Should I treat w/ Metro now?

[scifisarah]

I lost one of my five Acei last night and want to make sure I don't lose anymore. It was inactive on the bottom starting yesterday afternoon and not schooling with the other acei like usual, and then by evening it was being pushed around by the filter current. I bought some "Fishvet" brand 100% metronidazole powder from the petstore today. The remaining mbunas all seem to be eating and active still. I noticed that a few of them have poop that has sections of white, but most of them are NLS pellet colored and stringy. I switched them from my 65, to a 40 gallon for a day, and finally back into the 75 over the weekend so they have been quite stressed between catching them and being put in different tanks. I also added aquarium salt, which I later read somewhere can be stressing going from no salt. I have been feeding them a mix of Hikari Micro Pellets, and NLS Cichlid 1mm which only the afra Cobue can swallow whole. Running the Fluval FX5 (with 2 week old biomax from other filter) and a well cycled Penguin 200 biowheel. Water changes every 3-4 days.

Should I do a water change and start medicating with the metro right away? Should I not add more aquarium salt for the water I take out? What Metro dose should I use for the 75 gallon tank and when and how long to give it? The medicine packaging is very vague and says to use one measuring spoon for 20-40 gallons which is a big difference. Please help!


Never thought I would be photographing fish poop...

[dm3475]

I would not take any chances if there is salt in the aquarium now I would do the water change (which will stress fish out more) then do the treatment, I think being proactive instead of reactive would be better.

[scifisarah]

I could really use help now - I changed out about 60% of the water even though I just did on Sunday also. I don't use carbon in my filters, but am I supposed to remove my filter while I am treating, or keep it running? How should I dose?

[gannmann101]

Get a master test kit not the cheep strips. And see what's going on in the tank would be my first step. Use carbon after treatment. To remove any chemicals. I always use carbon but never have had to do any treatments to any of my tanks I just have a prety strict water conditioning regament and works great. No salt for my fish

[Ron]

The filters are absolutely necessary for the nitrogen cycle. While you should remove carbon when using medication, you should never remove filtration.

It's also reasonable to mention that some medications can actually hurt the bacteria colony and you'll see a blip in the nitrogen cycle.

[gannmann101]

How old is this tank is it even cycled yet?  The extent of water changes is a little extream. Imo.  Moving fish constantly is never good either. What is your nitrite ppm and nitrate ppm.  Also your ph range if you are using salt

[scifisarah]

I did not think I should remove my filter, but one website advised I do so. LOTS of differing advice out there. Hard to take everything in when you are new to this.

I do have a master testing kit. My ph is 8.2, ammonia and nitrites are both 0. Nitrates around 5 ppm. I guess that means the tank is cycled, but I am trying to wean off using the Penguin Biowheel and just rely on the FX5 eventually. I have been playing "musical fishtank" for about the past month. Not a good idea I know, but I finally have a tank I am happy with in quality and size. The Penguin Biowheel has been running for over a year though.

I used the amount of salt API recommended which ended up being around 1 cup for my 75 gallon tank. I added it all at once, which I now read was probably not a very good idea. We also use a water softener and am unclear how that affects the salt in our well water. I think I will try to go without adding aquarium salt in the future.

[dm3475]

I did not think I should remove my filter, but one website advised I do so. LOTS of differing advice out there. Hard to take everything in when you are new to this.

I do have a master testing kit. My ph is 8.2, ammonia and nitrites are both 0. Nitrates around 5 ppm. I guess that means the tank is cycled, but I am trying to wean off using the Penguin Biowheel and just rely on the FX5 eventually. I have been playing "musical fishtank" for about the past month. Not a good idea I know, but I finally have a tank I am happy with in quality and size. The Penguin Biowheel has been running for over a year though.

I used the amount of salt API recommended which ended up being around 1 cup for my 75 gallon tank. I added it all at once, which I now read was probably not a very good idea. We also use a water softener and am unclear how that affects the salt in our well water. I think I will try to go without adding aquarium salt in the future.

well reading this I think you have stressed your fish out and the one could have died from stress playing musical aquariums and I do not know how water softeners affect everything, as far as reading other sites you will spend days and countless hours undo stress by doing this, "I think the best treatment is first if there is no salt in your water stop doing water changes, then I would treat but like I said I never treated with softner being in the picture this is where someone else chime in

[gannmann101]

Should be at zero ppm on both nitrate and nitrite.  But 5 is ok I guess. Are you using the high range ph test? I don't know a lot about acei's.  But stres would be my best guess if only one died.  Could have been damages in the moves.  Just try to get everythang on a ballance and keep it there by not changing your water treatments I would wait a few days or longer before another water change.  Tanks also go through mini cycles. When cycling. A few weeks. After the first cycle. Do you notice any smell ? Or alege?

[scifisarah]

How do I keep my nitrate at 0, other than doing water changes? I am using the high ph test. No smell or algae.

Do you all think I should treat with the metro, or just wait and see if other fish show show more definite signs? I don't want to medicate if this isn't Malawi bloat and I am just over reacting.

[gannmann101]

They will go to zero when your benificial bacteria is estabished. You can buy. What I use is stress zyme. Great stuff also stress coat also great stuff the stress zyme has benifical bacterias in it. Also seacherm. Watr. Conditional. You may be over reacting. Everyone who starts out does this. if you notice any more loss. Then there is a problem.

[scifisarah]

What compound does the beneficial bacteria convert the nitrates to? I thought that was as far as the chemical cycle would go, so if you don't change your water the nitrates just keep building up. I think I will hold off treating for now and keep an eye on everyone.

[danielratti]

They will go to zero when your benificial bacteria is estabished. You can buy. What I use is stress zyme. Great stuff also stress coat also great stuff the stress zyme has benifical bacterias in it. Also seacherm. Watr. Conditional. You may be over reacting. Everyone who starts out does this. if you notice any more loss. Then there is a problem.

The only way you should have zero nitrate is if you have a ton of plants. It would be nearly impossible for that to happen even with a heavily planted tank. If someone used water with low nitrates for their tank and the plants consumed nitrates at the same rate or quicker than the bacteria turned nitrite into nitrate, it's feasible.

I feel as you have been misinformed.

[danielratti]

What compound does the beneficial bacteria convert the nitrates to? I thought that was as far as the chemical cycle would go, so if you don't change your water the nitrates just keep building up. I think I will hold off treating for now and keep an eye on everyone.

It goes ammonia to nitrosomoanas to nitrobacter. Nothing further than that. They will keep building up without a water change eventually to the point your system crashes.

[gannmann101]

They will go to zero when your benificial bacteria is estabished. You can buy. What I use is stress zyme. Great stuff also stress coat also great stuff the stress zyme has benifical bacterias in it. Also seacherm. Watr. Conditional. You may be over reacting. Everyone who starts out does this. if you notice any more loss. Then there is a problem.

The only way you should have zero nitrate is if you have a ton of plants. It would be nearly impossible for that to happen even with a heavily planted tank. If someone used water with low nitrates for their tank and the plants consumed nitrates at the same rate or quicker than the bacteria turned nitrite into nitrate, it's feasible.

I feel as you have been misinformed.


Acording to my test results which are mearly standard API. Test. My levels are zero not one plant in any of my tanks. Was just my two cents from my expierence. Your information is logical and noted