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Ammonia

H

hayley-jane

Guest
Hi

The ammonia level in my tank is up tp 0.50 - should I take my axies out?

What does high ammonia do to them exactly?

Because they are not acting any different to when the levels are okay?
 
D

dev

Guest
In general ammonia is not good for aquatic animals, it burns gills, destroys membranes and so on. Axolotl specific some people on this board claim they are hardy and have cycled tanks with them in it. I personally wouldnt but if you have absolutely no choice 0.50 is okay, just do more water changes as the ammonia rises. Perhaps every 3 days for now and if it rises closer to 1 every 2 days.
 
H

hayley-jane

Guest
Yesterday the ammonia was 0.25, so I changed 10% of the water.

Then today it had risen to 0.50, so I thought maybe my tap water has caused this.

But my tap water has 0 ammonia.

So if it reaches 1.00 I should remove the axies?
 
D

dev

Guest
Is your tank cycled? it looks like its in the middle of cycling. a new tank takes 30 days + to establish tiself. Right now the ammonia seems to be rising seems like a new tank. ammonia will rise then drop to 0 , Nitrite will then rise wait for that to drop to 0 , when both readings are 0; 60% water change and your tank has compeletly cycled. As for removing them like i mentioned i myself I would not cycle the tank with axies, i would move them to a large tub or something. Your call really , but you'll need ammonia or hardy fish to cycle it if you take them out.

Heres an article on fishless cycling
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article14.html
 
C

cynthia

Guest
Hayley - The axolotls waste and any uneaten food is probably what is making the ammonia rise. An ammonia reading of .25 is not too bad and some would say that .5 isn't that high either.

But since you did a partial water change yesterday and the ammonia is higher today, I would remove both axolotls until the ammonia reads zero. Then I would add 1 of the axolotls to the tank and in 2 or 3 weeks add the other axolotl. I would monitor the ammonia every day during this process.

Since your tank is newly cycled and you changed out the substrate your biological filter needs time to build its self up so it can support the waste from 2 animals.



Dev - I think a 60% water change on a newly cycled tank is probably too much. Twenty percent is usually enough to lower nitrates.

(Message edited by cynorita on August 01, 2005)
 
D

dev

Guest
It doesnt matter imo, i do 60% cause my water smells really bad and never had a problem, which is the only initial large water change right after cycling...after that i only do about 20% water changes.

(Message edited by solaris on August 01, 2005)
 
H

hayley-jane

Guest
Off to check the levels - if the ammonia is higher still I'll take them out.
 
H

hayley-jane

Guest
PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0.25/0.50 (in between)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 7

Seen as the ammonia has dropped a little and the nitrite has gone down to 0 I think I'm going to leave them in and ensure that I check the levels every day.

Thanks for your help
happy.gif
 
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