Highly nitrites, not going down after water changes

[TheChunkyFish]

Hi all!

Im rather concerned for my tank. I have a 20 gallon, mostly fake decor minus some anubias, with 5 corydoras catfish in there. I’m not sure how this happened maybe I fed too much, but I noticed my fish all seemed a little lethargic so I did a water change and tested the water, and I found .25ppm or less ammonia, 1.0ppm of nitrite and like 30 ppm of nitrate. So I did a 50% water change, and after I filled it up again, the nitrites didn’t change. I haven’t fed my fish in 2 days. Im worried my cycle has stalled or crashed, I’m not sure what my next steps should be. Daily water changes maybe? 

[Colu]

On 12/15/2023 at 1:09 AM, TheChunkyFish said:

Hi all!

Im rather concerned for my tank. I have a 20 gallon, mostly fake decor minus some anubias, with 5 corydoras catfish in there. I’m not sure how this happened maybe I fed too much, but I noticed my fish all seemed a little lethargic so I did a water change and tested the water, and I found .25ppm or less ammonia, 1.0ppm of nitrite and like 30 ppm of nitrate. So I did a 50% water change, and after I filled it up again, the nitrites didn’t change. I haven’t fed my fish in 2 days. Im worried my cycle has stalled or crashed, I’m not sure what my next steps should be. Daily water changes maybe? 

Have you tested your tap water for nitrites or ammonia if you don't have  nitrite or ammonia in your tap water what I would do is test daily and do 50% water change and add a double dose of prime every time you detect any ammonia or nitrite till it constantly stays at zero 30ppm of nitrate I wouldn't be concerned ammonia and nitire you need to get to zero you can also add a small amount of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 5 gallons that will aid Gill function and add essential electrolytes 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Colu

[TheChunkyFish]

Hmm my tap water says 0 nitrite, but the ammonia doesn’t look exactly yellow, it doesn’t look like .25 ammonia but it doesn’t look exactly like 0 either. That could be the problem. Is there anything I should do tonight, I can’t go to the store because it’s closed, but I do have one fish that is rather lethargic with somewhat clamped fins.

I don’t have prime on hand, I have stability and tap water conditioner from api. Should I buy prime and/or get quick start at the chain pet store relatively near me?

Also I seem to be having lots of problems with my tanks cycle and just lots of problems in general recently, do you think plants would help make my tank more stable, easier even? I’m starting to feel burnt out because of all the problems I’ve been having.

Edited December 15, 2023 by TheChunkyFish
Needed to add something to the end

[Colu]

On 12/15/2023 at 2:37 AM, TheChunkyFish said:

Hmm my tap water says 0 nitrite, but the ammonia doesn’t look exactly yellow, it doesn’t look like .25 ammonia but it doesn’t look exactly like 0 either. That could be the problem. Is there anything I should do tonight, I can’t go to the store because it’s closed, but I do have one fish that is rather lethargic with somewhat clamped fins.

I don’t have prime on hand, I have stability and tap water conditioner from api. Should I buy prime and/or get quick start at the chain pet store relatively near me?

Also I seem to be having lots of problems with my tanks cycle and just lots of problems in general recently, do you think plants would help make my tank more stable, easier even? I’m starting to feel burnt out because of all the problems I’ve been having.

I would add some stability as you have to hand and I would get some prime that will help to detoxify any ammonia or nitrites plants are very beneficial you could add some floating plants such as water lettuce or Amazonian frogbit and quick growing stem  plants like hornwort Elodie they will help to speed up the  removal of ammonia nitrite nitrate daily water changes are the most important thing he's some information on protecting your fish from nitrite poisoning

[Galabar]

Can you share your KH levels (tank and tap)?

[TheChunkyFish]

I don’t have a test for that sorry. I currently just have the api master test kit. I am going to the pet store today so Ilo probably buy a test for it.
 

 

[TheChunkyFish]

Idk I added prime, I’ll update on how everything goes!

 

[TheChunkyFish]

That seems to have helped my nitrite problem a lot! All my fish seem to be doing a lot better. Active and colored up again. But I think another problem has come up. All but one cory is looking better. He has color again but he is laying on his side, seems to be breathing heavy, and doesn’t seem to have the energy to flip himself or get up. I think I might loose him. 
It might have something to do with this mystery disease that I have been struggling with for a while, I lost one fish about two weeks ago, but he was very pale and somewhat skinny. I kept treating the tank with levamisole for another week (because it seemed to be skinny/wasting disease)after he was gone, and assumed it was better. This fish seems to have similar symptoms in he is lethargic and slowly looses energy as time goes on, but pretty much no other sign that anything else is wrong. His belly isn’t hollow he is somewhat skinny though and he is on his side. I have an air stone running in there and it has been in there for about a month now. I’m not sure what to do. I’m worried I’ll loose the whole cory gang if I don’t fix this. 

[Colu]

He could have been weakened by the nitrite and ammonia that has pushed him over the edge if you don't have any aquarium salt in the tank I would 1 table spoon for 5 gallons it will aid Gill function and add essential electrolytes and add another air stone it's not looking good at this point I don't think treating him with medication would be beneficial it will be more stressful in his weaken state @TheChunkyFish

[TheChunkyFish]

Yeah I came home and he had died. I think the nitrites pushed him too far like you said. I’m just concerned for my other fish now. Upon inspection I found some barbels were missing which could have been from the nitrites and he was a little skinny but not a sunken in belly. That’s what my last fish looked like too. I really want to get this under control.

[Colu]

On 12/17/2023 at 10:21 PM, TheChunkyFish said:

Yeah I came home and he had died. I think the nitrites pushed him too far like you said. I’m just concerned for my other fish now. Upon inspection I found some barbels were missing which could have been from the nitrites and he was a little skinny but not a sunken in belly. That’s what my last fish looked like too. I really want to get this under control.

Barbel erosion is usually caused by poor water quality or shape substrate I wouldn't recommend doing antibiotic treatment that will harm your benefits bacteria lead to more ammonia and nitrite spikes I would monitor keep on top of your water changes you could add some Indian almond leaves as they have antibacterial and antifungal properties that will help the barbel regrow and monitor when treating wasting disease with levamisole it can take four full course of treatment a week apart 

[TheChunkyFish]

Yup I’m gonna monitor the water, I’m pretty much treating it like my cycle crashed. And the leaves are a great idea. Thank you!