How do you lower nitrite levels in a goldfish tank?

Question

I've got three goldfish in a tank that's about 2 months old, and the ammonia level has finally settled and isn't incredibly high (I think I killed a fancy goldfish with high ammonia), but now the nitrite levels are hovering around the "stress" level. Other than regular water changes, what are ways to lower this level?

The tank that these fish are in is a 10 gallon tank, and I know that's about as many fish as I can keep in the tank.

I live in an apartment that the biggest tank allowed without extra renters insurance is ten gallons. According to the pet store that my fish came from, goldfish require 1 gallon of water for every inch of fish. I have maxed out my tank, according to their levels. There are so many differing opinions on amounts of water needed for goldfish, but I certainly know that my tank can't be any bigger than 10 gallons.

Answer 1

Your easiest choice at this time would be to get a larger tank (no less than 40-gallons) and cycle it without any fish. If you cannot afford it, or you have no room at this time, then there are ways of controlling nitrite levels.

You're in the second stage of your nitrogen cycle. Yay!! It's almost done! :-P

Nitrite is just as harmful as ammonia. Easiest way of controlling high levels is with daily 20% water changes. If you don't have the time for daily changes, then you can go to your pet store and pick up a great product called Amquel Plus (I don't think Pet Smart carries this). Unfortunately, you may end up un-cycling your tank if you use this without doing your daily water changes. I believe Prime (I know PetSmart has this) also removes excess ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates as well, but if your water is very hard, you'll have to look into other options (Prime doesn't work well with very hard water). Go to your local Pet Store and look for products that remove nitrites (they'll be in with or near the tap water conditioners.).

Good luck!

EDIT: The store that you bought your fish from is wrong. Dead wrong. Chances are, you will end up losing your fish. Your fish grow far too large and produce far too much waste for such a small tank.

First of all, the "1 inch per gallon" rule of thumb applies only to the adult-size of slim-bodied tropical fish, not goldfish, plecos, sharks, cichilds or saltwater fish.

Secondly, your fish will quickly outgrow that tank. Most goldfish will grow to be 6-inches or more when adults. There is simply no room for them to grow in such a small tank. There will come a time when their bodies will appear to not be growing anymore, but their organs will continue to grow. Now - imagine your organs at your adult size still stuck in your infant body. That's what will happen to your fish.

Third, goldfish produce far too much waste for you ever to catch up to safe nitrate levels without several water changes a week. You should really only have to do one 20-30% water change every week - if you have to do more, you're overstocked. This is why your cycle is taking so long to complete (it should really take no more than 6 weeks).

Your options now? If you don't want to pay the extra to get a larger tank (and I'm serious when I say no less than a 40-gallon tank, and that's being very stringent with space - your goldfish may eventually need a pond depending on what breed they are), then you need to return two of those fish to the pet store you got them from, and tell them they're incompetent, unknowledgable, ignorant idiots. (If you don't want to do, I would - I like telling pet stores when they're wrong; it's kinda fun watching them try to flounder for a good explanation.)

Also, any chemicals used to control ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels are only supposed to be used as a temporary solution. With that many fish in such a small space, you're constantly going to be having problems with your levels. And it just is not safe or healthy for the fish to be subjected to the constant swings or all the chemicals.

Answer 2

You need to bring the nitrite levels down immediately. I'd do a 50% water change right now. Use a de-chlorinater/conditioner and match temperatures. A 50% change may be needed again tomorrow and even the day after that. Once the nitrite has fallen to a safe level reduce the amount of the water change. Keep a close eye on the nitrite level and expect to change more water, more often, until the tank is able to convert the nitrites to nitrates on it's own.

Clean, fresh and properly conditioned water is the aquarist's
most valuable tool. Filters, chemicals, exchange resins ultra-violet lights, ozone, skimmers etc., all have there place but none are as effective as a weekly water change (10 to 20%) for maintaining healthy aquarium water.

And for fish "the water is everything" is not that much of an exaggeration...

cheers

jimmy

Answer 3

Nitrite is almost as harmful to your fish as spiked ammonia levels. Your tank does not have enough nitrifying bacteria in it yet. That bacteria is very slow growing and can take a period of a couple of months to grow to a level that can handle the waste load of three goldfish. In the meanwhile the water has to be managed by regular testing and regular water changes until the nitrifying bacteria levels stabilizes. You will often see this is tanks that are overstocked.

You didn't say what size your tank is, but goldfish excrete a huge amount of amonia into the water. You might try some of the new additives that you can purchace that allows your tank to cycle more rapidly.

Answer 4

What kind of filter are you using? A box filter? out of tank filter?

Goldfish are extremely dirty fish, the secrete a slime that decompses and causes the problems you are experiencing.

If you do not have one yet, you should get an out of tank filter. Make sure you egt one that has a biological filter (biowheel or sponge). Bacterias will gow on this and those bacteria help control the water conditions.

Another opton is an undergravel filter. While these do not actually filter the water, they do provide an excellent biological filter. They cannot be used alone since they remove no dirt, but will help to control ammonia and nitrite levels. An undergravel filter is just a large biological filter.

Answer 5

First off hon, you need a bigger tank. Goldfish require at least 20g for the first fish and then 10g per additional fish. A nice 45g would be wonderful. It would help the chemical levels vastly.

Now, everyone is giving you fantastic advice and I'm too lazy to type of basically the same information. Reread theirs.

Get a bigger tank and start cycling it while you're fixing the levels in your 10g, and then transfer them over.

Answer 6

You are going to have to resign yourself to doing water changes every week. Not ALL of the water, just 25-30%. This will keep all of the toxin levels at the minimum without removing the beneficial bacteria that you need in the tank.

Answer 7

Use AquaSafe.