Ammonia poisoning

[Squeakyheart]

Having added some new fish without doing a water change first one of my loaches is showing signs of this. I have done a 50% water change and am going to get a treatment later today, but there has been no improvement in the fish. Does it have a chance of surviving or should I do something with it?

[EauRouge]

What are your other readings? How many/what species of fish do you have and what size is the tank?

If you've caught the ammonia early on and it didn't get too high then your loach should recover- keep testing every day and doing lots of water changes if you need to. Something like melafix will help protect their immune systems which will be weakened by the ammonia. Fingers crossed.

[Squeakyheart]

Hi eau

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I couldn't find my test kit (cluttered and disorganised house!) so had to but one. Everything came back as ok though NO3 was slightly high but have treated with an ammonia and nitrate treatment so that should help.

The fish didn't make it have had it nearly two years.

I have apparently been making a huge mistake as I was sure I had bought a 90 litre tank and it is apparently a 75 litre one! So am probably overstocked. I have

A Siamese algae eater, currently 3"

A plec, one that won't get bigger then 3"

One polka dot loach now that the other one didn't make it.

Three harlequins

Then I added 3 mollies and nine glowlight tetras.

I normally buy from one shop but its an hour away so went to one where he just sold them where the other one normally quizzes me. Won't do that again!

[EauRouge]

Oh no, sorry about your fish.

Yes, I'd say you were overstocked by quite a way. Have you got a long term plan for your Siamese algae eater? They can get pretty large and as adults they can be aggressive to other fish.

If it were me then I'd probably find homes for everything but the plec and the tetras. The harlequins and loach both need to be in shoals really, as do the mollies and they are going to get a bit big for your tank anyway.

Which nitrAte treatment did you use? Water changes are the quickest way to reduce nitrAte, but you might also need to test your tap water to see if that has high nitrAte.