How to Clean a Fish Tank

Fish are one of the most docile house pets anyone can have. They pretty much entertain themselves. Everyone likes to look at them and watch them swim. Who could ask for a more cooperative pet?

Before you get too far ahead of yourself, fish are not self-cleaning. One day you’ll walk past the tank and wonder where your fish went. They didn’t go anywhere. You just can’t see them for all of the grunge and slime. The next time you walk past, all of your fish will be floating upside down. To avoid this tragic end, clean your fish tank on a regular basis. Need a few tips? Below, you’ll find the information you need to do the job.

If you’ve decorated the new aquatic home with plants, you are setting yourself up for an algae problem. There are fish that eat the algae, but they alone will not solve your problem. Algae, just like all plants, needs light, oxygen, and water to grow. A fish tank provides these things in abundance. Algae can clog up the filters and slime the walls of the fish tank. Purchase an algae scrubber or use a toothbrush to clean the walls of the fish tank. The toothbrush can also be used to clean debris from tank decorations. Avoid using a razor blade. Using them will ruin the glass.

Observe the fish tank at least once a day. If fish have died overnight, scoop them out. After you feed your fish, scoop out the excess food. Leaving food particles in the tank adds to the debris that gathers in the tank. Every few days, agitate the gravel on the bottom of the tank. Doing this releases the waste products and other tank filth so it can be cleaned out by the tank filter. You will still need to vacuum the gravel to remove any stubborn particles. Be careful not to suck up your fish in the process.

Experts recommend that you not remove the fish from the fish tank. Too much handling can traumatize them. Instead, remove water from the tank, about twenty percent at a time. Clean water that will be poured into the tank should be allowed to sit in a container overnight so that the chlorine has time to be released. Then you can add the fresh water to the tank.

Owning fish is not as low maintenance as it first appears. Taking care of their habitat is a must. Regular cleaning will ensure long life for your pets. Once you settle into a cleaning routine, having them around is still enjoyable.