today I went over to my friend's house. He had told me b 4 that he got two oscars in his 50 gallon tank. When I took a look at it, I noticed that the whole tank was green and infested with algea. The gravel had a furry carpet of blue green algea also known as Cyanobacteria. Also the fake plants had a mysterious brown greasy thing growing on it. Also when I looked at the Chinese algea eater, I noticed that it was breathing rapidly. So fast that it was as if it was going through a seizure. There was also about a layer of poo an inch thick in the back of the tank!! I asked him when was the last time that he changed the water. He told me about 6 months ago!!! I just had to post this b cuz I thought that this was a major example of a irresponsible fish keeper . I was so outraged!!!!!!
irresponsible fish keepers
- Thread starter fish guru
- Start date
time to take out whatever cleaning stuff he has and show him how to do it. maybe he just needs help and things got out of control. do it for the fish!
Also be carefull, a big water change and everything will die... That is definitely some Old Tank Syndrome. I would say start by scraping off the algae, and doing a gravel vac with a 10% water change. Follow that up every day for 2 weeks and the fish can adjust gradually.
With the NitrAtes that high in the tank, and fish adjusted and adapted to those conditions, if you were to remove all of it at once with a big change, the fish will die, and your friend will then have a reinforced mindset that water changes aren't a real benefit.
With the NitrAtes that high in the tank, and fish adjusted and adapted to those conditions, if you were to remove all of it at once with a big change, the fish will die, and your friend will then have a reinforced mindset that water changes aren't a real benefit.
I told him to change the water but he says that the fish dies every time he does. I wish that I could help but he lives very far away from me... I also think that he is a very selfish person. He just wants to keep fish because I have some. He really doesn't have that big of an interest in this hobby. He doesn't know what nitrates and nitrites are! He also has the crazy idea of putting guppies in his pond. Of course, the went in shock and nearly froze to death. He has about ten guppies in a one gallon bowl with no filteration! They all lie on the bottom breathing heavily. I wish that I can do something . I'll help him change the water the next time I have the chance to.