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A Goldfish's Ammonia is...8.5ppm+!!! (my brother's Goldfish)

6K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  RipariumGuy 
#1 ·
Let me make sure before you read that you understand that this is my brother's goldfish (common). If I put this thread in the wrong place, sorry, I know this is tropical fish keeping and not coldwater fish keeping, but I figure goldfish are ok.

Anyway, I was going through my regular routine of water testing. Reciently I was overjoyed to find API test drops at my "local" Petsmart (55 minutes away). It was 130 test for $10. Alot better than the $12 dollars for 25 dip strips at walmart. That is besides the point. I was testing the water with my accurate API test tube and it registered at 8.5 (higher than the chart goes) within the first 2 minutes (of a 5 minute test). (PANIC!) I don't see how that poor goldfish is still alive!

We (me and my older brother) did a 25% WC yesterday (the day we tested it) and we are probably going to do a 50% WC/gravel vac. He is frustrated. He also is useing (my) Jungle Ammonia Clear fizz tabs. The tank cycled a while back. Oh, BTW, I forgot to mention a "small" detail...it is a 5 gallon tank! Yeah, I finally convinced him awhile back to get that 5 1/2" goldfish out of that 1 gallon bowl. What does he do? He puts it in a 5g. Oh, well.

My parents think I am trying to drag him into advanced fishkeeping (like myself, sorta), but I just don't want his goldfish to die or be tortured for the rest of its 17 years of life.

This could happen again, easily, I am sure. Any suggestions on getting the ammonia down (other than water changes)? I am sorry about the long, sad story of my brothers goldfish, but he is pretty worried/frustrated about it. I told him I would post, the good brother I am :lol:.

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Well it sounds like you allready know that the fish is much too large for the aquarium its in so I wont speak to that. If you brother refuses to part with the fish or get a bigger set up for it then the only thing you can do is daily water changes unitll the biofilter catches up with the load the fish is putting on it. It should only take a week or 2 for it to esablish what it needs to take care of the ammonia produced by the goldfish.
 
#3 ·
So what happened to the bacterial colony responsible for the cycle? The ammonia dropped 0 about 2 months after the goldfish was put in it. Typically, the nitrates go up after the cycle, right? I just can't figure out why, if there is a strong bacterial colony, the ammonia would shoot up so high.
 
#4 ·
I have a hypothosis! My brother's goldfish couldn't have been surviving such high toxicity for long, right (maybe the goldfish can)? Anyway, reguardless of the previous toxicity, I think it has been amplified by the risen tempreture lately. As strange as it may sound, this November it Texas everyone has been running the AC (air condition for those who don't know what that means lol) full blast all day, and still sweating. I have closely monitered the tempretures of my aquariums and noticed that my community tank is running 80* and it is closer to the AC than my brother's goldfish.

I have noticed Feedme (That is the name of my brother's goldfish) has been going to the surface gasping for air. This looks like to me a sign that the hot tempreture is dissolving oxygen at a dangeriously high rate. Worse yet, Goldfish as you know are coldwater fish and prefer temps no higher than 74*.

What does this have to do with the high ammonia? Well, I think the high tempretures have boosted Feedme's metabolism to a dangerously high rate. Meaning that he is produceing alot more waste. A common Goldfish overstocked in a 5 gallon tank that is over 6-10* the recommended tempreture range is a recipe for diesaster.:-(

We are going to Walmart tonight to get an airstone system to increase the dissolveing oxygen. We, as I wrote earlier, are doing lots of water changes. I don't know if I should treat this like a cycle. He is useing Stabiliy to help boost the biological bacteria colony. Also, he is useing Jungle Ammonia Clear at the recommended double dose. As far as treatment goes, that is it.

Anyone have any treatment suggestions? I will test the Ammonia tomorrow if I don't forget (thanksgiving and all).

Thanks!
small fry
 
#5 ·
Feedme's ammonia has dropped to 6.0ppm. How much water should we change a day? I think if his tank went through a mini-cycle again, at this point, I don't think anyone would notice.

I just know that with 10.0+ ammonia, 25ppm nitrites, 300ppm nitrates, and a pH that was always changeing, a full cycle is a bad idea for that goldfish in that tank.
 
#6 ·
I highly doubt that Feedme could have lived though that high of an ammonia spike. And I mean highly doubt it. I believe you "problem" is your new test kits. API kits (or any kits) go awry after about 1-2 months. Also, do not use those Ammonia Away tabs and such. Do not! Water changes are the way to go. I would start doing two 50% water changes a day on that tank to keep things under control. As far as the tank size, talk about it with your bro' and tell him that for the interest of the fish, he should get a bigger setup. I had the same problem with my little sis'. She got a Betta splendens and kept it in a 1g unplanted, unfiltered before I talked her into letting me put it into a 2.5g.

Oh yeah, what is your equipmet list and what are you using for dechorlinator?
Good luck!
 
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