# Ammonia



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

HELP! I'm having some ammonia problems in my 2.5 Gallon! I know that its harder to keep a smaller tank clean, but with at least 20% water changes every other day, I didn't think the water would still be cloudy! One fish died. 2 Shrimp died. Now I only have 2 fish in my 2.5. I realize that it was a bad set up, so please don't point that out too much, but if you have any suggestions that might help my ammonia problems, I would REALLY appreciate it! Thanks! 

~ Fish Chick ~


----------



## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

What kind of fish are you keeping? There are very few stocking configurations for a 2.5 gallon tank that allow more than 1 fish without serious ammonia. Ammonia problems may still exist until you get a larger aquarium.

Give us stats as well.
-Ammonia
-Nitrite
-Nitrate
-pH
-Temp
-Type of fish in the water


----------



## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

You are way overstocked. See your molly thread. There are plenty of fish that can live in a 2.5 gallon tank, but mollies are not among them.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

I am keeping mollies. Yeah, I know, but I'm trying to save some money at the moment so it was the best I could do. I have not been able to get test strips yet, but when I do, I will post immediately. Since I'm new to this, I'm a little unsure what pH is... If you could explain that would be nice!


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Add some fast growing live plants, like anacharis. That would require a light, though.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

There are LED lights on the tank but I'm not sure how long they can last...
And Fishpunk, thanks! I'll keep that in mind. I may be able to move the mollies to a big filtered tank that a friend has.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

Fishpunk:

I saw on a post by jrmasterbreeder that you keep fish in a 5 gal or smaller. what's your smallest tank size and what do you have in it?


----------



## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Fish chick, I am going to answer this assuming you are not an adult. 


Unfortunately, most (but not all) of the fish I keep in little tanks are not available at Petsmart/Petco, and most probably not even at a local fish store. You would have to hook up with somebody local to find them.


That said, in 5 gallons or smaller, I have bumblebee gobies, desert gobies, Heterandira formosa, Aphyosimion striatum, and a betta, each in a separate small species tanks. 

Both types of gobies are in 1.005 specific gravity brackish water. The Heterandira formosa is a north american native livebearer that stays very small. Bettas are pretty well known and available everywhere, but very in health. Aphyosimion straitum is a fairly simple killifish that can stay in small quarters but won't be a the fish store..

Easiest would be a betta. They have personality, are available everywhere, tolerate a wide variety of water conditions, but they do need warm water, like 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so a heater would be mandatory. In that small tank, and without a sponge filter, you would have to be very diligent with water changes, like 20% every two days or so. 

Next easiest to find would probably be bumblebee gobies, but these are LFS fish, not Petco or Petsmart. They are also best kept in brackish water, so marine salt (NOT aquarium salt, it doesn't have the proper trace elements) would be strongly recommended--especially if you have soft water.

The A. striatum would actually be a perfect fish for that tank, but you would have to get one from a local fishkeeper who is breeding them. Many killifishes can live in that small a tank because they stay relatively small (2 inches) and spend most of their time just staying in the same place watching everything. BUT, not ALL killifish can be kept in a tiny tank. I have another killi species that can be extremely active and gets over 4 inches in length, so they need minimum 10 gallons.

Desert gobies are pretty hard to find.

Heterandria formosa are a tiny livebearer that would be great in that size tank, but unless you get lucky and find them at a LFS, you would have to get them from a local fishkeeper who breeds them.

Small tanks like yours also are very difficult to find filters for. Best would be something air-driven because other options would set up a nasty current in the tank.


----------



## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Fish chick said:


> Since I'm new to this, I'm a little unsure what pH is... If you could explain that would be nice!


pH is a scale of measuring the amount of acid or alkaline buffers in a tank. A pH of 7 is what pure, unaltered water is. A pH lower than 7 is an acid, and a pH above 7 is a base (alkaline). Mollies will like more alkaline water, so a pH around 7.2 to 8.0 is good for them. Bettas tend to like neutral water, but can thrive in a very wide range. 6.0 to 8.0 is a good target range for bettas. This is also the range that most tap water falls into. Most marine fish like high pH of around 8.0 to 8.6. Many river fish like acidic water of 5.0 to 6.8.

Here is a good scale to give you an idea of what the pH scale is.









*5.0* - Discus, tetras
*5.5* - Discus, tetras
*6.0* - Discus, angelfish, tetras, barbs, corydoras, gouramis, hatchets, killifish, rasboras
*6.5* - Discus, angelfish, tetras, barbs, corydoras, danios, goldfish, gouramis, guppies, hatchets, killifish, loaches, plecos, rasboras, freshwater "sharks"
*7.0* - Discus, angelfish, tetras, barbs, corydoras, danios, goldfish, gouramis, guppies, hatchets, killifish, loaches, mollies, platies, plecos, freshwater "sharks", swordtails
*7.5* - Gouramis, guppies, killifish, mollies, platies, plecos, freshwater "sharks", swordtails
*8.0* - Guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails, brackish-water fish, marine fish
*8.5* - Brackish-water fish, marine fish


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I would ask what filter you have. You can keep a little tank "cycled", but it usually takes an oversized (for the tank) sponge filter, 2 filters are better. 

Its easy to get stuck in a "can't cycle" loop. High ammonia kills the ammonia-eating bacteria so you get high ammonia. Cheat. Do a huge water change (to get ammonia down) then move in a "cycled" sponge filter from another tank or dose with a bacteria starter. But watch ammonia or just change water daily until you think you are 'cycled'. Be very careful with feeding. It doesn't take much to "crash" a small tank.

If you have evidence of high ammonia (test reading, dead fish, cloudiness), immediately do a large (50%+) water change.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

Would it be alright to have 1-3 guppies in there or what?


----------



## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Maybe 1 or 2 guppies. Even then you are at capacity. Guppies also like to have room to swim.


----------



## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

And only if they are males. Females will drop fry if they encountered males at the fish store, and then you will have a population explosion.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

I was going to breed some fish and give them to a friend who has a big, empty tank. I won't be doing that for probably a year because once all my fish die, I am giving up fish. I can't keep them alive and when I do, I find out I'm doing something wrong!


----------



## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Oh no! I am so sorry to hear this Fish chick. I find the hobby so rewarding when things are done right. The fact of the matter is, a 2.5 gallon is just too small for a beginner. Hopefully, things in your tank stabilize and you can see how rewarding and fun the hobby is.

If you decide you want another shot at it, you know where to find us.


----------



## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Fish chick said:


> I was going to breed some fish and give them to a friend who has a big, empty tank. I won't be doing that for probably a year because once all my fish die, I am giving up fish. I can't keep them alive and when I do, I find out I'm doing something wrong!


The last phrase is key. You find out you are doing something wrong, so you don't repeat that mistake. After a while, you become one of the people telling the newbies what they are doing wrong. It's the circle of fishkeeping.

Why don't you and your friend embark upon fish breeding together using her big tank. You can use your little tank for fry. With the exception of water changes, big tanks are much easier than small ones.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

I'm getting a heater (possibly a filter, too) and test strips soon so that I can keep my problems under control.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

I'm at least going to let my 2.5 gal air out for about 3 weeks or so and then maybe get a betta or some shrimp or 2 danios or something. I'm also getting my water tested at petsmart in a few days so I'll probably post the results and tell you how everything's working out!


----------



## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Danios would not be a good choice. The others, yes.


----------



## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

I'm at least going to let my tank air out for a few weeks then get some more n see how tht goes. probably a betta. my other one (poisson) died with the rest of my fish this last week. I lost 6 big fish (one betta, 3 mollies, 2 ghost shrimp) and around 20 baby ghost shrimp in the past week!


----------



## jrmasterbreeder (Feb 12, 2008)

Fish Chick, hang in there. I have a 29 gallon right now and am having some major issues. Waters kind of cloudy, and I've lost 2 angel fish (about to be 3 I think...    ) and a ottocynclus. (or however you spell it.) And might be losing a cory soon. Am I frustrated? You bet! I've been doing this for 7 years now, and I cant figure out anything about what it might be!! Maybe save up for a 10 gallon tank. Thats where I started. But you will learn what works and what doesnt. A GENERAL rule of thumb is no more than one inch of fish per gallon of water. That includes shrimp, snails, etc etc.


----------

