Aquarium Care Blog

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Water in a fish tank is changed by siphoning out about half of the water into a bucket and replacing it with clean water. Change the water in a fish tank with tips from the owner of a fish pet store in this free video on pet care.

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Technorati Tags: aquariums, care, crabs, fish, freshwater, hermit, pet, rainbow, saltwater, tanks

Dismantling a fish tank filter is the first step in cleaning it. Get tips on how to take apart a fish tank filter from a fish expert in this free pet care video.

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Technorati Tags: algae, aquariums, care, filters, fish, food, pet, snails, tank, water

The fish tank filter can be cleaned with a regular water faucet. Get tips on how to clean the parts of a fish tank filter from a fish expert in this free pet care video.

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Technorati Tags: algae, aquariums, care, filters, fish, food, pet, snails, tank, water

The reasons are legion, but because of the limited space, we will mention only the most obvious. The first and probably most important thing that comes to mind is the fellowship of meeting regularly with others with the same interests. The hobbyist who has no close aquarist friends is likely to become starved from a desire to talk about it to others. To belong to a society is to be able to converse with others who can share one’s problems and accomplishments in the concerns of aquarium care.

I recalls the joy of attending the meetings of a New Jersey society when only a boy. What fun it was to listen and dream as older folk discussed their finny friends! The same thrill awaits every serious beginner, as nearly everyone today lives within joining distance of some organized group of tropical fish fanciers.
Beginners especially can benefit from the wisdom and experience of society members. Almost any member is willing and happy to spend one or more evenings at a beginner’s home to help him get started in the right way. One such evening can be more informative than a year with all the aquarium care websites around. The experienced member can give valuable information on what to buy, where to buy it, what to feed, and the host of other problems that confront every beginner.

Perhaps the choicest plum, from the point of view of personal gain, comes with the fact that most society members exchange excess fish and plants with each other. This can widen any hobbyist’s scope far beyond what his pocket book would permit. The complete novice with nothing to exchange can often purchase fishes and plants at a fraction of the price a dealer would charge-——and they are likely to be in better condition too. It’s also a terrific place to get information about products for aquarium care like EcoBio-Block, which keeps the aquarium water clear and healthy for fish while greatly reducing the need for water changes.

When an emergency situation strikes without warning, time is often of the essence. The beginner has only to telephone an experienced fellow member who can offer sound advice. How sad it makes us when we receive an  e-mail from a hobbyist whose valuable pets are dying as the result of spraying carpet cleaners on the living room rugs. We know full well that they are dead to the last one even before the e-mail reaches us. Such a loss need never sadden the member of a good society.

Most societies maintain a library. This alone can be worth the annual dues. The typical sequence is to equip in a lavish way and hunt up a good book after some problem has appeared. But the hobbyist who has access to a few good books and reads them before they are needed seldom gets off to a bad start.
The benefits of belonging to an active aquarium society are so strong that it is difficult to understand why anyone would remain separated from one by choice. Even those who live in isolated places can become a corresponding member of a society.

Technorati Tags: aquarist friends, aquarium care, aquarium society, ecobio block, exchange fish

Snails serve as scavengers in a fish tank by eating garbage. Get tips on adding snails to a fish tank from a fish expert in this free pet care video.

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Technorati Tags: algae, aquariums, care, filters, fish, food, pet, snails, tank, water

Adding algae eaters to a fish tank is a great way maintain an attractive fish tank. Get tips on putting algae eaters in your tank from a fish expert in this free pet care video.

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Technorati Tags: algae, aquariums, care, filters, fish, food, pet, snails, tank, water

by Ruby Bayan, OurSimpleJoys.com

Prevention is always better than cure, so making sure that the aquarium environment is always ideal is your best preventive measure against illnesses. This means regular check-ups on the optimum efficiency of the equipment, constant monitoring of the integrity of the water condition and temperature, diligent precautions against introducing harmful elements into the environment, and most importantly, a close eye on the fishes themselves. Keeping informed on the latest innovations in water conditioning for fish health is also important; for example, beneficial bacteria found in products like EcoBio-Block could help prevent infections and disease.
However, sometimes, no matter how cautious or diligent you are at ensuring the health of your fishes, untoward circumstances bring about health problems that need serious attention. If only for this unpredictable occurrence of fish ailments, you should be ready with enough know-how on ways to address fish health problems.

Bacterial and Fungal Infections

The most common health problem among aquarium fish is infection from bacteria and fungus. The primary culprit is usually bad water quality. Pollution due to the rotting of uneaten food, irregular water changes, and poor tank maintenance contribute to the deterioration of the habitat — this makes the fishes weak and susceptible to infections.
Stress, from mishandling, introduction of aggressive or incompatible species, and habitat disturbances, also leave the fishes traumatized and susceptible to diseases. Malnutrition, or an inappropriate diet, aggravates the situation – anything considered malnourished is definitely taking a serious health risk.
Here are some examples of bacterial and fungal infections, and how to deal with them:

• Fin Rot – Fish with long, trailing fins are most susceptible to fin rot – a degeneration and inflammation of the fin rays and membranes. Aside from poor water quality and vitamin deficiency, fin rot is often the result of infections arising from damage brought about by mishandling, as well as fin-nipping attacks from tank mates. Infected fish should be removed and the affected areas treated with commercially available anti-bacterial fish medicine. Remedy water condition and compatibility problems, as well as diet deficiencies to prevent the spread of the ailment.
• Fungus – Aside from bacteria, fungus can attack the areas on the fish body that has suffered some extent of damage (such as wounds or holes left by parasites). Cotton-like fungal growth appears as patches that give the fish a dull, shabby appearance. To treat fungal infections, subject the tank to a fungicide remedy. Address other possible causes like poor water quality, parasites, and aggressive tank mates.
• Pop-Eye – One of the more serious bacterial infections is called pop-eye, marked by inflamed eyes protruding from the sockets. Looking very sickly, fish infected with pop-eye usually contract the ailment because of poor water quality, mishandling or distress from fighting with other fishes. Antibiotics may be effective but, if the infection has progressed to a form of tuberculosis, the afflicted fish may have to be removed and euthanized.

Parasites

On rare occasions, even the most cautious aquarist can unknowingly introduce parasites into a well-maintained tank. New fishes, live food, live plants, and some decorations are all potential carriers of aquatic parasites. Here are some of the parasites you should watch for:

• Fish Lice – Also known as Argulus, fish lice, looking like transparent flat disks, attach themselves to the skin and suck on the fish’s blood. The fish feels itchy and scratches itself on the substrate or on rocks and other hard décor.
• Anchor Worm – Lernaea, or anchor worms, are greenish-white threadlike organisms that attach themselves to the body of the fish. The skin becomes inflamed and the fish scratches the affected area on hard surfaces in the tank.
• Leeches – Worm-like leeches attach themselves to the host fish to feed on its blood. The fish feels the irritating suckers and tries to scratch them off on the substrate, rocks, or wood.

To treat parasite infestations, remove the afflicted fish from the tank, and with a pair of tweezers, pull the parasites off. Apply antiseptic to the wounds. Proprietary treatments against specific parasites are commercially available. You will have to treat the whole tank to prevent further proliferation of these harmful organisms.
Other Ailments

Aside from attacks by bacterial, fungus, and parasites, fish also suffer from other maladies, mostly related to intestinal or organ problems. For example:

• Dropsy – Characterized by a severely swollen or bloated abdomen and is believed to be caused primarily by poor water quality (high nitrate or sodium chloride levels) and malnutrition. Remedy, therefore, involves correcting the habitat conditions and the fish diet.
• Constipation – Sometimes the fish fails to digest food properly due to a poor diet and overfeeding. Constipated and bloated, the afflicted fish will not want to eat; hardly discharging feces, and feeling weak, it will often rest on the substrate. Experts suggest adding a teaspoon of Epsom salts to every 10 liters (2 gallons) of tank water, and then making sure that the fish is fed the right food in proper quantities.
• Swim Bladder Disease – Poor water quality, mishandling, and congenital disorder are the main causes of swim bladder disease. The afflicted fish has difficulty staying upright, oftentimes swimming upside down or sideways. Antibiotics and improvement of the water conditions can correct bacterial infection due to a poor habitat. Congenital disorders and permanent swim bladder damage, however, may be irreparable, therefore, euthanasia should be considered.

Technorati Tags: bacteria infection, dropsy, fin rot, fish ailments, fish disease, fish fungal infection, parasites, pop-eye

by Ruby Bayan, OurSimpleJoys.com

Problems with algae are some of the most common concerns I hear about. Below are actual questions posted by our visitors, followed by my suggested solutions.

Green Water

Question: I have just performed a water change to my 230l tank, and the water has turned into a greenish hue. Nitrate levels are okay, I tested them. Could you tell me why this has happened? Will it harm the fish? - Therese

Answer: Hi Therese, green water doesn’t harm fish — and some people actually like the color. It’s an algae bloom. You may be exposing your tank to too much light. And there’s enough nutrients in the water to feed the algae. If you don’t like the greenish color, you can reduce the lights a bit, do another water change, or add plants to absorb the nutrients that feed the algae. You may also want to consider using a diatomaceous filter.

Follow-up Question: I still have that green water problem which started about 2 weeks ago. I have been keeping the neon light of the aquarium off, and I have performed a 50% water change, but the water is as green as ever. I can hardly see the fish. I am considering using a green water treatment. I have heard that this could be harmful to the fish. What is your opinion of this? Should I add some live plants, although my fish make a meal of these? -Therese

Follow-up Answer: Hi Therese, here’s something a bit radical — daphnia. These are minute crustaceans that are actually a favorite of fishes. If you can find a supplier of live daphnia, they will eat off your green water in no time — that is, if the fishes don’t eat the daphnia first. Yes, live plants are always a good option because they absorb the nutrients that the green algae will otherwise thrive on. And, this is just me, but I’ve never liked using “chemical treatments” for algae.

Brown Algae

Question: I have a well established 6 year old temperate goldfish tank. It is a 29 gallon acrylic with a aqua clear 300 filter. I have 4 oranda gold fish and 2 black moors. In the past i have had an algae issue that has since been taken care of but now i have a brown sludge like fungus growing constantly in my aquarium. It got my fish sick and i gave fungus medication, cleaned the tank very well and have been feeding every other day rather than every day. i do about a 30% water change every week and the fungus (?) keeps coming back. My question is how do i get rid of it and is it even fungus or am i going about taking care of it the wrong way because its not what i think it is. thanks, AP

Answer: Hi AP, I have a suspicion that you’re dealing with brown algae. Goldfishes are notorious for polluting the water. It’s possible that your filter and water changes are not able to cope with the waste products they produce. These waste products are food for algae; add to that a low-light situation, and you have the perfect habitat for brown algae (diatoms). Just vacuum them off and try raising your illumination level a bit. I know it’s tricky because too much light will encourage green algae. Have you considered adding plants? Another solution worth exploring is a water-conditioning product called EcoBio-Block, which releases beneficial bacteria that helps address water pollution and algae buildup.

Red Algae

Question: Hi, I have 55g tank and have recently introduced a few new cichlids and a couple of new plants. About two weeks later and I am seeing red algae on some of my plants and a few small spots on the glass and gravel. It is not alot, but I want to take care of it before it gets out of hand. I cannot find alot of info on red algae. Please help. - Michelle

Answer: Hi Michelle, here’s a good feature on the red algae:
Control of Red Algae in the Freshwater Aquarium. Good luck.

Red Algae Hybrid

Question: I have had my tank set up for a while. The inhabitants and such can be found under the 46 gallon section of www.geocities.com/aqua_ajb. In my tank I find these little stringy balls of grey matter. They started to appear after I upgraded my lighting from 60W to 124W. I do not know what these little grey things are, but would like to know what cause them so I can fix it. I also would like to what they are. Sometimes they are very easy to pull from the leaves of a plant, and come in a big mass. Other times they are attached to the plant leaves and don’t come of very well at all. It is my guess that these stupid things are algae, but I would like to know for sure. Thank you for your help. AJB

Answer: Hi AJB, I’ve heard about a hybrid of red algae that looks blackish and collects mostly on plant leaves. This may be your culprit. I see you already have a Siamese algae eater — want to consider adding a couple more? Or maybe a couple of Otos. If the algae (ye, I tend to imagine this is algae) doesn’t come off from the leaves easily, cut off and throw away the affected leaves. Then next time you clean out your filters, be sure to wash them thoroughly to eliminate algae spores. Let me know if any of the suggestions work. Good luck.

Algae Attack! — A Recap

Question: HELP…I have a 10 gallon tank with 3 cherry barb fish. We are having a terrible time with algae growth. We will do a complete water change that includes new rocks, filters, and decorations. The tank will be troughly scrubbed. Within 5-7 weeks, algae starts growing. I have used the algae destroyer and some type of tablet to try to control the growth. No luck. The light is only on for 4 hours a day and that time is in the evening. No direct sunlight on the tank. We do feed the fish at night. We are getting ready to get rid of the tank. Any suggestions on how to keep the algae from coming back. thanks - LLP

Answer: Hi LLP, these things can be annoying, huh? Do you have plants in the tank? One trick is to add a few plants to consume the nutrients that the algae are feasting on. If the plants use up the nutrients, the algae won’t have enough to live on. A more reliable solution is algae eaters — my recommendation is the Otocinclus. They’re small, peaceful, and should be happy to keep your tank algae-free. Also, try this new aquarium-conditioning product called EcoBio-Block to control the nutrients that promote algae. Good luck.

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Technorati Tags: algae, algae attack, algae bloom, brown algae, green water, red algae, red algae hybrid

Did you ever think you couldn’t have fish because “they just die”? If all your fish die within a week of buying them, it’s not just the fish. The most common cause of mass fish deaths is an improperly cycled tank. Before you buy any fish, it’s absolutely imperative to make sure your aquarium is well-cycled.

What is cycling? Simply put, the cycling process is the time it takes to set up a biological filter for the nitrogen cycle to function inside the aquarium. Your aquarium is much more than a tank full of water, it has to be an entire contained eco-system to keep your fish healthy. The goal with your cycling time is to develop a culture of beneficial bacteria (or “bio-bugs”) that will break down the ammonia from the fish’s waste into nitrites, and then from nitrites into nitrates. Ammonia is extremely toxic to your fish and will kill them very quickly with much less than one part per million in your aquarium.

There are several methods for cycling. This is a metho