Im worried about ammonia poison in my fish -help!?

Question

I am worried about amonia poison in my fish. I dont have a test kit so im not sure. Here are the details I have a 15 gallon tank with 4 neons and 1 betta and one dwarf frog. The bettas and frog are ok its life as usual for them.

Im worried about the neons though - they seem a little red by the gills and seem to be opening and closing their mouths (im worried it may be gulping for air.) They are still swimming around and active - and they are still ating - maybe a little less then before but they still charge the food when they see it. Is it possible im over reacting?

The tanks is about 5 weeks old now and i have been doing water changes every 3-4 days of about 10-15% with a gravel vacume. Is this possibly slowing down the cycle?? I also changed the carbon in the filter and rinsed the filter in the tank water i drained could this have had an effect? Is there anything i can do to help - im going to do another 15% change today? Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I doubt you are having a serious ammonia problem given the level of care and attention you are giving your tank. Sounds like you are doing a great job! If you are concerned you might increase the size of the water changes to 25-30% for a week to be totally sure the ammonia level is kept safe until the cycle completes. it's more possible you are seeing the effects of nitrites building in your tank as they are the second stage of the cycle. Again though, with the level of care it's somewhat doubtful. The same suggestion of increased water changes will help nitrites too.
Yes, what you are doing will slow the cycle a bit, but it's also safer for the fish. Slow and steady is the best way to handle it, just like you are doing.

MM

Answer 2

ok, sorry if this information is jumbled up. definite Betta's are tropical fish and favor to be in heated tanks, yet he needs to be in a more beneficial tank to attempt this properly. i do not imagine you need to attempt to warmth that tiny container with any form of heater. Non adjustable heaters ought to warmth the temperature too a lot, and too quickly. And the temperature contained in the tank that length is going to regulate too a lot each and anytime you do a water replace, and all that regulate is way worse for him than conserving him in a comfortable cooler temperature. For now keep it at room temperature, and in straightforward words upload water that has set out over evening and are available to room temperature. keep using the declorinator even with the actuality that. you are able to bypass the tank to the precise of the refrigerator were it truly is often hotter untill you get a extra effectual tank. contained in the destiny, you want to have a thermometer on your tank, the temperature could no longer replace once you upload new water. you need to be very care-finished even as including water to the tank. Water that feels warmth to you is in basic terms about continuously too warm for tropical fish. Your betta needs water to be at a temperature of seventy 8-80. Your body is ninety 8, so his water will continuously sense cooler. In a 5 gallon tank, you are able to make 20-25% water adjustments and a mild distinction in temperature wont result the tank a lot. the bubbles seem too a lot for that little tank yet im no longer positive, If he's not being pushed round via them, or reacting fairly to them, Its possibly no longer a substantial component of the region, even with the actuality that turning them off would help him loosen up. i imagine the region is fairly the surprising replace in temperatures. Dont placed him decrease back contained in the cup which will in straightforward words make it worse. Get him in a more beneficial tank ASAP. Cycle the tank first, and get a PH, Nitrate, Ammonia , and nitrite try tube equipment. Then intently decide on the flow and acclimate him to the recent tank. Then upload the heater on the bottom putting, strengthen the temperature no more beneficial than 2-3 ranges each 2-3 days, the most suitable temperature must be between seventy 8 and 80. upload silk flora and different gentle edged decorations to the tank so he can conceal and relax. stay flora are difficult to maintain and useless dieing flora are worse than no flora.

Answer 3

It sounds like your neon's may have Neon Tetra Disease (Pleistophora hyphessobryconis). The red around the gills will eventually turn white and they will die (there is no cure). Remove them from the tank away from the other fish because it is catchable to other fish... the neons are just more prone to catching the disease. I would put them in a separate tank until you are positive it isn't neon tetra disease... it definitely isn't a ammonia problem.