# Ammonia surge?



## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

Hi all,

We have been doing water changes every other day and still we have a BIG issue with Ammonia. We had a few cloudy days but the tank water is getting clear again. We haven't added any new fish but we did find that there were snails that must have arrived with the plant, there are five tiny ones. 

Any advice would be much appreciated, all the neons have now died but everyone else seems fine.

Izzie


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

Is it just the three corys in there? How much and how often are you feeding? Both high ammonia and having an increasing number of snails are often indicators of overfeeding. I'd cut it right down to a tiny pinch every other day until things are settled. If you're feeding sinking pellets, one pellet per cory is plenty. If you feed cubes of frozen food, cut the cubes into quarters and just feed a quarter. Three corys don't need anything like a whole cube.

What are your readings for ammonia? The aim is to keep it below 0.25, so you should probably be changing 50% of the water every day, or even twice a day, depending on how high your readings are.

How's the nitrite test looking? Any readings for that yet?

Did you get the Seachem Prime? Are you dosing it daily to help protect the fish from the effects of the ammonia?


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## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

NaomiM said:


> Is it just the three corys in there? How much and how often are you feeding? Both high ammonia and having an increasing number of snails are often indicators of overfeeding. I'd cut it right down to a tiny pinch every other day until things are settled. If you're feeding sinking pellets, one pellet per cory is plenty. If you feed cubes of frozen food, cut the cubes into quarters and just feed a quarter. Three corys don't need anything like a whole cube.
> 
> What are your readings for ammonia? The aim is to keep it below 0.25, so you should probably be changing 50% of the water every day, or even twice a day, depending on how high your readings are.
> 
> ...


Hi Naomi,
Looks like everything is back under control, 50% water changes every day worked, we reduced the feeding also and we have a lovely clean tank. We have the Seachem Prime which is great stuff, we also added a bubble machine and new plant, pretty pleased with how its going. My son bought two loaches at the weekend and they are keeping the snails under control.

Thanks for your advice, appreciated as always!

Izzie


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

Good to hear it's all going well 

What type of loaches? They generally need to be kept in larger groups than two, and most types will outgrow that tank...

A couple of assassin snails is a better bet for keeping 'pest' snails under control


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## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

Adam knows the names of them, they are stripey? Yolo or something like that? 

He also said something about assassin snails. My angelic little boy really loves watching the snails getting murdered 
He is already talking about a bigger tank for his birthday, never seen him so enthusiastic about any hobby lol!


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

If it's yoyo loaches, they should be kept in groups of at least 5, and should really have a 3' tank or bigger. Something to think about when your son's birthday is approaching perhaps 

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/botia-almorhae/


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