Bushy nose spoiling my water..need advice?

Question

Hi,
I have a Bushy nose algea eater in a 10 gallon tank. He keeps poluting the tank so much that I cannot get the Nitrite level lower than 0.50...no matter what I've tried. I changed the water everyday for a week, 30 to 50% water change. I added good bacteria, I bought another product that helped my situation to not deteriorate but didn't help make it better. I cleaned the gravel. I'm at a lost. I have 15 baby guppies in another aquarium that I will need to seperate in 2 months. I have to get that tank under control. Everything else seems to be normal. Amonia is slightly high but, not much. Nitrite will get much higher than 0.50 if I don't do a 30% water change every day. I'm starting to wonder if this fish is too big for my 10g tank. Any advice would be great. thanks !

Yes, he is the only fish in the tank. and I wonder why I have so much trouble with only 1 fish. But maybe it's the water change. Is he too big to be kept in a 10g tank ?

Answer 1

One bushynosed pleco in a 10 g tank will not pollute the water! I have 10 and 15 gallon tanks with 3-4 of them in each one along with other fish.

Cleaning the gravel is the worst thing you could do. That's where the beneficial bacteria live! Now you are starting the nitrogen cycle all over again from the beginning.

I assume you have a filter on the tank.... Put fresh carbon in it and let the bacteria multiply. The cloudiness and odor are a natural part of the nitrogen cycle and will disappear on their own. The fresh carbon will take care of the odor.

Don't do more than 20% water changes until the cycle is completed. And wait 3-4 days before you do any more. Then do them every 3-4 days until the tank is sparkling clean. Once the cycle is complete, then start doing weekly changes of 25-30% which is what should be done always.

Trust me, the bushynose is not the problem. If it is not a bushynose and is, instead, a common pleco it will end up being huge at 24". The bushynoses only get to be 5-6 inches tops! Do you know for sure that it is a bushynose.

I have more than 30 bushynoses spread around in my tanks and they are the best clean up crew you can have. They are not agressive and do not eat fry (baby fish). If you are lucky enough to have a pair (females do not have the bushy nose) they are easily spawned and the father tends to the eggs and fry until they go out on their own.

Email me if you want to discuss it further. Be sure to enter your email address TWICE in the "answers" site to confirm it so you can receive emails back.

Answer 2

Your honestly working against yourself. By doing 50% water changes and 30 %, daily your slowing the progress of the bacteria.
I know your trying to settle the tank and worried over the fish in it so try this. Stop the excessive water changes, add fresh charcoal to your filters.
Instead of daily water changes do a thirty percent in four days,
In the mean time take readings on the tank twice a day. if your ammonia levels increase to much add some ammonia crystals to your filter,
Is the bush nose the only fish in the tank?

Answer 3

There are chemical drops that control both nitrates and nitrites. Buy some at the fish store.

Answer 4

he may be too big, plecos or algae eaters make a ton of waste. Tons, man tons. try him in a bigger tank and for a 10 just get a snail.