High Nitrites Emergency QT Setup

[Rconner15]

Hi guys,
Due to a sudden ich outbreak, I had to set up a quick QT tank. To jump start the biofilter, I used FritzZyme 9. It's now been 2 weeks since setting up the tank and I've noticed the fish are looking a bit stressed and breathing rapidly.

Here's a list of livestock:
(1) Two Spot Bristletooth Tang
(2) Clowns
(1) Dottyback
(1) Blackline Blenny
(1) Small Coral Beauty

I also had a small sharknose goby, but unfortunately, he didn't make it through the night.

Parameters are as follows:
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25-0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 40 ppm

Do you think the nitrites are causing the stress? I've been treating the Ich with Dr. G's antiparasitic caviar, which looks like it's helping as I currently see no signs of Ich.

Any suggestions on how to get the Nitrites down? Should I just keep adding more of the FritzZyme 9 to boost the biofilter? Or should I start doing partial water changes to combat the nitrite levels?

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Maritimer]

From what I've been able to gather, nitrates aren't all _that_ toxic in a marine environment - not like they are in freshwater. (Lower is better, obviously!)

I'm not terribly familiar with Dr. G's caviar, but I'm a tad suspect of its delivery mechanism. Most ich medications work directly on free-swimmers in the water column, but the caviar is a food?

~Bruce

 

[jsker]

Run carbon, toss the Dr G's and Start feed metroplex, bound with focus with your frozen, I would also suggest a multivitamin of vitamin C to reduce the stress and help with the fishes immune systems. Nitrites are not good. link

 

[mike werner]

ammonia levels can change by the hour.as you know they can wipe out a qt pretty fast if not kept in check.i would do a water change and add prime asap to bond those harmful biproducts of fish waste.it's amazing how fast you see a difference in fish behavior caused by ammonia nitrite and nitrates after adding seachem prime