Ammonia poisoning is the leading killer of fish in new fish tanks.
Is your fish running nuts, doing cartwheels like an act on America’s Got Talent finals?
I know, they are cute, and that’s what they what fish always do.
Wrong.
Is your fish gasping for breath and sticking close to the surface? Not cool. That is a danger sign.
If you notice heightened hyperactivity or inactivity from your fish, they may be a cause to worry.
Have you ever heard of Ammonia poisoning?
Bet you have.
Probably from mad-man Hitler’s chambers or your high school chemistry textbook. Well, it may be closer to home than you ever thought.
In your aquarium!
Sounds crazy, right? It’s that bad, best believe it.
Don’t freak out, though. I am here to help.
Take a deep breath and chill.
Better now?
Your fish isn’t dying anytime soon. Not when I am around anyway. You see am a guru, a master of fishes (ok, not really, but I have had a few fishes, and so I have a pretty good idea on how to care for them)
Now back to the serious matter of life and death (at least for your fish. Yes, ammonia poisoning kills)
In this article, I will walk you through.
- The danger signs. Watch out for this.
- Actions to remedy the situation.
- General best practices to improve the quality of life for your fishy friends.
Are you ready?
Hop along then, or instead, let’s swim together.
First things first, though.
What is ammonia poisoning, and how does it affect your fish?
Fish waste contains ammonia. Over time, the ammonia from your fish waste builds up. Ammonia build-up past a certain level becomes dangerous for your fish.
Ammonia changes the pH and temperature level of your tank water, making life hard for your fish.
If you don’t take action fast, the high ammonia levels will eventually kill your fish. It’s a painful death; trust me.
Lucky for you, though, the signs and solutions of ammonia poisoning are all here.
Read along. Your fish’s life depends on you, you know.
The Danger signs
I guess you have a few ornamental fishes. These signs apply to most of them.
Ammonia poisoning has many signs. The main ones Include.
1. Inflamed gills
Fish breathe through their gills. Tank water loaded with ammonia burns fish gills inflaming them. Check for color changes on the gills. Fish with ammonia poisoning usually have red, purple, or bleeding gills.
Are your fishes gills torn, frayed, or clamping up? That’s a sure sign of ammonia poisoning.
Don’t freeze, do something about it.
2. Color change
Is your fish turning darker?
Fish sparkle.
They have this exciting range of colors like the rainbow prism. Are your fish’s vibrant colors fading? No, it’s not your imagination running wild. That is a distress signal right there.
Does your fish have red, blue, or purple streaks across its body? That spells danger.
Your fish isn’t a performer at a street carnival in the Copacabana. It absolutely shouldn’t have weird markings on its body. Unless, of course, it was born with them.
These are classic symptoms of ammonia poisoning.
Check out your water quality fast.
3. Boredom and inactivity
A fish that doesn’t swim around? Doesn’t entertain?
That’s pretty odd.
Do you think your fish is just lazy or taking a nap?
Check carefully. There may be more than meets the eye. Your fish should be active, cruising around the tank having a good time.
Fishes are entertainers and love life at the top. Your fish lying at the bottom of the tank is not a good sign.
Investigate any signs of weakness. That’s not how fishes roll.
4. Can’t breathe
Gasping or difficulty in breathing is terrible, fish or not.
If your fish is at the surface of the tank gasping for breath, you should be scared. That’s spells danger in bold letters.
It only means the amount of oxygen in the water is below a critical value able to sustain life.
Take immediate action.
5. Appetite loss
How well is your fishy friend eating?
Is your Goldfish eating its vegetables? (pun intended)
No, seriously, is your fish eating like before. A loss of appetite could be a sign of an underlying issue — usually ammonia poisoning.
Feeding schedules and feed quantities should more or less be constant. Any deviations could be a danger sign.
Now that we know what ails our fish, how do we make it better?
Well, for a start, let’s take a closer look at ammonia poisoning.
Ammonia comes from our fish waste. The waste mixes with water to form a strong base, ammonium hydroxide (see why your chemistry teacher told you to pay more attention). The change in pH affects your fish.
Ammonia poisoning usually occurs when stocking our fish for the first time. Ammonia poisoning is also called “new tank syndrome.”
Here are a few ways we can do away with ammonia poisoning.
1. Avoid overstocking
I know you are excited about your first batch of tank dwellers.
You love the way your fish swim, and you have this urge to make their lives heaven on earth.
Unfortunately, you end up stocking so many of them in one aquarium. I know aquariums are expensive, and you want to cut on costs, but you may be killing your fish indirectly.
All living things produce ammonia as a natural waste product from food. In the ocean or seas, ammonia naturally dilutes in the water and disappears.
In the tank, unfortunately, you don’t have the luxury of millions of liters.
You have to know precisely how many fish can safely live in that space.
2. Do they need all that food?
Just like a doting parent, you don’t want your fish to starve to death. It kind of beats the point of having them in the first place, right?
Be careful though, the leftover food that’s not eaten will break down to ammonia.
Have an established feeding plan and stick to it. Any changes in feeding should be gradual and with constant checks.
If you notice an accumulation of uneaten food, reduce feed portions, and feeding frequency.
Remove the leftover food during cleaning by using a gravel hose.
3. Are the filters working?
The oceans and seas have natural filtration systems.
Sea plants, algae, and bacteria are natural filters. Bacteria consume the ammonia keeping its level in check.
You need to have the same ecosystem in your tank for your fish to thrive.
I know it’s almost impossible to have the same ocean set up in your tank, but you can get the basics cant you?
The basics are.
- Nitrosomonas bacteria are the primary consumers of ammonia. Make sure they are in plenty.
- Algae are very useful in consuming ammonia. It will be a good idea to incorporate them into your tank.
Natural filters improve water quality, reduce ammonia levels, and make life beautiful for our fishy friends.
4. Water change
Fish love water, right?
They can’t live without water — clean water for that matter.
How clean is your tank water?
Is your tank water murky with a lot of debris floating around? Has your tank water changed color?
Poor quality water is bad for your fish.
Poor quality water,
- affects your fish’s ability to breath,
- Contains diseases
- Leads to ammonia poisoning
Check on your tank’s water quality. Factors to consider include pH, temperature, hardness, and nitrate levels.
Now that we have the solutions of ammonia poisoning covered, let’s look at some best practices for your aquarium.
1. Regular cleaning
Fish thrive in a clean environment as most animals, including humans. Imagine having to live with all your bodily wastes swirling around you. Not a very fun idea, is it?.
Bacteria do the work of consuming your fish’s wastes. Ensure your tank’s bacterial levels are ok.
Try cleaning excess debris and uneaten food with a gravel hose pump.
Build up of algae is dangerous. They usually appear as a dark green cloud. Remove them.
Ideally, clean your tank once every two weeks or more depending on the quantity of fish.
2. Water Quality
Municipal water isn’t good for your fish. It contains chlorine, which is harmful to your fish. Use a de-chlorinator before putting municipal water into your tank.
Water change is vital for your fish’s existence.
Tank water is full of dissolved chemicals, nitrates, and phosphates specifically. These trace elements favor the growth of algae, acting like fertilizers.
Besides, decaying food at the bottom of the tank releases ammonia into the water. All this causes chronic stress on your fish.
A good rule of thumb is to change at least 10% to 25% of the water every 2–4 weeks.
Make sure you don’t remove all the beneficial bacteria from the gravel and substrate. Alternatively, choose a different day for filter cleaning.
Water change has to be gradual. Sudden environment change may shock your fish leading to death.
Conclusion
Having an aquarium is cool. It brightens your space and brings some flavor and color to your life.
Rearing fish isn’t rocket science. All it needs is some planning and knowledge of best practices.
Come on. You can do it. Rear some fish today.
