HELP - What Should I Do?

[estein02]

Alright, I feel like an a$$ for having to post this but I need help. I originally started the following thread looking for help for my firs t fish in QT: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/277160/first-fish-in-qt-what-to-expect
Prior to purchasing the LMB I tested the water and everything tested like it had cycled. The only thing that wasn't 0 was the nitrates, but they were between 0 and 5 ppm. My fish hadn't been eating so I tested the water this afternoon and got the following results:
Temp: 78 degrees
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.2
Amm: .25 ppm
Trite: .50 ppm
Trate: 5 - 10 ppm
I hope that it is not to late for the fish, so please help. I did cycle the tank for 3 weeks prior to adding it...used water from my DT...let the sponge sit in the sump of my DT for a week prior to starting the cycle and I thought that it had cycled. I really would not have gone to the trouble of doing a QT and not do it right, so I feel bad. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO TO HELP THE LMB.
Thanks

 

[azfishgal]

Your tank has not cycled all the way or you have been feeding to much because your Ammonia and Trites are not at 0. Do a big water change, like 30%, and then do 15% every week until those numbers go down. Keep your feeding to a minimum, like every other day until Ammonia nd Nitrites are at 0. You can also use Kordon's AmQuel+ Plus. Some will say don't use it, but I did in my QT when I was not to smart and over fed. It helped bring both the Ammonia nd Nitrites down and all my fish were fine. Good luck and I hope your LMB makes it.
P.S. The only way to tell if your tank cycled is to see the Ammonia go up, then fall, then the Nitrites go up then fall. This happens in different times for different tanks, so keeping a daily water check is critical when cycling a tank.

 

[estein02]

Thank you azfishgal. I will have to try the AmQuel+. I do believe that my QT cycled, so I think I can attribute what is going on more to feeding too frequently trying to see if the LMB will eat then the tank not cycling completely. I hope this helps.

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by estein02
Thank you azfishgal. I will have to try the AmQuel+. I do believe that my QT cycled, so I think I can attribute what is going on more to feeding too frequently trying to see if the LMB will eat then the tank not cycling completely. I hope this helps.
I made that same mistake when I first got my perc clowns. They were not eating, so I was trying everything, but I did a little to much. Ooops!

Live and learn. Sometimes new fish take several days to eat, they just have to get acclimated. So do what you can to get that Nitrate down and I'm sure you LMB will start eating. I'm sure if you do a search you'll find what they like the most. I don't have one myself, but several on here do. Good luck!