Tropical Fish Tank Problems

Some of the more common problems encountered in tropical fish tanks, are easy to solve, and even easier to prevent, with a little work, and some patience.

Enthusiasm for the hobby is a great thing.  But too often, new hobbyists set up their aquarium, rush out and buy some lovely fish, and they promptly die, victims of “new tank syndrome”.

An aquarium, like a home, is a contained environment. In the case of the aquarium, it’s called a biosphere.  Setting one up is just the beginning of a long process, which requires patience.

Filling the tank, then plugging in the heater and filter, doesn’t mean it’s ready for fish.  Even the “extras” like gravel, plants and driftwood or figurines aren’t going to do it.  You need a biologically balanced medium for your fish to live in, because that is what they came from, and the shock of going into a “sterile” environment, is often too much.

A fish’s normal environment contains ammonia and nitrate, the first element being reduced by beneficial bacteria, to the second element.  A fresh tank has no ammonia, because it is produced by the fish breathing and excreting, as well as by the presence of extra food or even a dead fish that goes undiscovered. When you put fish into a clean environment like that, the ammonia they produce can accrue to a toxic level, because there is not yet any natural bacteria to reduce it to nitrite, or the additional bacteria that reduces the nitrite, to nitrate.  Ammonia itself can be poisonous, but so can the nitrite, which is the half-broken down product.  So the full spectrum of bacteria should be present, before fish are added.

How can you do that?  Some people will take 1/4 to 1/3 of their “new” tank’s water from an older, established tank that is free of disease.  Others take a slightly used filter from the older tank’s pump, and put it in the new one.  Some people use the gravel from an established, healthy aquarium, or plants directly from the older tank.

 Depending on how you approach the establishing of a balanced biosphere, going from initial set-up to “fish ready” can take from 3-7 weeks.  One recommendation is to first introduce a few of the less expensive fish you plan to buy, and let them occupy the space for a time, allowing the ammonia to build up, and the bacteria to break it down.  Keep in mind, the nature and temperament of the all the fish you plan to have, before deciding the order in which you will add them to the tank.

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