Problems With a Tropical Fish Aquarium

Setting up a fish aquarium can be a rewarding endeavor that will provide relaxation as well as add a strong visual element to your home environment. Fish aquariums, however, are not without problems, and a number of conditions can affect the aquarium. Fortunately, most of the problems you may have with your fish aquarium have solutions and can be resolved.

  1. Cloudy Water

    • The most common cause for cloudy water in an aquarium that has been recently set up is debris from the gravel. While some gravels are prewashed, many are not. Cloudiness from gravel silt will disappear in a day or two. If the cloudiness persists after a couple of days, it may be due to overfeeding, with the uneaten food particles clouding the water. It could also be due to excessive bacterial growth, which sometimes occurs in newly established aquariums. If the cloudiness is due to overfeeding, reduce the amount of food you feed the fish. Do partial water changes daily to control excessive bacteria, replacing approximately 20 percent of the water until the bacterial levels in the aquarium balance out.

    Algae

    • While it is not harmful to the fish, excessive algae can disturb the overall balance in the fish aquarium, and is not visually appealing. Algae requires water, light and nutrients to grow, all of which are present in an aquarium. Some types of fish eat algae, such as catfish and Siamese algae eaters. Having a couple of these fish in the aquarium can help keep algae growth under control. If your aquarium is near a window in direct sunlight, either move the aquarium or cover the side that faces the window with aluminum foil to reduce sunlight. Do not leave the aquarium light on for more than 10-12 hours a day. Do partial water changes daily to help rid the aquarium of algae, changing 20 percent of the water each day.

    Fish Disease

    • Fish disease occurs most commonly in aquariums where the fish are stressed because of poor water quality, over-crowding, the addition of several new fish at once or poor bacterial balance. Stress tends to weaken a fish's immune system, making it more susceptible to disease. Symptoms of disease include clamped fins, spots or sores, gasping at the surface of the water, not swimming and loss of appetite. Common fish diseases include dropsy, fin rot, fungus, ich and gill diseases. Most diseases can be treated with medication. You can figure out a diagnosis by consulting books, charts or by inquiring at the local pet store. Prevention is the best measure. Keeping the water in the aquarium clean and preventing stressful environmental conditions can go a long way to ensure fish health.