Freshwater

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Part III: Water, Chemicals, and Plants
Prevention and control treatments
Several chemical treatments protect the slime
coat (a natural coating that helps to protect it
against disease) on your fish’s body. These products
(Stress Coat is a good example) also help
relieve stress and deter the onset of disease.
Slime coat products are important for your fish,
especially ones that have just been transported
or netted. Your fish’s natural slime coat can easily
be worn off and leave bare patches that are open
to attack by various diseases.
Snail control products destroy snails in your
freshwater aquarium and help you keep them
Aquarium salt
Aquarium salt adds electrolytes (sodium) and helps your fish breathe better
by increasing their gill function when they are diseased.
pH regulators
pH regulators increase or decrease the pH of your aquarium water. You want to
increase or decrease pH depending on which way you need to go (see Chapter
14 for more on pH) to achieve the proper pH for your particular species.
Cichlid buffers
from coming back. Most snails are brought into
the aquarium system on live plants. Snails are
very sneaky and crafty (kind of like our kids) and
have the ability to slip by even the most experienced
eye. Snails can multiply faster than your
household bills and can ruin the appearance of
an aquarium as they get out of control. Nip them
in the bud. Once your aquarium is overrun with
snails, they are almost impossible to get rid of
and they often carry diseases that can damage
your fish’s health.
A cichlid buffer is a mixture of trace elements, sulfates, sodium, calcium, magnesium,
potassium, and carbonates that provide natural water chemistry for
rift lake fishes. (See Chapter 8 for more on cichlids.)
Chemicals You Need for Your Plants
For all you hobbyists out there with green thumbs, we present several chemicals
you can use to help your living aquarium plants thrive to their full potential.
(Don’t try them on plastic plants, because they may turn funny colors or
something.)