please help - high ammonia in guppy tank

[ChazECJr]

We have had a one gallon tank with an air pump and UGF running for over 6 weeks now which had two male guppies.  Two weeks ago we added some anacharis cuttings.  We never had algae. I thought all was well but borrowed a test kit from an aquarist at work to check water quality. Good news: low nitrates. Bad news: high ammonia!!  Saturday, I did a 25% water change and vacuumed the gravel, found a lot of uneaten flakes in the gravel.  I thought this was the problem, and added two ghost shrimp to the tank to help clean it.  Did water changes Sun and Mon, but yesterday the smaller guppy turned up dead.  He was fished out yesterday afternoon, last night I tested for ammonia and it was still high.  I did another change last night.  Can anyone please give me some advise as to what else to do?  I notice after suctioning the old water out and pouring in the new a lot of very small stuff gets stirred up out of the gravel and floats around for awhile before settling down again.  Is this guppy poop?  It seems to small for me to get out with a net - is this part of the problem?  Thanks for any help you can give me.

Charlie

 

[Franky099]

Charlie,
Im just speaking from personal experience....but here is my theory, The smaller the tank, the bigger the problems.  With such a small water quantity (you said 1 gallon right?), there is more room for error.  Fish keeping is a wonderful, enjoyable hobby....but, its gotta be done right.  If you are afraid of getting in over your gills (haha), start small....but not to small!  Wal-Mart, and Im sure most similar stores, sell beginers kits, usually a 10 gallon size that includes a power filter, heater,net, thermometer, usually a food sample and water conditioner.  Some even come with a video tape to help you along.  I would suggest getting this if you can afford it.  I think they run either 50 or 60 bucks.  They come with a hood and light as well I believe.  In my opinion....undergravel filters are a pain in the butt.  They just get things trapped under them, so....If I were setting up a 10 gal.  I would skip the UGF.....but if you want to stick to your 1 gallon.....all I can say is, water changes, water changes, water changes!!  Thats about all you can do to get over the ammonia spike.....but the bigger the tank, the easier it is.  Power filter will help a great deal as well.
Hope this had helped
Amy

 

[ChazECJr]

Amy,

This tank was a gift - perhaps not the best gift!  I was thinking of maybe starting over with an Eclipse Explorer 2 or 3 gallon - they are supposed to have the top of the line filtration system.  Anybody have experience with these?

 

[Lily]

I'm no expert here but I think you've made a beginner's all too common error by adding the wrong kind of "starter" fish to a too small tank.  Not to mention that the tank itself is cycling which is why you are probably getting that ammonia spike. Sounds like you restarted the cycling process by changing the water and vacuuming the gravel, which probably removed some if not most of your beneficial bateria.  

If you are set on keeping a small tank, such as the 1-3 gallons you mentioned then I would reccomend you get only one fish for that tank, and preferrably a hardier fish that can withstand the cycling process.  (Guppies are not hardy enough to withstand the tank cycling process unless you are very diligent about changing the water frequently and are willing to drag out your tank cycling process over a couple of months time.)

Is there a mini heater in your 1-gallon? Guppies are very sensitive when it comes to temperature fluctuations and can become sick and die rather fast when the right water conditions are not met.  

I agree that you need to get a larger tank (the biggest your budget will allow, including all the extras you need to buy) or you will continue to have to do daily water changes and spend a lot of time watching,testing and adjusting those water condition levels.  My personal suggestion would be a min. 10-gallon with 5 zebra danios.  You can try and keep the other guppy alive by itself in the 1 gallon and hope he makes it until the larger tank finishes cycling.

PS: getting your own test kit is essential and testing your water conditions every day is a must!

Good luck to you...
Lily

 

[Franky099]

I have the eclipse 5 gallon bowfront tank.  They do a decent job....but I still think it would be better to go for a 10.  I think eclipse makes a 12 gallon as well.....that would be even better
Amy

 

[ChazECJr]

Thanks for trying to help!

I'm not sure what walmart carries, but $50 at petsmart will get you an eclipse 3.  You can't get a 10 gal there for that money, to the best of my knowledge.

I have tried to vacuum all the gravel when I do a water change.  Does this suck up too much beneficial bacteria?  Would I be better off vacuuming only half the gravel with each water change instead, perhaps?

 

[tabby360]

my first tank i got was a whisper  gallon i got at Walmart(I didnt buy there fish). It was like 23 dollars and it had food, water conditioner and a filter.You have to buy the rest but its a pretty good idea.

 

[Lily]

To answer your question about vaccuming: when you are cycling a tank it's best not to vaccum the gravel at all (you need that beneficial bacteria to grow and multiply undisturbed in your substrate) but in your case because the tank is so small if you don't you will most likely continue to lose fish to toxic water conditions.  

I just purchased a 10-gallon complete tank set up at Wal-Mart for $50 and it came with everything you need to get going except the plants, gravel & decor.  I strongly suggest you try and buy a larger tank and then cycle that tank (either the fishless way with ammonia or with a few hardy fish like zebra danios) before buying the "pretty" species such as guppies.  You can then use the smaller tank for say, a betta, which does quite well alone.  

Did you use water conditioner, such as Aquasafe, when you added the water to your tank? Once again, I must strongly advise you to get your own test kit.  One that tests for Ph, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates is essential in keeping the water conditions at a safe level when cycling a new tank. I bought my test kit for $20 at PetSmart.

How is the last remaining guppy and the ghost shrimp doing? Are you ammonia readings still high (indicating the start of a new tank cyle)?

It's at this point that beginners get frustrated and give up on the whole aquatic fishkeeping thing (I know I almost did when I lost all my fish to new tank syndrome when I first started out) but please be patient, do your homework, and buy the proper equipment.  Once you get going and start right, it does become a very addicting and wonderful hobby.

Lily

 

[ChazECJr]

Since you asked...

Things are no better...ammonia is still high.  One of the ghost shrimp is missing.  Can a guppy eat a ghost shrimp (if it molted and couldn't find a good hiding spot in time?)

But somehow the guppy is active, eats and seems healthy.  I don't agree with you saying they are not hardy.  I read that 3 of them were kept alive in an AQUABABY for much longer than my poor guys.  Kinda makes me feel like a schmuck.

Charlie

 

[Nativefish Boy]

Try this stuff called "Cycle". It works awseome! I had any ammonia spike, it went from 0 ppm to over 10ppm in 48 hours.  The cycle took it down to 3ppm( not finished ) in two days..Then it finished it off in the next dose.  Petsmart has 10 gallon starter kits for about 55 bucks. ( i work at one) They are the best starter tank. It's not to big and only alittle on the small side. Hope this helps.

 

[Matt Nace]

[quote author=Nativefish_Boy link=board=beginner&num=1008771564&start=0#9 date=12/27/01 at 13:24:01]
Petsmart has 10 gallon starter kits for about 55 bucks. ( i work at one) They are the best starter tank. It's not to big and only alittle on the small side
[/quote]

.....it is never too big and always too small. hehe  

 

[Nativefish Boy]

Word up to MaleRubyBard on his execlent saying