Tank help - very high ammonia

Ok at work today we changed the tank..it is not my tank but it has been around forever...after doing the water change today I figured I should probably check the chem levels since it has not been done in a while..OMG I knew the tank was dirty and nasty and in need of some help but I didnt know it was this bad... pH 6.4 Ammonia 8.0 yup I put that in right Nitrite at .25..and this is a really established tank...I think the biggest problem is that is a 25-30 gal tank with a foot long pleco in it...I tried to take him home but they wouldn't let me. also in the tank are some mollys and some guppies they are dying off and they don't look healthy..what can I do to bring this tank to where it is supposed to be.

 

Probably nothing short of getting rid of the fish, but a 50% chance every other day is a start.

 

I've been telling them for months that fish is too big for the tank

 

Maybe even at least getting them to treat the water with Prime, but really daily water changes and a new home for the Pleco is a better answer if they don't want the whole tank to die off.

 

Ask them for a half an hour during your work day to try to save the fish with water change obviously they have some feelings for the fish however misplaced !!!
That way it is at their expense and over time you will become the person who does what is best for the fish, and in a short while they will probably more agreeable to you deciding what is best for the fish, ie. take the pleco home.
It will take a while but it will eventually work, pull on their heart strings. Hopefully before the fish die !!
Best of luck hope they survive !!!

 

I can allways do it at lunch and they have stuff to treat the water with..I guess I was just shocked..Do you think adding some bio spira would help or not really since it is an established tank

 

With Ammonia that high, it probably would help the tank, and with treating tap water with prime there's a good chance of keeping the tank cycled and the fish healthy.

I think the tank would need at least 2 25-40% water changes a week with the pleco in there though.

Maybe you should take him home to 'isolate' him since he has a bad case of .. oh, I don't know.. poopus blockus or something. Poor guy.. never made it back to the office. :'( Seriously, I wish they would let you remove him for the good of the tank.. maybe if he was replaced with an albino BN or some small pleco?

 

I can't believe that they have a pleco in such a small tank....how sad! Ammonia of 8.0....that is disgusting!!! I agree with cobettacouple. Make up a disease and tell them he will need to be quarantined from the other fish. It sounds like they don't know anything about fish, so they shouldn't be able to tell whether he is really sick or not. Hey, maybe he has "ammonia poisoning" from the 8.0 ammonia levels. lol!

 

Actually, he probably does. So telling them he has ammonia poisoning would be right on. Water changes are the cure, but I think for him the cure is quarantine at home.

 

They won't buy it..besides the kids like him so much besides..I don't have anywhere to put him now...unless I want to overstock my tank that is already full...Maybe if I can convince them to let go of the fish I can talk to the LFS..the owner is a marine biologist and really does want what is best for the fish...lol and I just said somethig about taking the fish out and they said it has nothing to do with the fish..its because I cleaned the tank..OMG

 

well I came up with the idea that I would get a new pleco for the tank..one that doesn't grow quit so big and it looked like it was being considered..any sugestions

 

Bristlenose Pleco.. regular or albino.

 

yeah that's what I was thinking too..But now i'm mad again.. I just checked them chem levels amm 8.0 ppm nitite .25, and nitrates at about 10..I go to change the water again and they were like just leave it.

 

Is the owner at your work a marine biologist or the owner of the LFS?

 

The owner of the LFS

 

Ok gotcha! I was gonna say that I didn't think a marine biologist would keep a fish in those conditions.

 

I think the only other thing I can do is to start getting into work real early before anyone else and start doing the water changes then..But i'm gunna have to wait till after payday so I can get some supplies for the tank...ugg I all ready wake up early enoug has it is..oh well.

 

Or staying late if you don't want to get up earlier. As long as you are not on the clock, why should they care if you are taking care of the tank? Many businesses pay HUGE money to have a service come in and do what you are trying to do for free. My friend's brother has made quite a lucrative business out of it.

 

I don't know why they care...but they do ..besides I have class two nights a week after work and soccer one night a week after soccer..my schedule after work is full.

 

Pretty frustrating! But it's great of you to care about those fish, even when the rest don't.

 

seriously..I know i'm an emotional person but I am so mad and sad about these fish to the point that I want to cry and yell at the same time..and no one else seems to see a problem with the tank except for 1 other patient of ours whom I talk to a lot about tank care and who has been taking care of fish for a while.

 

Yea, I'd feel the same way. I wish they'd just let you take the tank home since they don't care about the fish but they want the 'decoration' I suppose.

 

Well they act like they care but obviously not all that much

 

yeah that's what I was thinking too..But now i'm mad again.. I just checked them chem levels amm 8.0 ppm nitite .25, and nitrates at about 10..I go to change the water again and they were like just leave it.

Maybe you could have your boss check out our forum, or if you don't want them to see your posts, find another site that tells all about the cycle, and how toxic ammonia and nitrites are. Show them about stocking rates and how a fish that large has to have a bigger home! I feel for you, mad wouldn't be the word I'd use.

 

some people just don't understand or don't care thank god for people that get it