Why Your Aquarium Gets Cloudy and What You Can Do About It

When you first bring that nice new aquarium at home, you probably imagine beautiful bright fish swimming around in a nice looking, clear tank. The unfortunate reality, is that the tank will occasionally have the problem of cloudy water, as any aquarium owner can attest to. Here we'll take a look at the usual reasons why the water gets so cloudy, and the things you can do to resolve this problem.




Sometimes an aquarium will get cloudy the first time you fill it up with water, even before you put in any fish. Why would this happen? Most likely it's because of the new gravel you put in the aquarium. Oftentimes new gravel will have dust, so if you notice cloudiness in a new tank, dump it out and rinse off the gravel thoroughly. In fact, it's a good idea to rinse off any new gravel you buy before putting it in your tank since it will usually have some dust in it. If the water is still cloudy, then your problem is most likely the pH level in the water, in which case you can treat the water with conditioners found at your local aquarium supplier.



Cloudy green water in your aquarium is a sure sign of algae. If you notice this problem, your first step is to determine what caused the overgrowth of algae. It will probably be attributed to an excess of 1 of 4 different things:



Phosphates - this is caused by the type of water you have in your tank. The way you determine if this is the problem is by testing the water for phosphates, and if it is indeed the cause, you will need to treat the water with a phosphate remover.



Nitrates - this results from the waste that your fish produce. If this is the problem then it might be that you simply have too many fish in your tank.



Light - this one is easy, simply move the tank somewhere away from direct sunlight.



Nutrients - most likely the result of too much food in the water.



A cloudy aquarium doesn't have to be stressful when you have the right information. In general, partially changing the water every few weeks, not overfeeding the fish, and rinsing out anything new that goes into the tank will usually keep the cloudy water away.



Brandy has been an avid writer and blogger for the past 2 years. Some of her hobbies include bowling, hiking, and singing in a choir. In addition, she builds informational websites. check out one of her latest sites at http://www.antiquesideboard.org where she provides some great information on antique sideboard, buffet tables, cabinets, and hutches.



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Betta Fish Diseases - 5 Common Signs of Betta Illness

While Betta fish have, of late, been becoming an increasingly popular pet around the globe, they remain a "fragile" species. Betta fish are very susceptible to parasites, fluctuations in living conditions (such as water temperature), and chemical levels in the water (such as ammonia and nitrates). In this article I have outlined the top 5 causes of Betta fish diseases and have included several resources I found helpful when dealing with sick Betta fish.
1) First of all, you want to look for any changes in your fish's usual color scheme or vibrance. When either stressed or ill, your fish will usually dull in color. It is important to rule out stress factors that may be influencing your pet before jumping straight to the conclusion that your fish is sick. Stress factors can include: A direct, bright light on your fish, a too-small living environment (no, Betta fish do not actually live in tiny puddles in the wild, despite what you may have heard), constant loud noises that are close to your fish's tank, etc. If stress factors are ruled out, you likely have a fish that has fallen ill.
2) Another common sign of illness is a constant gasping at the surface for air. This most often indicates a lack of oxygen in the water, often a result of dangerous levels of ammonia and/or nitrates built up in tank water. Usually a tank that is not cycled properly or has not been cleaned often enough will exhibit unhealthy toxin levels.
3) Another tell-tale sign of chemical imbalance in your tank are red-brown streaks around the gills of your Betta fish. Caused by build-up of nitrate, the flesh around the gills is the first to be deprived of both breathable oxygen and pigment. If this stage is reached, your fish is in very immediate danger and you should be quick to get it help.
4) One common Betta fish illness is that involving parasites. You will want to look out for white spots on the fins and/or body. These parasitic colonies can quickly overwhelm your pet's immune system and inhibit it's ability to breath oxygen. Several aquarium treatments exist for this condition.
5) The number one sign to look out for in diagnosing Betta fish diseases is lethargy. Extreme lethargy or laziness indicates, once again, a fish that is likely not getting enough oxygen. This can be caused by several factors including some chemical imbalances listed above.
Most deadly mistakes occur without the owner even knowing what's going on. What's worse, it can sometimes be too late to administer treatment by the time a condition sets in enough for you to spot it. If you're willing to learn how to take care of a Betta fish and give your pet the best life possible, I'll let you in on the resources and guides I used to save my fish when he fell ill and restore him 100% to his happy self. Everything you need to know including Betta care guide reviews, additional resources, my own story, and even a Betta fish blog can be found at http://www.how-to-take-care-of-a-betta-fish.info.
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Tropical Freshwater Fish Aquarium - Things You Need to Do and Avoid

Fish enthusiasts continuously grow in number and in their passion particularly for freshwater fish kept as amazing pets at home, in the office or other venues you choose. If you are seriously considering fish keeping, there are various basic tips on caring for a freshwater tropical fish aquarium, along with some do's and don'ts that you need to carefully observe.
Make sure that you allot a sufficient quantity of your time, some money and effort for your chosen hobby. You will need to obtain the basic equipment such as the aquarium or fish tank, heater, filter, aquarium stand, thermometer, lighting and hood, aquarium gravel, and you may have optional gadgets or add-ons such as aquarium plants and or other decorations.
For freshwater aquarium maintenance, you need to have the right supplies and equipment such as water monitoring tests particularly for ammonia or pH. You also need water additives for the removal of chlorine and buckets and siphons to facilitate your regular water change tasks.
So what are some things you need to remember when purchasing your tropical freshwater fish aquarium? There are actually an overwhelming number and choices of aquariums you can choose from varying in size and shape. The best criterion in terms of size is to choose the largest tank you have space and money for and that makes sense for your home or office. Larger aquariums are more stable and fish are more amenable to this, avoiding instances of fish stress, sickness, or death.
This does not mean that you can't start a smaller aquarium and be a success. It is also good to choose a shorter, wider and longer tank over its narrow and taller counterpart. The former allows more available surface area that facilitates gas exchange and eventually helps in keeping the fish tank clean and your fish healthy. The narrow taller tanks seem to be very popular and very available in stores. These styles still work fine and actually are designed to save space.
There are also vital points to consider when choosing the best location for where to place your freshwater aquarium. Always remember that you should not place the aquarium in close proximity to the door or window. A stable temperature is essential for the environment that you provide your aquatic pets, and this is directly affected when temperature fluctuates due to excess light reaching your tank. Furthermore, it may also cause algae growth which can be difficult to deal with.
Never put your aquarium or fish tank in a place where you have a weak floor especially for larger aquariums that hold heavier water weight. If you have carpet, the tank will put indents that are very difficult to get out if you decide to move your tank. You also need to ensure that the aquarium stand you use is sturdy enough to support the entire weight of the fish tank.
The art of fish keeping can be a very challenging task to deal with, however using common sense and doing your research to learn as much as you can, will increase the success of your venture.
Chris Walker is a fish biologist and an aquarium enthusiast. For more great information on starting a freshwater tropical fish aquarium, visit http://freshwateraquarium.org.
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Are Your Fish Sick?

Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing hobby, but it can turn stressful if your fish start to die off. The most common cause of fish disease is poor water quality so it is vital that you perform regular maintenance on the tank, making sure you do a partial water change periodically and clean out any waste or uneaten food so it does not decay and poison the water.
Many fish disease can be halted if you provide treatment as soon as you see any signs of your fish being sick. Therefore, it is important that you monitor your fish each day to see if there are any signs of illness.
Some common symptoms of disease are listed below.
White dots – sometimes fuzzy looking, almost like grains of salt on your fish. This disease is called Ichthyophthirius), or simply Ich. It is a rather common disease and is caused by poor water quality or can effect your fish when it’s immune system is not functioning up to par due to stress. It can be treated easily if you catch it in time. There is a special solution you can buy at the pet store to medicate your tank and, hopefully, get rid of this problem.
Gray patches on the skin, looks cottony and can be around the gills. This is a fungus also caused by excess fish waste and food decaying in the bottom of the tank. You can buy treatment for it and it should clear up easily unless you have let it go too far. In the future remember to clean the tank each week so you do not have a reoccurrence.
If your fish seem like they are gasping for air, this could be simply due to lack of oxygen in the water and not necessarily a disease. You could add an airstone to see if that helps the problem. Make sure you do not overcrowd the tank with too many fish.
If you see your fish scraping itself agains the bottom of the tank or the decorations, it’s possible that he has a parasite called Flukes. These attack the gills and skin and are rather difficult to get rid of once your tank is infected. Again, poor water quality will make this much worse. They do sell medication for the tank and you may be able to clear it up if you treat the tank at the first sign of trouble.
Rotting fins are sometimes seen if the fish is under stress and also if the water quality is substandard. It is a bacteria that is attacking the fins and you must treat the tank at the first sign of this problem. If possible, isolate the affected fish to another tank to prevent the bacteria from spreading.
To insure that you always have healthy fish, you should keep the tank clean and religiously perform partial water changes. This will not only keep your fish happy but will make for a better looking tank as well!
Lee Dobbins is a pet lover and owner of Fish Tank Guide.com where you can learn to setup your freshwater aquarium. Visit the site and learn more about fish disease.
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Tropical Fish Breeding for Beginners - Guppies and Swordtails

Breeding tropical fish can be a lot of fun. Try your luck at breeding livebearers such as guppies or swordtails.
Equipment Needed: Breeder Box or Breeder NetBreeding Grass 5 or 10 gallon tank for the baby fish or a tank divider that you can use for your main tank. A pair - 1 female and 1 male, 2 females to 1 male works even better
Two of the more popular tropical fish for beginners has to be Guppies and Swordtails. Guppies and Swordtails are livebearers which means that their babies come out swimming. Like most livebearers, there is not much to getting your guppies or swordtails to breed. If you have a male and a female then you will eventually have a pregnant female. The gestation period for livebearers is usually 28 days but can range from 20 to 40 days.
Place the male and female in the same tank together and they will soon mate. You are probably asking, how can I tell when the female is pregnant? When a female guppy is pregnant she will develop a dark triangular shaped gravid spot near her anal vent. This will get larger and darker as the pregnancy progresses. While you are waiting on the female to develop the babies it's time to make sure you are prepared for the delivery. We use plastic breeder boxes and always have without any problems. A breeder box is a small box plastic box about 4 inches long by 3 inches wide and 4 inches deep.
There is a removable "V" shaped trap in it which serves to separate the mother from the babies. When the mother fish has babies they fall through the slot in the "V" into the bottom of the box. After the mother is finished having babies, you can remove the "V" trap and the mother so that they babies have more room to grow. Some people have had bad experiences with breeder boxes and now only use a breeder net. It is also a good idea to purchase some real or plastic breeding grass for the top of the aquarium. The breeding grass is just in case the mother gives birth before you have a chance to put her in the breeder box. The young babies instinctively will swim to the top of the aquarium and the breeder grass provides a great hiding place so they won't get eaten by the bigger fish in your tank.
To feed your new arrivals you can use finely crushed flake food. Using your fingers, you can rub the flakes into a fine powder. Some only feed live foods such as baby brine shrimp. Live foods would definitely be the best way to go, but for most this is simply not feasible. Crushed or powdered flake food will suffice. Try to feed the babies 3 very small meals per day. You will invariably feed too much and the excess food will drop to the bottom of the tank or breeder box. To clean a breeder box we like to take a 3 ft. length of aquarium tubing and a small bucket. Use the tubing as a siphon to clean the bottom of the breeder box. Be careful not to siphon any baby fish.
Try to perform 25% water changes weekly for your baby guppies. This will aid in the optimal growth of your baby tropical fish. After a few weeks in the breeder box your new babies will soon outgrow their home and you will need to move them either to a new tank or your main tank with a divider installed. By 8 weeks old your baby fish will most likely be able to return to the main tank without a divider.
For more tropical fish and aquarium information, please visit FishLore.com - Tropical Fish & Aquarium Information.
Mike is an editor at FishLore.com. Designed for beginners, FishLore.com provides tropical fish information, how-to guides, articles, fish profiles, FAQs, forums and more! FishLore.com - Tropical Fish & Aquarium Information
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Different Types of Freshwater Aquarium Plants

By using different types of freshwater aquarium plants, you can create an aquarium that is unique from anyone else. The multi benefits of plants give a safer, hardier living space for any fish you want to have and they help protect both the tank and the fish. There are a lot of classes of plants and each class contains many plants. Prior to making a selection, you will need to research the classes and discover which plants will thrive best for you. Some of the more popular plants are listed below.
One plant for aquariums that is hardy for all types of aquariums is the Hornwort. This rootless plant will grow easily for even a beginning hobbyist. Because it is rootless, unless it is fastened down by gravel, it will float in the water. The leaves of this provide a nice, thick hiding place for the times when fish feel threatened. Two reasons this plant grows well are because it withstands pests and most fish do not like the taste of the plant.
Ferns are a plant that some aquarium hobbyists prefer to use when decorating the tank with live plants. The fern family contains a wide choice of plants and people often mistakenly refer to all ferns in this family under one word. They call it 'fern' and believe that word encompasses all ferns, but not all the ferns are the same just as all roses are not the same type rose. The Malayan Aqua Fern is a fast growing, relatively large fern well suited for life under water. The only condition the hobbyist should be on the lookout for is a regular schedule of making sure this fern has clean, well balanced water and fertilization.
Popular among hobbyists at all levels is the Amazon Sword. The plant name comes from the Amazon River where it is originally from, but it is now easily found in many states. This is a fairly easy plant to keep in an aquarium but it does need a lot of light. As time passes, this plant will grow to be big and the leaves will make the plant appear bushy. Too many of these in a tank can make the aquarium look overcrowded and messy. Some species of fish do enjoy eating the Amazon Sword so check the dining habits of your fish before buying this one. This plant is also susceptible to algae.
Flowering plants, like the Water Lily or the Water Hyacinth, look very lovely under water when they bloom, but the Hyacinth tends to be greedy about light and can block other plants from getting enough. It is considered an invasive plant and can quickly take over an aquarium. This is a plant that is best used by hobbyists with plenty of experience.
Brian Wong is a freshwater fish enthusiast, and enjoys helping others get started in this amazing hobby. His newest book, "The Ultimate Guides To Freshwater Aquariums" teaches aquarists everything they need to know about starting and maintaining a thriving freshwater aquarium. For more great information on freshwater aquarium plants, visit http://www.freshwateraquariumguides.com.
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Helpful Tips For Starting a Tropical Freshwater Aquarium

There are many worthwhile hobbies that you may seriously consider adding to your list of creative interests. Caring for tropical fish is a great option and you can begin your venture by learning proper knowledge and tips regarding starting a tropical freshwater aquarium. In the course of beginning this exciting aquatic adventure, there are several things you need to know and understand to have a successful endeavor.
How do you ensure that your aquarium, especially for beginners, is a success? It is every fish keepers ultimate goal to have healthy fish with remarkable longevity. An aquarium that is breathtaking adds not only self fulfillment but also color to a boring and dull room. However, you want to make sure that it will not take all of your time in maintaining your freshwater aquarium.
Setting up a tank takes time and patience to get started right. It is not a good idea to purchase a tank, set it up, and add fish to the aquarium in one day. If you want to have the best results and a wonderfully assembled fish aquarium, start by doing your research, then purchase your tank and equipment or an aquarium kit and set it up. Next, add water and run the filter system. Let the tank cycle for at least 48 hours which will allow the water conditions to stabilize and allows important micro-organisms to grow in your tank.
The freshwater aquarium setup is vital to the health and overall quality of your aquatic friends because it provides the environment for your fish to live and be comfortable. Stressed fish are most likely to have weaker immune systems, become susceptible to diseases and eventually perish.
Other fish keeping guidelines to consider include not overfeeding your fish and keeping them in an aquarium with compatible tank mates. A major part for successful fish keeping is determined by your maintenance of your freshwater aquarium. Make sure that you regularly make partial water changes to ensure good water quality. Check your filtration system and make sure it is working in order to provide the cleanest water and healthiest place for your pets. It is also imperative to give them enough room where they can live and interact with other tank mates. One of the biggest sources of tank problems has to do with putting too many fish in your aquarium. This can cause stress, excessive waste in the tank, algae problems, and more.
Choosing the best tropical freshwater aquarium setup is a very crucial yet rewarding effort to begin with in developing your passion for freshwater fish keeping. Make the most of your time by doing thorough research which will save you time, money, and most of all make aquarium keeping more enjoyable.
Chris Walker is an aquarium enthusiast. For more great information on setting up a tropical freshwater aquarium, visit http://freshwateraquarium.org/.
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How Do I Choose the Right Fish Tank?

Decide where you want your fish tank. You should not place an aquarium in front of a window, the direct sunlight will promote algae growth. The stand that you place the aquarium on must be able to hold the weight of a fully stocked tank.
A fully stocked fish tank will weigh about 10 pounds per gallon. Therefore a 30 gallon tank can weigh up to 300 pounds. The best place to put it, is in a room where there is a lot of activity, this allows the fish to get used to people. If the fish tank is placed in a room that has little traffic, the fish will be skittish. Think about this, anyplace you place your aquarium you may have a water spill.
So keep that in mind! What size should you get? The bigger the tank that you start off with, the happier you will be. Fish need lots of space to swim in, and they need oxygen to survive, both will be factors in your decision. Surface area is probably the major influence on the size of the tank.
One inch of fish to twelve inches of surface area is the general rule of thumb. After you have decided where to put your fish tank, and how big it should be. Picking one is actually really easy. You can pick a glass tank. They will not scratch as easily as other types.
Although you will find more shapes and sizes in acrylic. I thank it best that you get a stand that is designed for the tank you are buying. You don't want to take a chance that your homemade stand or other piece of furniture will not support the weight of your aquarium. 30 gallons of water dumped on the floor from a failed fish tank stand will cost more than the price of a store bought stand. The hood is a very important part of any aquarium set up. It provides a variety of jobs. It keeps fish from jumping out, and keeps things from falling in. You don't want to come home and find your favorite fish lying on the floor next to your tank! Your fish tank hood also keeps water from splashing out.
Lastly it keeps water from damaging the light and causing a dangerous electrical problem. There you go: the steps for picking a fish tank.
So you want more information on Fish Keeping, here you go. http://fishtanksgalore.com
Check this out. How to clean your fish tank. http://fishtanksgalore.com/fish-tank-maintenance
Joseph Coombes has been an active Fish Keeper for over 25 years!
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Welcome to my Blog...

This blog contains information about the world of fish, which in it contains about..ummm about fish of course ^^

So You Want to Keep Tropical Fish?

So you want to keep tropical fish? Congratulations on choosing a rewarding and satisfying hobby. Keeping tropical fish is an immensely enjoyable pastime providing you get it right from the start. It is my hope that within this article to bring you some basic information in an easy to understand way that will enable you to make informed choices and enjoy your aquarium for a long time to come.
Before you rush off to purchase the first fish you like the look of, you need to ask yourself a few questions to ensure that you do not find yourself deeply disappointed. I would really hate for you to find your purchase lying on the bottom of the tank and children crying because their pet has died.
Firstly it would be a good idea to work out what sort of fish you want. Do you like the idea or a gourami or two? Something more colourful like guppies perhaps? Something simple like mollies? Maybe something more exotic like cichlids are you your liking? If you are a complete beginner to fish keeping I would strongly suggest a 'Google' image search for tropical fish. Browse until you find something you like the look of - then find out everything you can about it.
From that starting point you should then consider if you would like more than one type of fish in your aquarium. The next important question is 'Are they compatible and make good tank mates?' You really do not want your fish eating each other. That's just as bad as dying on you. Compatibility will also cover things like water quality, hardness, ph levels and temperature. These things need to be close for everyone to get along just fine.
Your next consideration is how big will they grow? Fish are living things - they grow - you not stop it. A guideline is approximately 1 inch of fish to 1 gallon of water. This inch refers to the adult size and does not include the tail. Multiply this by the number of fish you hope to keep. Although tanks come in different shapes and sizes the measure of the volume of water they hold is what you are looking for. Sounds strange but larger tanks are easier to set up and maintain. In a nutshell 10ml of something unpleasant in a small tank will do far more damage than 10ml in a large tank.
Now that you have worked out what size of tank you might need, do you have room for this in your home? You need to consider a few things in respect to the placement of your tank. If you place the tank in a busy walk-through within your home like a hallway the sudden movement of people passing could startle your fish and cause distress. Placing your tank in direct sunlight will cause algae problems and you'll be cleaning it far more than you realised. The changing of water will be a regular occurrence. What route will you take with old 'fishy' water without spilling it on the carpet? After taking all that on board you'll still want to put your tank where it can be seen.
One word of warning. Tropical aquariums require heating, lighting and filtration. All of these eat electricity like there's no tomorrow. Please factor the cost of running these items 24/7 before you make any purchase. Fish keeping is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby not a stressful drain of resources.
Setup your own tropical fish aquarium avoiding the pitfalls that cause so much disappointment. Our hands on experience is here to help you.
http://www.in-my-aquarium.com
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