Help ammonia in hospital tank

[kenziejlooft]

I set up my hospital tank because my fish had marine velvet or ick and I set it up yesterday in the ammonia and it was zero and today I noticed my clown fish was looking lifeless on my seaweed clip and I went to go pick her out because I thought she was dead and she started swimming around normal and I checked the ammonia in the tank and it was .50 and then I did a water change and now it’s .25! I am adding prime copper is .25 at a loss for words what should I do to keep the fish safe

 

[laverda]

You need to reduce the ammonia to zero. Ester changes and prime should do it temporally. What do you have for filtration on the tank?

 

[don_chuwish]

More water changes for now, and get some nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. Bio-spira is usually on the shelf at Petco and works well.

 

[don_chuwish]

And what kind of copper are you using? Copper Power is supposed to be safe with Prime, but Cupramine is NOT.

 

[kenziejlooft]

You need to reduce the ammonia to zero. Ester changes and prime should do it temporally. What do you have for filtration on the tank?

A sponge ammonia remover thing and matrix by sea hem

 

[kenziejlooft]

You need to reduce the ammonia to zero. Ester changes and prime should do it temporally. What do you have for filtration on the tank?

I have a flu a sponge the ammonia remover and matrix by sea hem doing 2 watcher changes daily I just did one it says .50

 

[kenziejlooft]

And what kind of copper are you using? Copper Power is supposed to be safe with Prime, but Cupramine is NOT.

Copper safe

 

[kenziejlooft]

More water changes for now, and get some nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. Bio-spira is usually on the shelf at Petco and works well.

I will get that ASAP thank you I cycled the tank but removed all water because I moved tank upstairs bad idea now it’s recycling

 

[RedFrog211]

Just be careful- many treatments for parasites warn against using neutralizers in tandem. The matrix will certainly help, but will probably also absorb the treatment. As mentioned before, I’d focus on the ammonia, then worry about the velvet! Hope things get better

 

[polyppal]

how big is the hospital tank? Strange for ammonia levels to raise so dramatically overnight unless its a tiny tank. Even if it was a sterile tank with just new water it shouldn't spike so significantly in just a few hours. Its not tap water, is it?

I would keep doing large water changes until NH3/4 readings are back to zero. Getting rid of the ammonia should be your first priority, once its stable and the fish is responding positively you should resume medication. Is your DT fully cycled or does it have an ammonia problem?

Also if you fully dosed the copper to .25 instead of ramping it up to therapeutic levels it could be shocking the fish

 

[don_chuwish]

Copper safe

As I understand it that is also ok with Prime.

 

[kenziejlooft]

how big is the hospital tank? Strange for ammonia levels to raise so dramatically overnight unless its a tiny tank. Even if it was a sterile tank with just new water it shouldn't spike so significantly in just a few hours. Its not tap water, is it?

I would keep doing large water changes until NH3/4 readings are back to zero. Getting rid of the ammonia should be your first priority, once its stable and the fish is responding positively you should resume medication. Is your DT fully cycled or does it have an ammonia problem?

Also if you fully dosed the copper to .25 instead of ramping it up to therapeutic levels it could be shocking the fish

I was using tap because my rodi had ran out so I had to hurry and try to lower it it’s a 39g tank

 

[kenziejlooft]

But I am going to continue to do rodi it was just a thing I had to hurry and use

 

[kenziejlooft]

I was using api to test but I am going to use salifert see if I get same results

 

[kenziejlooft]

how big is the hospital tank? Strange for ammonia levels to raise so dramatically overnight unless its a tiny tank. Even if it was a sterile tank with just new water it shouldn't spike so significantly in just a few hours. Its not tap water, is it?

I would keep doing large water changes until NH3/4 readings are back to zero. Getting rid of the ammonia should be your first priority, once its stable and the fish is responding positively you should resume medication. Is your DT fully cycled or does it have an ammonia problem?

Also if you fully dosed the copper to .25 instead of ramping it up to therapeutic levels it could be shocking the fish

I was slowing adding copper cause I am scared to use it

 

[kenziejlooft]

Just be careful- many treatments for parasites warn against using neutralizers in tandem. The matrix will certainly help, but will probably also absorb the treatment. As mentioned before, I’d focus on the ammonia, then worry about the velvet! Hope things get better

Thank you I hope so I am might take out matrix then I just red something saying you could use it with copper

 

[RedFrog211]

Thank you I hope so I am might take out matrix then I just red something saying you could use it with copper

Best of luck. I know how difficult it is to make any decision in this hobby- you can ask 10 people the same question and get 10 different answers. I had a random ammonia spike in my QT a while back while treating for ich, and prime helped neutralize it till the bacteria took over

 

[polyppal]

I was using tap because my rodi had ran out so I had to hurry and try to lower it it’s a 39g tank

Yeah, tap is never a good idea. The chloramines and additives in unfiltered water are very toxic to fish. Hopefully it was at least treated with a water conditioner before adding him.

It sounds like hes dealing with a lot of different toxins (ammonia, water contaminates, copper) all at once which is likely overwhelming him.

 

[kenziejlooft]

Yeah, tap is never a good idea. The chloramines and additives in unfiltered water are very toxic to fish. Hopefully it was at least treated with a water conditioner before adding him.

It sounds like hes dealing with a lot of different toxins (ammonia, water contaminates, copper) all at once which is likely overwhelming him.

I always add the water conditioner before adding it they don’t seem stressed besides the puffers and my powder tang I am watching them like a hawk making sure there color is good and that they are all eating I added the bio spira hope it will help I may just put them in dt tank until it’s cycled