How Long Until I Can Add Fish Again?

echoofformless

echoofformless

Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
Oct 1, 2005
2,142
0
36
51
Phil Uh Del Feeya
www.myspace.com
I have a five gallon tank in which I had a betta who died of ick. Question is how long must I wait before I can add fish back into the aquarium?

I have done a good 90% water change and replaced my filter media in order to remove the medication.

The temperature is around 76, nitrite and ammonia are 0.

Thanks.
 
i think any trace of the ick will die out if it is without a host for two weeks.

of course your levels are at 0 right now, there aren't any fish in there to produce wastes. you should be adding some clear ammonia (with no additives) or fish food in order to feed the bacteria. however, by removing the filter cartridge and replacing it after the fish died you probably don't have much in there anyway. be prepared to cycle the tank, either fishlessly before you add a fish, or by doing lots of daily water changes for about a month to keep the fish healthy.
 
The ammonia/nitrite tests were made both before and after the fish was in the tank. The tank was already cycled. And I put lava rock into the filter bed in place of the cartridge so as to have something on which the bacteria could continue to grow. Not to mention it's a biowheel filter. So I'm not worried about the ammonia/nitrite as much as when it will be safe to put fish in again.
 
Last edited:
FYI you will still need to feed the bacteria or else it will die off while you are waiting for the ick issue to clear.
 
and there are some theories that ick meds will kill bacteria as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom