Freshwater ammonia spike in kids’ tank

My son has a freshwater 6 gallon tank and the ammonia level is off the chart. It has a mechanical filter with bio wheel. He has two tiger barbs, two neon tetras, one cat fish, and an apple snail. All the fish are under an inch in size. I found out my 4 year old decided to start sneaking in an extra feeding everyday for about the last month which I believe to be the cause. I have started to feed the fish an extremely small amount of flake food every two to three days until the ammonia is under control.

The LFS gave me a bottle of some type of solution that was suppose to lower the ammonia level after two treatments. Well after 3 treatments it is still off the chart. I am going to gravel rock the tank with a 50 % water change tonight and maybe follow that up in two days with a second 50% water change.

Does anyone have any other suggestions I don’t want to see my son’s fishes die. He loves them so much and gives the tank a hug and kiss every night.

Thanks in advance for any help the comes.

 

Yeah the overfeeding needs to stop. Dramatically reduce feedings and do your water changes. When was the last time you replaced one of the filters?

Also what to you mean about the gravel?

 

I think he meant vacuum the gravel????

 

Yea I ment to say Gravel vacuum. I have done the two 50 % water changes and the ammonia is now on the chart at about 6.5 to 5.0. I know this is still bad but it is going the right way.

 

just keep up with the water changes and dont over feed!! good luck
!!

 

I'll second what Mrs. Exec. Level said. Also, try vacuuming again, after moving some of the decorations around. There are probably piles of rotting food that you haven't found yet.

 

If it were me I would be doing daily water changes and doseing with prime until reedings were back to 0. Hope the fish pull through good luck.

 

When my children all started out with their little tanks I like my Grandfather did me took the fish food away and hide it from me He taught me to way to feed everyday until I had it down .

 

ok I would definately recomend an extreemly large water change even up to 100% to bring the levels down also i would highly recomend a much larger tank for all those fish there are way to many for that tiny tank

I wouldn't even still have a fw tank but the wife said she had to have golds in order for me to be alowed to go salt