Help Emergency

[Carter020108]

Yesterday I accidentally overdosed pimafix I didn’t think about until later that day my fish were all breathing heavily quickly I did a 75% water change and hoped they would survive I woke up to the loss of one of my roseline sharks I scooped it up and did a water test it caused an ammonia outbreak ammonia in between 2.0-4.0
I added stress coat is there anything I can do

 

[twentyleagues]

How about stop adding stuff. Why are you using pimafix in the first place? Besides it's snake oil. If you trully caused a cycle get some benificial bacteria like microbacter7 or the API one. Stop adding unnecessary chemicals at once.

 

[Carter020108]

Ok I have stress stem did not know it was snake oil

I was using it because one of my fish had a fungal infection

 

[ecajoe]

Could have dropped some carbon in especially if it says to discontinue use of it

 

[Carter020108]

Where can I get carbon

 

[ecajoe]

Any lfs or amazon. Also Prime or ultimate would have helped with the ammonia by converting it into a less toxic form that is still bio available until your bacteria had kicked back up

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

It's been 10 years ago when I used Melafix and Pimafix last and I don't recall any connection between adding them and uncycling a tank. Can these events even be connected? I understand they have mild antibacterial properties and might affect beneficial bacteria but at what overdose?

I remember these chemicals rob oxygen, hence the heavy breathing of your fish. It is recommended to increase aeration when using them.

There appear to exist two schools of thought on the mela and pima. Some say it helps their fish, others say they are entirely worthless. IDK who's right as I have never looked into it deeply.

I am surprised by the blunt twentyleagues post. He is usually much nicer. Sound like there is some history here I don't know of.

 

[deeda]

It's been 10 years ago when I used Melafix and Pimafix last and I don't recall any connection between adding them and uncycling a tank. Can these events even be connected? I understand they have mild antibacterial properties and might affect beneficial bacteria but at what overdose?

I remember these chemicals rob oxygen, hence the heavy breathing of your fish. It is recommended to increase aeration when using them.

There appear to exist two schools of thought on the mela and pima. Some say it helps their fish, others say they are entirely worthless. IDK who's right as I have never looked into it deeply.

I agree with TBTB's comments and I still have a bottle of each from over 10 years ago that I used to use for minor issues that were probably just fixed by performing water changes and keeping the nitrate low.