FAQ’s

FISH BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS

Fish are sat on the bottom or at the top of the tank, & behaving abnormally.

Possible Cause
Nine times out of ten water quality is the cause of most aquatic diseases/problems you should test the water or ask your local aquatics specialist for advice.

If you are unable to test the water straight away you should carry out a 30% water change and stop feeding the fish until the water has been tested.

If the fish are behaving erratically or seem to be scratching themselves against objects this may be caused by nitrite in the water (see below) or they may be carrying parasites. Check the fish thoroughly and check for small white spots on the tailfin and body or a grey or white film on the body, if any of these are present a treatment will need to be added.


If a particular type of fish is affected e.g.: - Plecostomus, Sharks (various), Corydoras or Live baring fish, this could be because the Ph level has dropped. The Ph level may be to low or too high. If you live in a soft water area aquariums do suffer with low ph problems this mainly accurse when the gravel or sand ages and its calcium is depleted. Increasing the ph level using coral gravel or other ph increasing products should only be carried out if the Ammonia level is 0.

Note: most treatments won’t work when the water quality is poor.

What should I be testing for?

Ph, The ph will tell you how acid or alkaline your water is, most tropical and cold water fish need a neutral ph of 7-7.5 to thrive. Some species have different requirements and you should consult your dealer for more in depth advice.

Ammonia, ammonia (NH _+) is a bi-product of fish waste and is very toxic to aquatic life, it is very common in new tanks and aquariums where the filter has been disturbed or over worked via over stocking or over feeding,

Nitrite, Nitrite (no2) is another product of fish waste caused when ammonia starts to be broken down by the filters, it is less toxic than ammonia but can still harm the fish in large enough quantities.

HOW LONG SHOULD I KEEP THE AQUARIUM LIGHT ON?

This very much depends on the situation of the aquarium and whether or not you have natural plants in it.

If the aquarium is situated where it will receive strong natural light, you might need to reduce the overall length of time the lighting is switched on. But given that in most cases the aquarium is ideally situated where you can have complete control over the light it receives, try to devise a programme where the length of simulated daylight it receives is something like the 12 hours typical of tropical areas of the world.

You might need to modify the length of time and reduce the lighting should algae growth become an associated problem.

MY AQUARIUM HAS AN UNSIGHTLY GREEN SLIME IN PATCHES ON THE GRAVEL AND ON THE INSIDE OF THE GLASS!

The slime is one form of algae, and can quickly infest the whole aquarium if left unchecked. There are various remedies available, and we can advise you as to which might be the best one for you to use. Reducing the artificial light will help to reduce it, but if you are also growing natural plants they will suffer due to the lack of light.

Algae eating fish will usually be a good remedy in the tropical aquarium, and well worth considering as a permanent safeguard against the problem recurring. It is not unusual for a light form of algae to form on the inside glasses of an aquarium, and removal with an algae scraper or magnet may become part of the regular maintenance routine.

Where the length of simulated daylight it receives is something like the 12 hours typical of tropical areas of the world. You might need to modify the length of time and reduce the lighting should algae growth become a problem. If problems can’t be remedied by the above consider testing for nitrate and phosphate.

MY POND WATER IS GREEN

This is a very common problem especially with new ponds that have not got adequate planting levels, or the fish stocking levels are wrong. Sun light in the summer months also promotes algae, solutions include:

Planting
A selection of surface cover plants such as lilies or water hyacinths to provide shade to the pond cutting the amount of light on it

Filtration
Filtration helps create a natural biological balance in the pond that when correct inhibits the growth of algae, ultra violet filtration is especially effective at breaking down algae on a cellular level keeping the pond crystal clear, see your local dealer for the best advice on your pond.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I FEED MY AQUARIUM FISH?

In a new aquarium or an unfiltered goldfish bowl you only need to feed once every other day as much as the fish will eat in a few minutes.

In a mature aquarium you can feed small amounts but more often, up to 3 times a day also you can feed a more varied diet e.g. frozen, live, pellets, flake, wafers etc. text is editable.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN MY FILTER?

Internal Power filters are best cleaned monthly (use only aquarium water to clean the foam) it is also beneficial to add a bacteria filter booster at the same time.

External filters only need cleaning every 6 to 8 weeks when any carbon needs to be replaced. Only clean any foams in aquarium water, if there is any ceramic bacterial media in the filter that needs cleaning again, clean in old aquarium water. Also add bacteria filter booster at the same time.

Undergravel filters need to be gravel plunged every month to keep the substrate clean and unclogged also add bacteria filter booster at the same time.

Some times you may find you need to clean the filters on a more regular basis. If so you may need to consider the amounts you are feeding or if the filter is adequate. 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CHANGE THE WATER IN THE AQUARIUM?

For best results a fortnightly 25% to 30% waterchange should keep the aquarium in good condition, always use a good water conditioner & make sure the temperature of the new water is the same as in the aquarium.

HOW MANY FISH CAN I KEEP IN MY AQUARIUM?

COLDWATER 1 INCH OF FISH PER 3 GALLONS OF WATER

TROPICAL = 1 INCH OF FISH PER GALLON OF WATER

MARINE = 1 INCH OF FISH PER 4 GALLONS OF WATER

This is only a guide; it will depend on what type of fish & filter the aquarium has and how often it is maintained.

SHOULD I ASK A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOUR TO FEED MY FISH WHEN I AM ON HOLIDAY?

Unless the person is an experienced fishkeeper in their own right you would be best advised not to have the fish fed while you are away. Well looked after fish will have been adequately fed by you, and have excellent body reserves.

If that is the case they will not suffer from a short period without food, whereas a temporary keeper without experience so often overfeeds the fish left in their care, fouling the aquarium and killing some or all of the fish. There are holiday food blocks that you can use for some aquarium fish, such as small community fish and goldfish.

ONE OF MY FISH IS SWIMMING UPSIDE DOWN!

Some fish (mainly coldwater fancy goldfish) can suffer with a problem called swim bladder; it is usually caused by a dietary problem. Rather than feed flaked food it is best to feed a sinking type of food or de-frosted frozen foods. An increase in temperature to 20∞ C may help and the introduction of some aquarium salt. 

HOW CAN I GET RID OF SNAILS?

There are some treatments that can be added to the water but they only tend to stun the snails. Clown loach can be an effective solution to snails in a tropical aquarium, as can puffer fish but puffers could be a problem if introduced to a community tank and should only be introduced with care and fore-thought. text is editable.

MY POND WATER IS BROWN

This is due to a silt build up at the bottom of the pond that is being stirred up by the fish or a pond pump that is placed to near the bottom of the pond.

The silt becomes suspended and turns the water brown, one way to sort this problem out is to use a product that can clump the silt together and make it sink to the bottom, this will then need to be removed either buy siphoning or vacuuming the pond or by adding a sludge busting enzyme.

Placing the pond pump at a higher level may help too because it will not pick up the silt from the bottom and it may naturally settle.

WHEN SHOULD I START/STOP FEEDING MY POND FISH?

The water has to be 10oC or above to feed your pond fish, although you will need to feed wheatgerm pond food when it is between 10∞ & 15oC when the water warms to above this you can feed higher protein foods. Feed only the amount your fish will eat within 10 minutes.

MY POND FISH ARE GASPING AT THE SURFACE OF THE POND!

This may be caused by low oxygen levels which is a problem in the summer months especially if the pond is over stocked or heavily planted, also if there is no pump or air supply to the pond.

If the surface of the pond is more than 2 thirds covered in pond plants you will need to reduce this and keep it reduced to only 2 thirds.

If you have a pump or air supply to the pond it is necessary to keep these on at night because it is at this time that the oxygen levels are at there lowest due to the plants producing carbon dioxide and not oxygen.

As a general guide 1” of fish per 1 sq ft of surface is a basic stocking level, but this would depend on the type of fish stocked and if there is any filtration fitted.

I AM MOVING HOUSE AND NEED TO MOVE MY AQUARIUM!

The best way to do this will be to bag the fish the same way as when you buy them from the shop and place them in a insulated box (available from your dealer) they should be able to stay in the bags for up to 6 hours or longer depending on what size bags you have used.

You will also need to keep as much water as you can from the tank as this will help the tank mature and resettle after the move.

Try and keep filters wet during the move as this will keep the filters alive for longer, If you clean the filter a few weeks before the move you should not need to do this again for at least 2 weeks after the move. Also if you can set the aquarium back up within 4 hours of turning everything off you will not need to clean the gravel or sand.

Once the aquarium is refilled and brought back up temperature you can float the fish and introduce them back to the tank in the usual way. It pays to monitor the Ammonia & Nitrite levels for the next few weeks after the move.

MY POND IS COVERED IN GREEN HAIR LIKE ALGAE!

This is called Blanket Weed and it is a common problem especially when the water is kept clear with the use of ultra-violet steralisers.

Blanket Weed needs clear water and phosphate to thrive in a pond, phosphate is present in tap water and is a by-product of fish waste and can be difficult to remove. Products that can be effective against Blanket weed usually contain Barley-straw Extract but this will need to be added regularly to alleviate the problem.