Salt-grain spots may be ich. How to recognize it, the look-alikes, why the heat advice is disputed, and who should set the treatment.
Ich White Spot on Fish: Identify It Before You Treat Read More »
A quarantine tank is a plastic box, a sponge filter and a heater. What it protects against, what it costs, and the honest case for skipping it.
Quarantine: The Cheapest Insurance in the Hobby Read More »
One fish is gone and the others are still in there. What to do in the first hour, in order, and what the body and the tank can still tell you before it is too late.
A Fish Died and I Do Not Know Why: The First Hour Read More »
Loss of buoyancy control is a sign, not a diagnosis. What the three patterns point at, what to check first, and why the tank matters more than the fish here.
A Fish Is Floating, Sinking or Swimming Sideways Read More »
Ragged fins have three common causes and they need different responses. What the edge looks like in each case, and why the tank tells you more than the fin.
Fin Rot vs Fin Nipping: Telling Damage From Disease Read More »
Hard green dots on the glass are usually a light and low-phosphate problem, not a dirty tank. How to remove it safely, including on acrylic.
Green Spot Algae on Aquarium Glass: Causes and Removal Read More »
Why black beard algae appears where it does, what slows it down in a low-tech tank, and why we will not publish a chemical dosing rate.
Black Beard Algae in an Aquarium: Causes and Control Read More »
Brown dust coating a new tank is a diatom phase, not a mistake. How to identify it, what actually shortens it, and the cleanup crew mistake to avoid.
Brown Algae in a New Aquarium: Diatoms Explained Read More »
Green water is free-floating algae, so surface scrubbing and water changes fail. What works, why, and the trade-offs of UV and blackouts.
Green Water Aquarium: What Actually Clears the Bloom Read More »
A tank that was clear last week and hazy today has a trigger. Work backward through the last ten days, and separate a bloom from suspended debris.
Cloudy Water in an Established Aquarium: Real Causes Read More »