F.I.S.H.

The Fellowship of Icthyological Safekeeping Humanitarians is an organization dedicated to dispersing information about aquatic life for aquarists! See our official website below! https://compscistu.capilanou.ca/~kaelarauscher/Index.html

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Why Tumblr?

F.I.S.H. chose Tumblr as a blog spot because our Facebook page was banned!

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Water maintenance; Keeping the tank clean.

Cleaning your tank can feel like a big task to commit to weekly, however its really quite simple!

Basic tools

A fish net allows you to remove larger debris and waste.

A bucket is a useful staple to keep around. Whether you use it for acclimating fish, removing water, or treating new incoming water, it can help in all aspects of keeping an aquarium.

A siphon always you to mechanically pump water out from your tank while drawing waste out from the substrate!

A sponge doesn't need to be anything fancy. A scour or textured sponge can help remove stuck on build-up from the glass and won't release tons of fibers into the water.

Scrapers or handheld tools are produced for aquarists who need help with tougher build-ups or don't like to stick their hands directly into tanks.

Steps to tank cleaning

Remove large debris with a net. Often times you'll find food, plant matter, or fish waste have settled to the bottom of your tank. Prioritize removing this debris throughout the week as it collects to minimize the amount of ammonia being released.

Remove decoration for gentle scrubbing with a toothbrush under tap water or, if necessary, for a 10-20 minute soak in 3% hydrogen peroxide. This will remove algae and other bacteria that may have formed on the surface of decorations. During this step you may want to lightly scrub algae film off live plants as well.

Scrub built-up algae and waste from the glass. Green or brown film develops on glass over time and, although greatly harmless, it becomes unsightly. Using a sponge or aquarium scraper will easily remove film.

Optionally, you can agitate the substrate before siphoning. This may help loosen algae from gravel and release debris stuck beneath. For aquariums with sand substrate this can be an important step to avoid the build-up of harmful bacteria.

Siphon the waste from the tank's gravel and remove 30-50% of the tanks water at the same time! If practicing regular maintenance, you should be able to siphon less water each week (around 30%) but some weeks may call for the removal of a higher percentage based on the condition of water parameters.

Practicing regular water maintenance ensures the health of the tank by removing ammonia, waste products and decaying plant matter. Keeping up with this important aspect of aquarium care is a vital step in reducing illness within the tank.

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Over-taking the tank: How to remove black beard algae!

Blackbeard algae (Audouinella) has plagued the tanks of many fresh and saltwater aquarists. It appears as thick, soft, and darkly coloured tufts that resemble lush beards when in full force. Though cute initially, black beard algae quickly spreads if not addressed immediately, becoming difficult to remove.

Identifying black beard algae and its origin.

Blackbeard algae begins as small patches attacking natural elements of a tank first; edges of plant leaves, driftwood and rock hardscapes are usually the origin. Blackbeard algae doesn't discriminate, however, quickly moving to a tank's hardware, substrate and even it's snails!

You don't have to worry about harm coming to fish, though, as it's completely harmless! It can't release toxins, in fact your fish may enjoy the hiding spots offered by the lush growths. Plant death will occur if the overgrowth of algae begins to block the light needed to sustain plants, hijacking the nutrients in the water.

The causes of black beard algae growth include:

Too much lighting: Plant life thrives in well lit tanks, including unsightly algae growths!

Unstable CO2 levels: Unstable levels of CO2 prohibit plants from absorbing nutrients while algae continues thrives on unabsorbed nutrients.

A generous supply of nutrients: High levels of nitrogen products are fuel to support the explosion of algae growth.

How can it be removed?

Seen as one of the most stubborn types of algae due to disinterest among many algae eating fish to consume it, you'll need to be hands on with this pesky algae.

Removing light sources can be an effective treatment, but there are considerations to make. With this method, feed your fish in preparation to cut all artificial light and cover the tank to cut natural light sources. Leaving the tank in this state for up to five days will choke out algae growth, however, it will affect plant life and, in unlikely cases, result in minor fish loss.

3% Hydrogen peroxide treatment corrodes algae. In a tank with vulnerable aquatic life such as shrimp, snail, frogs and delicate fish with sensitive gills, doses must be carefully administered to avoid unnecessary loss. This is not to say general doses can't be administered. 3ml of peroxide may be added per 5 gallons for a gentle dose - up to 1ml/gallon will be an effective but heavy dose, so start small and work your way up if results are not seen. If black beard algae is attached to removeable elements of your tank, remove and soak those pieces in 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted in water in a 1:9 ratio for up to 10 minutes. With a soft brush, remnants of the algae will fall away after soaking.