Freshwater

One common cause of overheated aquarium water is excess natural or artificial
lighting. Check the amount of natural sunlight the tank receives every
day. If too much natural light is causing the temperature to rise during peak
sunlight hours, then you need to move the tank, block out the light with a
thicker or darker background, or cover the windows with heavy drapes or
shades.
The duration and intensity of artificial lighting can be a problem as well. If a
light is constantly overheating your tank, switch to a lower wattage bulb or
leave the light off longer. Otherwise, your pets may end up looking like floating
fish sticks.
Check the fish
After you get up in the morning and choke down a few dozen cups of coffee,
make a quick inventory of all the fish in your aquarium. If any fish are dead,
remove them from the tank and take them to the bathroom for the final flush.
Rotting fish can cause serious biological problems and upset the tank’s balance.
If any fish seem to be sick or diseased, immediately transfer them to your
hospital tank (we explain setting up a hospital tank at the end of this chapter)
and begin treatment. If you check the health of your fish daily, you can take
care of problems before they get out of control.
Check the overall health of your fish very carefully. Take a close look at their
physical condition. Are they swimming normally, or consistently lurking in
the corners of the tank? Are their eyes bright and alert, or clouded over? Are
their fins erect, or clamped shut and drooping? Do they have a straight spine,
or do they look like Quasimodo? Do their bodies have normal, well-rounded
proportions, or are their stomachs swollen or sunken? If you can visually
identify physical problems, you need to check the aquarium’s water and
equipment.
Weekly measures
Chapter 11: Diseases and Treatments
Weekly routines are just like daily maintenance. Choose one day per week to
carry out the following tasks.
Check the water
Change at least 15 percent of the water in your aquariums every week. Many
large new filter systems and chemicals claim that you never need to change
any water ever again if you purchase and use that product. Nevertheless,
water changes are a good way to keep the water stable.
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