Tropical Aquarium Problems & Remedies
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You’ve set up your tropical aquarium (Fish Tank Set Up) added some fish and everything looks great for a while, then slowly the fish start to die, the algae takes over and the tank looks nothing like those sparkling tanks in all the pictures! What do you do?
What you don’t do is panic, rush to the pet shop buy a load of ‘remedies’ and pour them into the tank. This will, in all probability only make things worse.
So, take a deep breath, stop panicking and read on.
The no 1 problem - sudden fish deaths
The first thing to consider is - did you cycle the tank properly? This is the most common cause of sudden fish deaths. Many people just don’t have the patience to do this right and end up with far too many fish in an inadequately cycled tank and wonder why their newly acquired fish are not healthy and happy. Read Fishless Cycling - a Better Method again. Have you tested the water recently for nitrites and ammonia. Instead of buying fish remedies go out and buy a proper water testing kit and use it at least weekly so you are alerted before your fish start to die.
The next thing to consider is the number of fish in the tank. Is it overstocked? Too many fish will, again, result in the levels of toxic ammonia and nitrites soaring. Were you tempted by the latest addition to the shops stock and added just too many fish to an already fully stocked tank?
Are you fish compatible? Do you have aggressive fish in the tank that bully the others? Tiger barbs look very pretty in the shop but is you notice that they are kept in tanks on their own? They are often peaceful when young but grow up into bullies that will chase and harass other fish. Read Community Fish You Can keep Together to find compatible fish for your community tank.
Have you partially changed the water in the tank at least weekly? Toxic ammonia and nitrites are processed by the beneficial bacteria to form the less toxic nitrates. Note that is less toxic not non-toxic! If you leave the tank without a water change for long periods the nitrates can build up to a toxic level. If you have changed the water regularly did you make sure that the water was chlorine and chloramine free? Chlorine can be removed by simply leaving the water for a few days for the chlorine to evaporate but some water authorities also add chloramines which are not removed on this way. You will have to add a chemical water conditioner if this is the case.
Did you overfeed the fish? This is a very common problem, especially with new hobbyists. Fish are programmed to eat when there is food available and they don’t have the ability to stop when their stomaches are full. Overfeeding can lead to sudden death as their stomachs swell. Overfeeding can also lead to food collecting on the gravel and decaying putting a burden on the beneficial bacteria and leading to high levels of toxic compounds in the tank.
Remedies
Firstly test the water! If the levels of nitrites and ammonia are too high you have found the problem. make it a routine to test the water at least weekly to forestall any future problem. Use a siphon to remove any decaying food on the bottom of the tank then do a partial water change with treated water. Never replace all the water or clean out the tank completely. This is a common reaction for new hobbyists and completely the wrong thing to do. You need the beneficial bacteria and cleaning out or replacing too much water will only make the problem worse. Change about 20% of the water as an emergency measure then test again to make sure the levels are now satisfactory. Once a week do a 10% water change and once a month a larger water change of about 30%.
The no 2 Problem - Cloudiness
Most new aquariums will go through a period of cloudy water so again, don’t panic and throw chemicals into the tank to deal with it.
In a new tank the cause of cloudiness is the build up of beneficial bacteria free floating until they settle onto the gravel, glass or decorations. This is a good thing as you need those bacteria for a healthy tank. It will clear in a few days or at most a couple of weeks. Make sure you don’t overfeed the fish as the bacteria have not multiplied enough to cope with any extra toxic build up.
If the cloudiness persists after two weeks you may have a different problem, known as bacteria bloom. This is commonly caused by, again, overfeeding. Rotting food left in the tank will produce nutrients for bacteria. Now while you want an abundance of nitrifying bacteria you do not need an abundance of other types of bacteria. By providing lots of nutrients in your tank you will encourage the growth of all sorts of harmful bacteria, which will multiply out of control and lead to a cloud of millions of bacteria. The cloudiness itself will not harm the fish but, if there is enough rotting food to produce all those bacteria, there will inevitably be a build up of ammonia and nitrites which is harmful.
Another cause of cloudiness is algae bloom. It may be slightly green but usually is indistinguishable from bacteria bloom. if you have a diatom filter you can check the filter to see if the filter has trapped green or yellow particles, but failing this treat it as if it was a bacteria bloom.
Remedies
If the tank is new have patience and wait to see if the cloudiness disappears on its own. Siphon off any uneaten food from the bottom of the tank and make sure you are not overfeeding. Only give as much food as the fish can eat in a couple of minutes. Remember fish rarely die from underfeeding! For an established tank that suddenly develops cloudiness do a 30% water change. If it doesn’t clear in a couple of days you may have an algae bloom. Turn off the lights and stop feeding the fish for two days. This won’t harm the fish, in fact many experts think an occasional fast is good for the fish!
There is no need to go out and buy chemicals to treat these problems! Many stores will sell you chemicals but remember they are in the business to make money, they are not going to give you advice that you can follow for free! all of the problems outlined here are much better tackled without adding chemicals to your tank. of course, if you let the problems of overcrowding or overfeeding persist you are going to encourage diseases to multiply in your tank and you may then need to buy specific treatments. Proper tank maintenance and correct feeding as well as quarantining any new additions should ensure your tank is disease free. For more tips on maintaining a healthy tank read Tips to keep Your Aquarium Healthy
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