I'm new to fishkeeping. After a few days I setup my tank the white gravel and some accessories inside became brown in colour. Its like a layer of dust and i had to take off the stuff and clean with a brush to take it off.
Is this a problem or is it normal in freshwater tanks?
Pls help.
2007-01-07 09:06:18 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
yes
2007-01-08 10:33:47 · answer #1 · answered by Robert C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pleco's grow to about 16 inches and do NOT grow to the size of their enviroment. You can find somewhat smaller varieties but all are generally too big for a 10g tank. You COULD attempt to get Dwarf Oto's but they require a very mature tank and often die due to pet shop conditions. However even if you keep them alive they'll eat far less algae then you'd imagine. No algae eater eats all types of algae nor will they eat only algae. Most people feed their plecos and other such scavengers veggies to supplement what they do graze. The most effective algae cleaning critter is you. Algae needs two things to grow, nutrients and light. As long as you don't over feed your fish and only turn your lights on to view your fish you should be perfectly fine. You still might get some algae, but it won't be anything a little bit of algae scrubbing pad can't handle. Another tactic is to add live plants. Live plants will soak up the same nutrients and light and generally out compete the algae. If you still want a scavenger that deals with the occasional algae you can probably get away with a single mystery snail or a small group of red cherry or ghost shrimp. They will mostly eat the algae bits they like along with a share of fish food but will require a bit of scavenger food on the side too. However unless you REALLY want some more critters I wouldn't suggest adding more animals. You're pretty close to about how many fish you should have now and adding more animals will simply make any potential algae problem worse in addition to the other problems of overstocking. This is even before you consider that "algae eaters" are really scavengers and produce a lot more waste then other similar size animals.
2016-05-23 04:31:40 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you rinse everything you put in the tank (including the gravel) first? Any natural wood? Algae takes a while to grow and is very dark green, so I don't think it is algae.
Keep a filter system running full and change the filter itself once or twice until the water is cleaner.... and be patient!
2007-01-07 09:11:00 · answer #3 · answered by waynebudd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the colour turned brown over night , its not algae. Check for the toys inside, it may have diluted its artificial colour into the water.
If its turned brown over a period of time, Then YES its algae.
Keep your tank where there is no direct sunlight.
All the best.
2007-01-07 09:27:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
algae can be brown but it should not be like a layer of dust, it should be stuck to the rocks and gravel and it should not be that bad after only a few days.
what fish do you have, what/how much/often do you feed them, what size tank do you have and what filtration are you using?
Also what if any decorations are you using in the tank
2007-01-07 09:09:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Algae develops because your tank is exposed to too much light. If you have a light in your tank limit the hours it is left on for.
To keep algae down try purchasing a Pleco (Sucker Fish) These do a great job. They are like hoovers!
Try and invest in some magnetic glass cleaners too!
These are all great :]
Good luck!
2007-01-07 12:10:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont worry its normal
the same thing happened to my fish bowl
there are these little things that swim around in the water and the attach themselves to the accessories.
thats why it turned brown like that
u just have to buy a filter for the water or at walmart or petsmart or petco there is this liquid that comes in a little bottle and u put a few drops of it in the water.
its like a disinfectant, it gets rid of the algea
i dont remember what its called but it comes in a white bottle and it works really well
2007-01-07 09:14:00 · answer #7 · answered by smart_stuff101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea sound like algae get a Pleco {cleaner fish}. its should sort it out in 1 or 2 days x
2007-01-08 21:51:48 · answer #8 · answered by LISA N 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have petrified wood (ornamental) in your tank that could be the reason for the Brown dust/scum or simply that you haven't washed the gravel sufficiently
2007-01-07 09:11:19 · answer #9 · answered by Carrot Cruncher 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
u need 2 take the fishes out and clean the tank.
2007-01-07 09:09:27 · answer #10 · answered by diana r 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just don't let your friends pour beer into the tank to try and get the fish drunk.
...i know from experience, my friends are idiots
2007-01-07 12:17:07 · answer #11 · answered by Jesse 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋