change will dilute the water proportionate to the volume taken out. 50% change = 50 reduction is the bad stuff. The down side to this is adding the correct amount of declor, adjusting the temp and trying not to shock an already distressed fish.

B) Multiple smaller water changes are much more manageable, temps remain steady, declor is easy to measure out and very little shock to the fish. The down side is that you only take out 50% of what you did on the previous water change. Example: You reduced ammonia by a factor of 1.0 on the first 25% water change. Your next 25% water change would reduce the ammonia by a factor of .5 and the one after would be .25 etc... Less effective, less shock to the fish, more chance for the bio filter to catch up.

Like PPG, I am an advocate for the bigger ones, but the frequent smaller ones have value also. If you are comfortable with changing 10-15% hourly than that is ok. If you feel that you can do a big one without stressing an already ill fish, then that is your choice also

Note we're talking over a 24 hour period here.. not a 10% daily over a week. That scenario is completely different.

P.S.
If you have any active charcoal .. not would be a good time to add it

I dont think i can manage a HUGE water change, but ill increase to 30% or so. and im pretty sure there is active charcoal in my filter which is always running. Thank you both so much for the help! youve really been a life savers.

UPDATE:::: I did the 50% water change. She seems to be doing better. Still a little sluggish but no longer floating on the top

that is good news! I am in a quandary as to feeding. If you feed it will give him energy but it will also add to the problem (waste and any uneaten food).

If you can do a controlled feeding and do another water change before bed that may be the best solution.

keep in mind that ammonia spikes can have a residual effect. The damage done is quick and the healing process is long. Good water quality and a delicate hand when feeding is key.

J-P wrote:

that is good news! I am in a quandary as to feeding. If you feed it will give him energy but it will also add to the problem (waste and any uneaten food).

If you can do a controlled feeding and do another water change before bed that may be the best solution.

keep in mind that ammonia spikes can have a residual effect. The damage done is quick and the healing process is long. Good water quality and a delicate hand when feeding is key.

Ok ill see if she wants any food tonight (pshh of course she will...little pig) and ill be sure to do another 10% water change after. Im defiantly never using any windex around my tank ever again. It was a careless mistake. And ill also be sure to watch the food waste. Thanks again so much

Don't say thank you yet.. we're not out of the woods But, you are welcome

Not sure if i missed it or not but i would also add some carbon if you havnt already. It seems as though it didnt hurt your bacteria that much since your ammonia is reading 0 and you have a nitrite reading. I would just keep up the water changes for a few days maybe and add some carbon just as a backup to pick up anything the water changes may be leaving behind. I had a complete tank crash due to lysol overspray that wound up killing my first GSP it seems as though you might be spared this fate. Just keep up on the water test to keep a close eye on things.

just out of curiosity .. check that windex bottle. My windex is green labeled and ammonia free.

Im pretty sure all windex is ammonia free, containing mostly alcohol and a few other ingrediants.

it depends on the nomenclature ... if I ask for a Kleenex my wife hands me a tissue. Is "Windex" a generic name for a a glass cleaner or the actual brand name? The ingredient list is important.

I too have have had a tank crash from the wife using aerosol sprays in the room. It was a minor one, but it happens.

yah mine was a total crash. took me weeks to reistablish my tank again. didnt help either that i was out of town when it happened. but i know now that lysol does kill 99,9% of all bacteria lol.

Just in case it's uneaten food & not the Windex, be sure to clean the substrate & under everything. Take out all hollow decor & smell inside.