What Are the Causes of Aquarium Water Stinking?

When you have an aquarium, whether you have one fish or many, if you don't take proper care of it and work to keep it clean, you'll end up with a smelly tank. A stinky tank doesn't only take away from the aesthetic appeal of the tank, it can also contribute to disease and cause your fish to get sick or die. Take care of your aquarium to prevent turning it into a smelly nuisance.

  1. Excess Food

    • Overfeeding your fish contributes to smelly water. Since the fish are unable to eat all the food, it sits at the top of the tank or gets caught in decorations, in the gravel or stuck in the filter. After feeding your fish, wait approximately two minutes and remove any excess. Fish only need to eat once a day. Overfeeding contributes to algae growth and can make your fish sick.

    Dead Fish

    • If you have a large population of fish in your aquarium you might not notice if one of your fish goes missing. Check inside the filter and under or behind decorations to locate and immediately remove a dead fish. It could also be floating around and not immediately stick out to you as dead. Carefully observe your fish for signs of life if you suspect one may be dead.

    Overpopulation

    • Overpopulation is a severe threat to the health of your fish. Each fish needs adequate space, and crowding too many in a tank causes the filter to work harder to remove waste. Eventually the filter becomes completely ineffective and waste accumulates in the water, creating an odor. The number of fish you can safely keep in a tank depends on the type of fish, filtration system in place and enough water volume to sustain the waste output.

    Insufficient Maintenance

    • You cannot leave your fish to their own devices and expect them to thrive. Change from 10 to 15 percent of the water every week, replacing it with dechlorinated tap water. Changing only a portion of the water removes some of the waste and bacteria, but keeps good bacteria present too. Change or clean the filter at least every two months, and more often if you have a large tank with a high population. Do a complete clean of your tank once a month, making sure to clean decorations, shift the gravel and remove any algae growth on the sides of the tank.

    Algae

    • Algae growth in the tank also causes a stench. It grows on the sides of the tank and covers decorations in a brown or green color. The two primary causes of algae growth are overfeeding and too much artificial light exposure. Take your tank out of the window and remove it from direct sunlight if algae is a concern.