How to Deal With Aquarium Problems – Sudden Fish Death
Once the hard work of getting your aquarium set is is over with, all you have to do is kick back and watch them. It isn’t hard to take care of an aquarium, but like everything else, some things can happen that are problematic. It can look gorgeous and clear for a good bit, then it can start turning foggy and green around the edges, and your fish can start to die off slowly. Wondering what you didn’t do right? Or better yet, how to fix what you did wrong?
You really don’t need to run to the local pet supply store and buy a bunch of chemical quick fixes. This can only make everything worse! Another wrong thing to do is clean the tank sparkly and start all over again. When one does this, it completely removes any of the good bacteria that has been in the tank and you will only end up having to do this over and over again.
You really need to know the correct things to do in order to keep your tank up to par without using the chemical quick fixes that don’t really help at all. Here are some problems that happen with newly put together tanks and some solutions to fix them. Toxic Chemical Overload
One of the biggest problems with this is when the fish suddenly expire. Perhaps you forgot to take the time to cycle the tank before adding your fish. Most of the time fish will die suddenly due to an excess of ammonia nitrates from their waste. In order to see if this is the problem, get yourself a fish tank test kit. The thing is, if you don’t take the time to cycle the tank properly, you will diminish the amount of good bacteria that you need to take care of these waste products before it becomes toxic. For instructions on how to cycle a fish tank correctly, see Setting up a Fish Tank Aquarium – Fishless Cycling. Is your tank overcrowded? If you have way too many fish in your tank it can make the waste level rise too high, thus increasing the ammonia and nitrate levels. I know it’s extremely easy to buy tons of fish, but you must resist buying too many. Fish That Are Bullies
Did you make the mistake of buying aggressive fish and mixing them with your passive fish? Even though some fish may seem passive when they are small, they can get aggressive when they are older. Some of the most well known bully fish are Tiger Barbs. It may seem like it would make a perfect aquarium to obtain a lot of Tiger Barbs, but didn’t you wonder why they were all in separate tanks in the pet shop? Not Changing the Water Enough
Have you made sure to at least partially change the water weekly? The good bacteria in the water will help convert the ammonia and nitrates into less toxic nitrates. Yes, it was meant to read ‘less’ toxic rather than ‘non’ toxic. The best way to bring the nitrate levels down to a level so the fish can live, you must be sure to partially change the water. Unwittingly Adding Water Contaminated by Chlorine or Chloramine
Chlorine is found in all tap water, but the good news is you can remove it simply by letting it sit for a couple of days. There are some water companies that add chloramines, but they can’t be removed the same way as chlorine. This is one instance when you need to use a chemical to remove something bad from the water; use it if you know your water contains chloramines or if you aren’t sure if it does or not. Both chlorine and chloramines can prove to be fatal to fish. For more information on this subject, see Fish Tank Water Chemistry. Feeding Too Much or Too Often
When you feed your fish more than they can eat, the extra fish will rot and produce even more toxic chemicals than are already in the tank, which can be too much on the good bacteria. The toxins can elevate to a harmful level that can be the end of your fish. Overfeeding can also kill the fish directly as they will continue to eat because they don’t possess the ability to feel full. They will literally eat until their stomachs almost burst, which will cause them to die. Solutions
Always know the levels of nitrates and ammonia in your tank by testing. You shouldn’t have any of these in your water. If you find the water contains either, you should change out approximately 20% of the it. The best way to keep these levels at zero is to change out 10% of the water each week, and change out 30% one time each month. You should never change any more than half the water at a time so you don’t deplete the level of good bacteria in your tank. Keep your water tested regularly, starting at once a week, more often if you have problems with keeping the right levels. If you have too many fish in your tank, think of getting rid of some.
Don’t feed tropical fish more than they can eat or it can be really bad for them. When you see extra food that sinks to the bottom, you know you’re giving them too much.
Image by Pewari Naan