Algae (pronounced AL-jee) are simple forms of marine plant life. They’re pretty basic: they lack leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, and all the other things we normally associate with plants. The term ‘algae’ is an umbrella phrase that’s used to refer to all forms of marine life that are capable of photosynthesis (converting sunlight into energy), although some forms of algae rely entirely on external supplies of energy (in the form of protein and fish waste in the water) for food.
Algae (pronounced AL-jee) are simple forms of marine plant life. They’re pretty basic: they lack leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, and all the other things we normally associate with plants. The term ‘algae’ is an umbrella phrase that’s used to refer to all forms of marine life that are capable of photosynthesis (converting sunlight into energy), although some forms of algae rely entirely on external supplies of energy (in the form of protein and fish waste in the water) for food.
However, when levels get high enough to be visible to the naked eye, you’ve got a surplus.Unless you maintain your aquarium regularly, you can pretty much count on regular growths of algae obscuring your fish, making the water smell, and generally detracting from the aesthetic appeal of your tank.
But what is it – and how do you get rid of it?
Well, it depends on the type of algae that you have, since each one needs to be treated in a specific manner. The most common forms of algae to affect tropical
Fish tanks are:
1. Brown algae
2. Green algae
3. Blue-green algae
4. Green water
What to do about brown algae
Brown algae is usually the first to appear in a newly established tank. It’s pretty easy to see: it looks like cloudy brown slime growing along the sides and bottom of your aquarium, as well as clinging onto gravel, rocks, and ornaments.
Limiting the light available won’t make any difference to this type of algae, since it’s perfectly capable of growing at low-lighting levels.
Instead, you need to cut right back on the nutrients available for sustaining its growth – which means feeding your fish less. High protein levels in the tank, derived from fish food, will fuel this algae’s growth.
Even if your fish are eating all the food you give them, this doesn’t mean you’re feeding them the right amount: when it comes to food, fish are natural opportunists, which means they’ll eat everything that’s available regardless of how much you feed them. If they’re overeating, they simply excrete the undigested food – which then floats around in the tank, feeding the algae instead!
Make sure you follow the directions stringently on the fish-food package, to be certain that you’re minimizing nutrient levels appropriately.
In addition to keeping food levels down, make sure you’re maintaining your tank adequately with enough water changes and gravel and filter cleanings.
If brown algae appear in an established aquarium, you’ll need to check the phosphate and nitrate levels, as too much of either will encourage the growth of the algae.
If the problem remains ongoing, you can use algae-eaters. These are bottom-dwelling fish – such as the American-flag fish and the Siamese algae eater - which feed on algae, and are commonly stocked by pet stores and fish traders. They’ll make quick work of your brown algae problem!
What to do about green algae
Green algae will appear in just about any tank with plenty of light. Fortunately, it’s easy to remove (it doesn’t cling to the glass too much) and most algae-eaters will consume it with gusto.
For green algae, make sure you’re minimizing the protein in the tank, as you would for brown algae. Start by cutting the fish-food back by one quarter, and pay close attention to the appearance of your fish: if their bodies become flat and thin, they’re not eating enough. They should be getting just enough food to remain slightly round-bodied.
Keep your fish tank stocked with plenty of algae-eaters and the problem should take care of itself (although it bears repeating that a certain amount of algae, particularly green algae, is to be expected).
What to do about blue-green algae
Blue-green algae are technically not really an algae in the true sense of the word – it’s actually a form of bacteria, called cyanobacteria, which is a type of bacteria capable of photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria is one of the oldest organisms in the world, and is thought to have been around for at least 3.5 billion years!
It looks like a slimy coating in a number of greenish-blue shades, and the wastes it releases can actually be toxic to your fish – another good reason to keep it to a bare minimum.
The good thing about blue-green algae is that it’s easy to remove manually: usually, it forms ‘sheets’ of hanging matter in the water, which can easily be scooped out.
The bad thing about it is that it’s pretty hardy: even after a thorough removal, it’ll usually have returned by the next day.
This algae is usually caused by low levels of nitrates (usually in combination with high levels of phosphate), and an imbalance of bacteria in the water.
How to get rid of this persistent eyesore:
Block all light for a week, and siphon the dead algae out of the tank each day. Your plants will be feeling pretty sorry for themselves by the seventh day, but they should recover just fine.
Add new bacteria after every water change. You can purchase bacteria pellets for this express purpose from your pet store and aquarium supply dealer. Ask for bacteria pellets that remove ammonia and excess protein from the water.
Be stringent with your tank maintenance: keep everything clean, check the filter for clogging, and make sure the lights are working adequately (blue-green algae need light to survive, but good fluorescents are necessary to maintain an adequate balance of bacteria and plant life in the tank).
What to do about green water
If the water in your tank is green, cloudy, and murky, then you have green water. This is a particular form of free-floating algae which hangs suspended in the water, giving it that characteristic opacity – in some cases, the water becomes so green that the fish are obscured.
It’s usually due to a significant excess of light (usually sunlight, as opposed to too much fluorescent), or a problem with your water quality.
To treat this problem:
Block all sunlight from reaching your tank for several days to one week. You can do this by draping fabric over your tank, or making sure that all the curtains remain drawn in the room where your aquarium is placed. This is very effective.
Keep your filter mesh as fine as you can: most generic filters come with pretty coarse mesh, so replace it with a fine-meshed sponge or use a diatomic filter (designed specifically to treat algal problems). Remember to check the filter regularly, or else it’ll get clogged.
General algae prevention tips
Regular maintenance of your tank is one of the best preventative measures when it comes to algae:
1. Change the water regularly
2. Clean the aquarium regularly
3. Use a UV filter in the tank
4. Situate the tank away from direct sunlight
5. Don’t overcrowd the fish
6. Keep the food levels down
7. Minimize aeration unless your aquarium is very well stocked: keep air stones and vents to a minimum
8. Utilize your plants’ nitrate and phosphate absorbing capacity: stock your aquarium with plenty of fast-growing species like Ambulia and Egeria
9. Maintaining a healthy, attractive aquarium can be a pretty complex task – there’s so much to keep track of!
For smart, relevant, detailed, and easy to follow advice on keeping a professional-standard aquarium, we recommend Katy’s Tropical Fish – A Complete Guide.
It’s packed with valuable insider tips for keeping a fabulous aquarium, regardless of budget and experience – all aspects of tropical aquarium maintenance are covered, from fish health to algae problems to fish compatibility. It’s a complete owner’s manual!
This plant is very alike to Echinodorus Amazonicus and shares the same common name. The only difference is that the leaves are broader and can be straight.
This plant can grow very big, so it is recommended to keep it separated from others. This plant is easy to grow and produces a lot of oxygen. It is possible to see the little bubbles underneath its leaves.
Aquarium plants are as important to aquariums as water is to fish. Aquarium plants add more life to aquarium and make it to look beautiful while completing the aquarium community structure.
The most important thing to bear in mind with plants is to form an attractive background, leaving ample space so the fish can swim undisturbed and be seen. The tall, grassy type is best planted at intervals in rows, while the feathery ones look better when they are bunched into small clumps, which makes them to appear like branching bushes. When planting rooted plants, hold the tips of the bunch of roots between the thumb and second finger and rest them on the sand. Now with the first finger push the upper part of the roots (where they join the stem) about 2cm into the sand. Without moving this finger scrape with the thumb and second finger some sand over any uncovered portion of the root.
When putting in rootless plants in bunches, the method explained above is repeated, but this time the lower ends of the stems are placed together and treated exactly as if they were roots. It is important that the water surface should be right up to the lower edge of the top angle iron of the tank, so that looking from the front the water surface can not be seen and the viewer gets the impression that there is no water in the aquarium. If the level is allowed to fall below the top angle iron the tank looks like a container holding water.
Water Parameters
1. Plants are just like your tropical fish when it comes to water parameters.
2. Different aquarium plants require different water conditions.
3. Be sure to find out the required water conditions for the plants you want.
4. You need to know things like ph, hardness levels and lighting levels for each plant.
Good Substrate
You will need to have a good substrate in order for your plants to survive.
There are clay planters you can get to place your plants in or you can even place some plants directly into the gravel. If you place your plants directly into the gravel you will need to use an iron supplement for your aquarium water since these plants won't be getting the nutrients they need from the iron fortified clay.
Good Lighting
Different aquarium plants require different levels of aquarium lighting, usually measured in watts per gallon. If you want your plants to thrive you must pay attention to this measurement in order for photosynthesis to take place. CO2 is also required for photosynthesis. CO2 can come from the fish respiration process going on in your tank. However, if you have a heavily planted tank, you may want to get a CO2 injector for your aquarium because you won't be getting enough CO2 from your fish.
Fish Compatibility
Certain fish species will make aquarium plant keeping a nightmare. For instance, Silver Dollars really enjoy nibbling on live plants. Likewise, Oscars and Goldfish will enjoy uprooting any aquarium plants you place in the tank. If you already have fish, do some research on your particular species before embarking on your live plant journey.
Before attempting to change the pH of aquarium water, you should ask yourself if it is really necessary to do so. The pH range quoted for a given species may be based on its native waters. Although it might be desirable to mimic these conditions to some extent, the fish may be quite capable of thriving at a slightly different pH. It is also worth considering that many fish acquired in the hobby may have been aquarium bred for many generations and already become accustomed to water conditions quite different to their natural habitat. Providing a pH is usually more important than the exact value, as long as extremes are avoided.
Increasing ph
1. Aerate the water, driving off the carbon dioxide (CO2)
2.Filter over coral or limestone
3.Add rocks containing limestone to the tank or use a coral sand substrate
4.Use a commercial alkaline buffer.
Lowering pH
1Filtering water over peat
2.Add bogwood to the tank
3.Inject carbon dioxide CO2
4.Use a commercial acid buffer
5.Water changes with softened water or RO (Reverse Osmosis) water.
Attempting to lower the pH of well-buffered water with commercial chemicals or acid solutions
is likely to result in a losing battle, as the buffer system causes the pH to restabilise at its original value.The resultant pH swings are likely to be harmful to fish. The solution is reduce the buffering capacity or carbonate hardness (KH) first.
Apart from the effect of pH itself, there are important effects on the toxicity of ammonia and nitrite with changing pH. Therefore you should be particularly wary of attempting to change pH when either of these waste products is detectable - in particular, during the cycle. It is safer to let the cycle finish before attempting to adjust pH - it may settle at a different value once the cycle is complete in any case.
The Betta originally came from mud puddles in Southeast Asia. Itis also known as the Siamese Fighting Fish, because beta males are totally intolerant of each other and will fight violently.Their distinctive feature is the long broad fins on the males. Females have very short fins. Betta Fish come in a variety colors and are very slow swimmers most of the time.They have a labyrinth which allows them to breathe air directly. You will find them continually at the surface of the water. Bettas are often sold in small bowls or cups, because they don't need oxygen from the water like most other fish.They will eat flake foods. Although Bettas are often kept at room temperature in small bowls, they will do better in a heated aquarium. Frequent water changes are necessary if they are kept in a small container.
Bettas fish are beautiful and very popular aquarium fish, betta fish are also called Siamese Fighting Fish. Never mix two males together because they will fight. They will flare their gills and fins when confronted with another male. They are slow moving and like to hover near the water surface. Betta Fish normal life span is 2 years. They have a special air-breathing organ (labyrinth) that allows them to live in water with low oxygen content. For this reason bettas are sometimes kept in small bowls.
Bettas in Small Aquariums
The best way to keep a betta is a small filtered, heated aquarium. A 5 or 6 gallon filtered aquarium is idealKeep the temperature at 78-82 degrees with a small heater Keep the filter running 24 hours a day, and change ¼ of the water every 2-4 weeks. Bettas are slow moving and like to hover near the surface, and a few floating plants would be appreciated. Tank mates can include a couple of small catfish, a snail, and a couple of small Head& Tail Lite or Red Eye Tetras.
Betta Fish in Community Tanks
Betta fish are not recommended for community aquariums. But some people do keep them with other fish. Here is some advice for community tanks:
1. Keep the temperature 78-82 degrees.
2. Bettas are slow moving and like to hover at the top. Provide some floating plants for hiding.
3. Avoid aggressive tank mates that may nip the Bettas fins. These include tiger barbs, large gouramis, and black tetras.
4. Avoid slow moving tank mates that the betta may nip. These include guppies, neons, small tetras, angelfish, and goldfish.
5. Possible tank mates include Dwarf Gouramis, Head Tail Lite Tetras, Moons, Mollies, Catfish, and Small Red Tail Shark
Bettas in Small Fishbowls
A small fishbowl is not the best way to keep a betta. However because of their air breathing organ a betta is one of the few fish they may survive in an unfiltered fish bowl. If you want to keep a betta in a fishbowl please follow these guidelines:
Maintain at least a 2 gallon bowl. Avoid 1 gallon bowls. Bettas like warmth. Place the bowl in a room in which the temperature does not drop below 70 degrees. Change ½ of the water weekly.
Let the new water sit for about 2 hours prior to the water change so that it will come to room temperature. Add chlorine neutralizer to the new tap water. The most common mistake made by bowl owners is overcrowding. A small fish bowl will only hold one fish.. (You will have to trust us one that one.) Other fish will make the bowl too crowded, and the water quality will deteriorate. A betta is a solitary fish and it will not become lonely. Feed once a day with a special betta food. Remove uneaten food with a net.
Feeding Betas
Feed bettas once or twice a day. Buy a special food that is designed for bettas. We recommend Tetra Betta Min or Hikari Betta Pellets. They also enjoy tubifex worms, frozen bloodworms, or Formula 1 frozen food. Observe you betta at feeding time. Remove any uneaten food with a fish net after 10 minutes. To avoid overfeeding be sure that only once person in the family feeds the fish. Overfeeding will make the water cloudy.
Breeding Betta Fish
You can breed bettas if you get a book and study their breeding habits. The male has longer fins and more color. The females always have short fins. Males are females should only be mixed with breeding conditions are set-up. (Otherwise they will fight.) Females should be conditioned separately and must be fat in belly before breeding is attempted. Bettas are bubble-nest builders. Males build a bubble nest and place them in nest after mating. Female can be removed after eggs are laid.