Category: Hygger Aquarium Official Blog

– Tropical Fish Lighting Requirements

Lighting plays an essential role in aquariums. It is helpful for the photosynthesis and growth of aquatic plants, while it is also vital for fish growth and health. So what are the lighting requirements of tropical fish? Has this question floating around your mind? If you know little about it, just read on. Given below are more about tropical fish lighting requirements.

Aquarium lighting spectrum

Light spectrum measurement

In aquariums, light spectrum means the spectrum of visible light. According to the wavelength of light energy, the visible spectrum is measured in nanometers. Also, the wavelength of visible light is commonly between 400 and 800 nanometers. On the other side, the light spectrum can also be measured in Kelvin. While Kelvin describes the color temperature of light. Commonly, red light possesses a lower kelvin rate, and blue light has a higher kelvin rate.

More about aquarium light measurement

Aside from kelvin, here are more units to measure the light.

• PAR: Photosynthetically Active Radiation measures the amount of light for photosynthesis.
• PUR: Photosynthetically Usable Radiation measures useful light energy.
• PPFD: Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density quantifies the PAR value.
• PAS: Photosynthetic Action Spectrum refers to the relationship between the rate of physiological activity and the wavelength of light.
• Watts: Measure the amount of energy.
• Lumen: Measure the level of light brightness (light intensity).

Usually, light intensity includes low, medium, and high light, which respectively are 270-807 lux, 807-1614 lux, and 1614-10764 lux.

Do fish need light in aquariums?

Do fish need light in aquariums? Definitely, fish need light to determine the time (day or night). Also, adding an aquarium light enable you to see fish. If there are plants in your tank, the light helps to photosynthesize. Besides that, light is vital for fish needs of feeding or mating. In addition, aquarium light makes the tank more attractive. Nonetheless, too much light is damaging to your tank. A living condition with excess light is suitable for algae thriving. Once there are algae issues in your tank, you’d better reduce lighting hours. In short, it is critically crucial to provide optimal light for fish or plants in your tanks.

Next, we will cover some information about what light intensity your fish prefer.

• Photophobic fish: Glass catfish, Notopterus chitala, Black ghost fish, Aba knifefish
• Highlight fish: Red swordtail, Molly fish, Tiger barb, Harlequin rasbora
• Dim light fish: Tetras or Angelfish native to jungles or wetlands
• Nocturnal fish: Corydoras, Amur catfish, Loaches

Tropical fish lighting requirements

Lighting requirements for fish tank

Tank types	Lighting requirements
Common tank	About 10 hours per day
Fish tank without plants	About 6–8 hours per day
Tanks with tropical fish and plants	About 10–12 hours per day
Tanks with cold water for fish and plants	About 8–10 hours per day
Reef tanks	About 10–12 hours per day

Aside from that, the ideal color temp is usually between 5500 and 10000 kelvin. For example, the optimal color temperature of planted tanks and fish-only tanks respectively are 6500-7500 and 5500-6500. Moreover, different plants or corals demand diverse PAR values, just as the table below shows:

Plants or Corals	Ideal PAR values
Low light plants	15-30 PAR
Medium-light plants	30-80 PAR
High light plants	More than 80 PAR
Soft corals	50-100 PAR
LPS corals	50-150 PAR
SPS corals	200-300 PAR

The best lighting type for your tank

Lighting types	Pros/Cons	Suitable tank types
Incandescent light	Pros: cheaper than other lights Cons: consume much energy /produce more heat /less efficient	Small freshwater tanks
Fluorescent light	Pros: produce less heat /cheap /energy-efficient	Freshwater and saltwater tanks
LED light	Pros: consumes less energy /produces less heat /long lifespan /various color options /adjustable light intensity	Any tank types
T2 /T5 / SHO	Pros: consumes less energy /produces less heat	Planted tanks
Metal halide	Pros: takes up less space /produces more heat Cons: high maintenance needs	Fish tank with plants

Lighting requirements for tropical fish

Most tropical fish grow well if you keep the aquarium light on for about 12 hours daily. It mimics the natural habitat where they come from. In this part, we will give you some examples.

Plus, if you keep Cichlids from a dim light environment, keeping the light on for about 6–8 hours per day is great. And blue light is helpful for their growth. Accordingly, a full spectrum LED light is an excellent choice. You can set the light intensity of blue light to 100 percent.

Besides that, as for tanks with swordtail fish, rainbow sharks, or platyfish, white light is great for fish growth. A programmable LED light with over 8000-kelvin color temp is suitable. Set the white and red light intensity to 80-100 percent, green light intensity to 75-100 percent, and blue light to no more than 25 percent.

Additionally, when it comes to tanks with tetras, you should improve the light intensity of blue, green, and red colors, especially the blue light intensity. A bluetooth LED light is not bad. Just adjust the blue light intensity to 80-100 percent, the white light intensity to 20-30 percent, plus the red and green light intensity to 0-10 percent.

One more thing

In a word, adding aquarium light in tanks is beneficial to enhance fish body color and growth, while also helping aquatic plants to photosynthesize. Also, the light enables you to observe and enjoy the fish at night. In addition, aquarium light improves the ornamental value of your tanks.

Pointers about aquarium lighting

When selecting aquarium light for your tank, you should consider the following respects:

• Tank types: freshwater or saltwater
• Aquatic pets in the tank: fish only or tank with plants or corals
• Tank size (length and depth): the deeper the tank, the brighter the light
• Your budget

That’s all for the lighting requirements of tropical fish. The more you learn, the better living conditions for your tank. Furthermore, more additional information about aquarium lighting, welcome to share it with us in the comment. We are happy to receive your sharing. Finally, thanks for taking the time, and we hope this article will help you a lot.

Abnormal fish behavior or symptoms may be signs of bad water quality, stress, or disease. For example, fish turning white may be the result of low oxygen levels and poor water quality. In the following sections, we will give you an overview of why fish are turning white, then you can get a general understanding of fish color fading. After reading, you can know the cause and treatments of fish turning white, plus how to prevent it. Rant over, let’s dive in.

Why are aquarium fish turning white

Causes of aquarium fish turning white

Before digging into deeper cures, let’s learn why are aquarium fish turning white.

• Poor water conditions

Poor water quality or low oxygen levels in the tank would cause fish turning white. Facing oxygen deficiency in the tank, fish would stay at the bottom of the tank, lose the desired appetite, breathe hard, and gasp air on the water surface.

• Water parameters fluctuation

Rapid water changes would lead to water parameter fluctuation, which is damaging to fish.

• Stress

Stress from aggressive attacks, overcrowded, poor water quality, or frequent water changes would cause dull body color.

• Nutrition deficiency

Fish need diets rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and pigments to stay brilliant. For example, insects, worms, shrimp, fruit, vegetables, etc.

• Lighting

The body color may turn white because of light deficiency or intensive light. Some fish have scale pigments, like goldfish and Koi fish, they will lose color in a tank in lack of light.

• Disease infection

Fish turning white may be the result of parasite, fungal, or bacterial infections.

Fish are prone to turn white

Aside from that, in the table below are some examples that fish would turn white, and the causes.

Fish name	Causes of fish turning white
Parrot fish	1. Improper water conditions 2. Stress 3. Spawning parrot fish 4. Disease infection (e.g. Ich or fungal infection)
Neon tetra	1. Low water temperature 2. Frequent water changes 3. Stress 4. Lighting deficiency 5. Improper tank cycle 6. Incompatible tank mates 7. Disease infection
Cichlid fish	1. Poor water conditions 2. Overstock in your tank 3. Nutrition deficiency 4. Injury because of fish fights 5. Parasite infection: Velvet disease
Goldfish	1. Poor water conditions 2. Low water temp and oxygen level 3. Improper diet 4. Aging 5. Light deficiency 6. Genetics 7. Disease infection (e.g. White spot disease /Malawi bloat)

Why is my betta fish turning white

Causes of betta fish turning white

• Aging

As fish become older, they may turn white. It is an aging process. You can not stop it, actually. But you can slow down the fish color fading process by ensuring a clean living environment.

• Genetics

Some bettas have genetic variations, which make the fish lose color easier. The genetic variations make bettas more susceptible to suffering from parasite or bacterial infection, leading to fish color fading.

• Stress

Stress is another reason for fish turning white. Poor water quality and incompatible tank mates are stress sources. You can keep betta fish happy by providing adequate space, great water quality, and a proper diet.

• Injury

Due to injuries, betta fish would turn white. And fish injuries may be caused by flights with tank mates, and sharp rocks or decors in the tank.

• Disease infection

Columnaris (bacterial infection), anchor worms (parasite infection), fin rot (bacterial infection), and ich (parasite infection) may pose threats to color changes among betta fish.

Cures of betta fish turning white

• Improve water quality: Change the aquarium water and test the parameters.
• Columnaris treatment: separate the infected fish, and then bathe them in the water with freshwater aquarium salt. Generally, one tablespoon of salt for five gallons of water.
• Anchor worms treatment: Bathe sick betta in potassium permanganate.
• Fin rot treatment: treat sick fish with aquarium salt, henoxyethanol, malachite green, methylene blue, or erythromycin.
• Ich treatment: Improve the water temperature to 81-86℉ lasting about 10 days. Then kill the ich with medications containing formalin and malachite green.

How to reclaim the color of faded betta fish

In general, you can reclaim the color of faded bettas by changing the living environment or adjusting their diet. Next, we will give you some tips.

• Replace the substrate

To create a better living environment, cleaning or replacing the substrate is feasible. Accordingly, gravel and sand are two great options. However, do not forget to clean the substrate regularly.

• Add aquarium light

Adding an aquarium light is beneficial to enhance bettas’ body color. Then the fish become more brilliant. A LED fish tank light is suitable for betta fish aquariums.

• Adjust fish diet

Nutrient deficiency causes bettas turning white. As a result, it is necessary to keep a varied and balanced diet. The available food includes blood worms, brine shrimp, betta pellets, betta flakes, daphnia, mosquito larvae, etc.

Preventing your fish from losing color

Prevention of fish losing color

• Check the water parameters regularly

Test the aquarium water with aquarium water test strips to check the pH level, ammonia level, nitrite level, and nitrate level, and adjust the water to the right level according to your fish’s needs.

• Monitor the water temperature

As for tropical fish, they prefer warm waters. You should monitor the water temp, and make adjustments immediately once the temp is out of the optimal range. Also, you can add an aquarium heater to maintain warm water in tanks.

• Keep a clean tank

Build a great filtration system to remove and filter fish feces, waste, and unnecessary substances.

• Fish diet

A varied and balanced diet is critically crucial. But never overfeed.

• Improve oxygen level in the tank

You can do that by changing water, improving surface agitation, reducing fish density, or adding an air pump.

• Keep sufficient lighting

It is feasible to keep 8–12 hours of lighting each day. For high-light fish, you can add a LED light to meet their light requirements.

Pointers about enhancing fish color

• Fish diet: Color-enhancing foods are helpful to improve fish color. Like, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, scallops, and romaine lettuce.
• Lighting: Sufficient lighting can definitely enhance fish color. For instance, platyfish are fond of aquarium light with more white light.
• Water quality: Fish can live happily in tanks with water quality. Consequently, the risk of illness and disease will be relatively decreased. Plus, it reduces the threat of fish color fading.

The final word

In a word, keeping a clean tank and maintaining a comfortable living environment can decrease the risk of fish injuries and fish color fading. Additionally, it is recommended to restore fish color as soon as possible when your fish fades. Finally, thanks for your reading, and we hope this article helps.

Aquarium contaminants refer to the substances harmful to fish and aquarium ecosystems, including substances damaging to fish, nitrifying bacteria, and beneficial bacteria, visible and invisible detrimental substances, plus inorganic salt in high concentration. In planted tanks, substances noxious to plants can be aquarium contaminants. If you’re interested in how to deal with a contaminated aquarium, read on to find out more about aquarium contaminants and contaminated water.

What is the composition of the organic waste in aquariums

Organic waste in aquariums consists of visible and invisible contaminants. Specifically, visible waste mainly includes fish feces, uneaten fish food, and decaying matter. On the other side, invisible waste is composed of ammonia and nitrite dissolved in the water, which is the result of the decomposition of fish feces and uneaten fish food.

Besides that, mucus secreted from fish surfaces and tissue shed from sick fish is organic waste in aquariums. Generally, they will not pose threats to fish growth and health. But in tanks with sick fish, you should remove them.

So where is the organic waste in aquariums? Most visible contaminants sink to the bottom of the tank, while partially visible waste is intercepted by physical filtration, leaving fine particles suspended in the water. Also, invisible waste is usually dissolved in the water, moving around the tank as water circulates.

What is the contaminated water in a fish tank?

Contaminated water may be a result of suspended particle accumulation, caused by decaying fish feces, uneaten food, aquatic plants, and leaves, as well as algae growth, etc. As the particles accumulate on filter media or decompose, it would trigger a deteriorated nitrifying system and higher levels of ammonia or nitrite. Finally, the poor water quality would pose threats to fish health.

How to clean a contaminated aquarium

After learning some basic information about organic waste and contaminated water in aquariums. Next in this segment, we will discuss how to clean a contaminated aquarium.

How to remove contaminants sunk in the bottom of the tank

Can water pumps and filters remove all waste? Is it not necessary to clean the bottom of the tank? The brief answer is No. Though the water pump and filters are beneficial for removing waste in the tank, there is organic waste remaining at the bottom of your tank. In this case, you can solve the problem by changing water. An electric vacuum gravel cleaner will help you a lot. It makes sense to change the water automatically, remove dirt, and wash sand. Here is the cleaning kit test video that helps to clean the tank effectively.

How to remove contaminants suspended in the water

Suspended contaminants will pose threats to the aquarium ecosystem and filtration system. Seeing that most suspended contaminants are small particles, some are even invisible. Accordingly, the contaminants are hard to remove by physical filtration. Moreover, suspended contaminants can easily attach to filter media, leading to worse physical filtration, plus higher demanding needs of biological and chemical filtration. As a result, it may cause an overburdened nitrification system. More seriously, a massive amount of nitrifying bacteria may suffer death because of oxygen deficiency.

To remove suspended contaminants, you can do complete water changes, and clean or replace the filter media. Accordingly, the content of suspended contaminants in the water will be reduced. Furthermore, it is also feasible to accelerate the dissolving of suspended contaminants by improving the water temperature or oxygen level.

How to remove contaminants intercepted by physical filtration

Facing contaminants intercepted by physical filtration, you can clean or replace the filter media. Commonly, just put the filter media in clean water and pinch them a few times. Just keep in mind – never make the filter media too clean. Otherwise, the bacteria attached to the media will need to reproduce again. Aside from that, you’d better do partial cleaning each time.

How to remove contaminants dissolved in the water

Ammonia and nitrite are primary contaminants dissolved in the water, which are poisonous to fish. The toxic contaminants can not be removed by filtering, but you can remove them with the help of beneficial bacteria and nitrifying bacteria.

Beneficial bacteria, like heterotrophic bacteria, can decompose fish feces and uneaten fish food into ammonia. Nitrifying bacteria include nitrite bacteria and nitrate bacteria. Also, nitrifying bacteria play an essential role in converting ammonia into nitrous acid, then into nitric acid, and finally form nitrate. Nitrate is an inorganic substance, that is harmless to fish.

However, only by attaching to an object’s surface, nitrifying bacteria can survive. As a result, it is critically vital to add massive filter media or aquarium decors, which are helpful for nitrifying bacteria growth. Also, only if there is plenty of oxygen, nitrifying bacteria can convert ammonia into a harmless substance. Thus, you should make sure adequate oxygen in the tank. Additionally, nitrifying bacteria grow slowly.

How to remove contaminants from sick fish or inorganic salt in high concentration

When it comes to sick fish in your aquarium, you should separate them to another quarantine tank first. And then treat them with proper medications according to specific diseases. Moreover, inorganic salt in high concentration is damaging to fish. You can tackle the issue by planting some aquatic plants or algae to consume inorganic salt. Also, doing water changes is another excellent remedy.

In a nutshell, the solutions can be varied from different contaminant types. Just as the following table shows:

Contaminant types	Solutions
contaminants sunk in the bottom of the tank	Clean the substrate and change the water
contaminants suspended in the water	Do water changes
contaminants dissolved in the water	Grow more nitrifying bacteria
contaminants intercepted by physical filtration	Clean the filter media
contaminants of inorganic salt in high concentration	Planting aquatic plants & Do water changes

In summary

To conclude, contaminants in aquariums can be classified into five types – contaminants sunk in the bottom of the tank, contaminants suspended in the water, contaminants dissolved in the water, contaminants intercepted by physical filtration, and contaminants of inorganic salt in high concentration. Just find the right types, and then you can take proper treatments to clean and disinfect the contaminated aquariums. In addition, to keep a comfortable environment, you should clean the aquarium regularly.

Arowanas are tropical freshwater fish, featuring long bodies. Generally, they consist of African arowana, Asian arowana, South American arowana, and Australian arowana. Arowana fish is fond of slow-moving and acid waters. Also, seeing that they are large and aggressive, they are always kept alone. But do arowanas feel lonely? Or can arowanas be kept with other fish? If you are eager to know more and get ready for it, just read on. You will get a deeper understanding of the best fish for arowana tank mates.

Do Arowanas need tank mates

Arowanas can grow up to 2–3 feet. Consequently, it is better to keep adult arowanas alone. However, “some arowanas will eat much accompanied by tank mates, while some will kill the tank mates,” said an arowana keeper. Then, can you keep arowanas with other fish? Or do arowanas need tank mates?

Definitely, it is feasible to keep arowana with some other fish species. And tank mates are beneficial to arowana tanks. For instance, some tank mates help to remove algae and avoid algae thriving, like Flying fox fish.

Can Oscars and arowana live together?

Keep oscars and arowanas in one tank? Yes or No?

In the case of plenty of space, you can keep oscars with arowana. However, you should be careful. Here are tips for you.

• Commonly, it is better to keep two fish that come in similar sizes in one tank. Because oscars and arowanas are aggressive. If Oscar is larger than the arowana, Oscar would bully or even eat the arowana. And vice versa.
• Provided that you hold juvenile oscars and arowanas together, you should notice their growth rate. Both of the two grow fast. Consequently, facing one much larger than the other, it is necessary to separate them.

Why you can keep oscars and arowanas together?

Oscars and arowanas demand a similar living environment. The table below gives you a brief comparison.

	Oscars	Arowanas
Water temperature	74-80℉	75-86℉
pH level	6.0-8.0	6.0-7.0
Water hardness	4-10 dKH	1-8 dKH
Ammonia level	0 ppm	0 ppm
Nitrite level	0 ppm	0 ppm
Nitrate level	Less than 20 ppm	Less than 40 ppm
Diet	Omnivore (available food: shrimps, insects, small fish, fruit, etc.)	Carnivore (high-protein food, like worms, shrimps, insects, small fish, etc.)

Plus, both oscars and arowanas are tropical fish. Oscar fish always swim around the middle or bottom of a fish tank, while arowanas prefer exploring on the top of an aquarium. By the way, the best arowanas to be kept with oscars can be silver arowanas. In addition, oscars are compatible with arowanas, and they are smart. Also, keeping oscars and arowanas together makes the aquarium colorful and greatly improves the ornamental value. However, oscars and arowanas require food rich in protein, while they will produce a massive amount of waste. Hence, building a great filtration system is critically crucial. By the way, more about filtration system, you can read:

10 popular and best arowana tank mates

Basic info about arowana fish

Before getting into tank mates for arowana tanks, let’s take a quick look at some basic information about arowana fish.

• Adult size: 2–3 feet
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Diet: Carnivore
• Ideal water temperature: 75-86℉
• Swimming level: Middle-Top
• Minimum tank size: 250 gallons

10 best tank mates for arowana fish

Next, we will list 10 popular and best tank mates for arowana.

Fish name	Jack Dempsey cichlid	Texas cichlid	Green terror cichlid
Adult size	7–8 inches	12–20 inches	6–12 inches
Temperament	Aggressive & Territorial	Aggressive	Aggressive
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore	Carnivore
Ideal water temp	72-86℉	68-82℉	69-75℉
Swimming level	Bottom-Middle	Bottom	Middle
Minimum tank size	55 gallons	90 gallons	50 gallons

Fish name	Bichir fish	Blood parrot fish	Common pleco
Adult size	15–30 inches	7–8 inches	12–24 inches
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful	Peaceful with semi-aggressive
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore	Omnivore
Ideal water temp	72-82℉	72-82℉	74-80℉
Swimming level	Bottom	Bottom-Middle	Bottom
Minimum tank size	90 gallons	30 gallons	75 gallons

Fish name	Oscar fish	Silver dollar fish	Clown loach	Knife fish
Adult size	10–14 inches	About 6 inches	6–12 inches	18–20 inches
Temperament	Aggressive & Territorial	Peaceful	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Diet	Omnivore	Vegetarian	Omnivore	Carnivore
Ideal water temp	74-80℉	75-82℉	77-86℉	75-80℉
Swimming level	Bottom-Middle	Middle	Bottom	Bottom-Middle
Minimum tank size	55 gallons	20 gallons	55 gallons	55 gallons

Take the silver dollar fish as an example, they are peaceful, hardy, and active. Also, they are not difficult to care for. Thus, the silver dollar fish can be an excellent alternative for arowana fish tanks. Plus, featuring silver body color, the silver dollar fish flicker in the tank, making the arowana aquarium more attractive. Besides that, silver dollar fish are middle dwellers and schooling fish. As a result, you should make sure the tank is large enough to accommodate the silver dollar fish and arowana together.

Aside from the 10 best tank mates for arowana aquariums, there are other feasible choices: Flying fox fish, Tiger datnoid, Freshwater stingray, Pacu fish, Iridescent shark, Firemouth cichlid, Snakehead fish, Tinfoil barb, Bala shark, Flowerhorn cichlid, Severum, and Jaguar cichlid. You can also choose your favorite one among them.

Closing thoughts

Pointers about choosing tank mates for arowanas

Considering the size and temperament of arowana fish, the best tank mates should be:

• Similar in size
• Tolerable to aggressive arowanas
• Swimming and exploring different areas of the tank – bottom to middle dwellers

Related topics about arowana fish

For more about arowana fish, you can go to:

That’s all for today. For additional interesting arowana facts, welcome to share them with us in the comment. We are happy to receive your sharing. Finally, thanks for taking the time. And we hope the article will help you a lot.

Fish scale disease is a common ornamental fish disease, with a high mortality rate. Just keep in mind – prevention is better than treatment. Once infected by fish scale disease, the earlier you treat the fish, the higher the cure rate. If you know little about fish scale disease, you can read on for more about it. In today’s article, we will dig into the deeper causes, treatment, and prevention of scale disease in fish.

What is fish scale disease

Fish scale disease

Fish scale disease is a bacterial disease, also named pine scale disease and vertical scale disease. It usually occurs in terms of low water temperature, like winter, spring, or short-term water temp fluctuation and changes in your fish tank. Generally, fish scale disease is not contagious. However, it is better to quarantine the sick fish. For one thing, the mortality rate is extremely high. For another, dead fish would deteriorate the aquarium water and lead to poor water quality.

Symptoms of fish scale disease

Fish body color turns dark	Fish scales ulcerate continuously	Edematous and congested base of fish scales	Bulgy abdomen and loss of balance
Bloating abdomen	Worms escaping from fish body	Congested body surface	The fish’s body turns upside down
Bulging eyes	The scales open like pine cones	Translucent or blood-containing liquid on the fin base	Sluggishly moving and swimming
Discoloration of fish scales	Loose fish scales	The translucent liquid between the fin membranes	Breathe hard

Specifically, facing the edematous and congested base of fish scales, as long as you press the scales lightly, they will fall off, with liquid ejected from the base of the scales. After 2–3 days, the sick fish will face death.

Effects of fish scale disease

• Effects on appearance: Less aesthetically attractive and appealing
• On fish health: Worse health status
• On fish growth: Limit the fish growth

Why is my fish losing its scales

Causes of fish scale disease

1. Main causes

Fish scale disease is mainly caused by bacterial infection, parasitic infection, toxin invasion, or kidney problems.

Bacteria may include Chillibacterium punctatus, Amonas, and a bacterium similar to Trichobacterium punctiformis, etc. The bacteria will not threaten fish in good status. On the contrary, in the case of bad water conditions, fish will be poisoned chronically, declining their resistance and immunity. As bacteria grow, fish will suffer fish scale disease at the point of imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria.

2. Other causes

• A sudden drop in water temp

Most ornamental fish demand stable water temp. Water temp fluctuation would do harm to fish health, leading fish to be vulnerable to disease. By the way, improper water changes and the temperature difference between day and night will trigger off a sudden drop in water temperature.

• Overfeed

Overfeeding will deteriorate the aquarium water, which may be the reason for enteritis and ascites. In this case, sick fish would lose the desire for appetite and become inactive. And long-term overfeeding will cause loose or vertical fish scales.

• Injury

Aquarium decors with sharp edges will scrape fish scales. If you do not heal it in time and with poor water quality in your tank, then the injured fish will suffer inflammation, partially lost fish scales, or completely open fish scales.

Can fish recover from scale loss

Once the fish scales fall off, most tropical fish can not regenerate. Because scale loss is a severe fish disease, with a low cure rate. Though the disease can be healed, there are scars on the fish. Nonetheless, it is said that some fish can recover from scale loss, like Asian arowana. They can regrow scales as long as you keep the fish healthy and the living environment in great condition.

How to cure fish scale disease

Once you find the root cause of the fish scale disease, it is time to take the necessary steps and start the fish scale disease treatment.

Treat sick fish with aquarium salt

You can directly add aquarium salt to the tank, which is not damaging to nitrifying bacteria. Also, it is feasible to bathe the fish for 10 minutes each day with 2 percent of aquarium salt and 3 percent of sodium bicarbonate solution or 3 percent of baking soda. Fish scale disease can be treated with aquarium salt in the face of the following cases:

• Fish do not start decaying
• No ascites on the fish
• Only partial loss or vertical fish scales

Apply medication

• Metronidazole / Gentamicin: The two medications can be used facing congestion and ulceration in fish bodies, inactive fish, plus loss of weight. Generally, just follow “30 liters of water for one tablet”. After using the medication, you should change 30-40 percent of water per day.
• Hydrochlorothiazide tablet: The tablet can be used to treat edema. It helps the fish to discharge the fluid in the body and eliminate edema. Just ground the tablet into powder, then mix it into fish food.
• Oxytetracycline: Commonly, you should follow “one tablet of oxytetracycline for one hundred liters of water. But you can adjust it according to your real-time status.

Create a great living environment

• Maintain great water quality

To heal fish scale disease, you should improve the water quality and keep clean clean water, which is helpful to decrease the possibility of fish scale disease infection.

Doing water changes is necessary. You can change 50 percent of the water first. Then change the water lasting for three days. It is beneficial to dilute toxic substances in the water, and then improve the water quality.

• Filter media cleaning

It is vital to clean or replace the filter media. Since harmful bacteria may grow on the filter media, which reduces the effectiveness of filter media plus leads to bad water conditions.

• Keep sufficient oxygen

Fish need oxygen to survive. Consequently, you can add an aquarium air pump to improve and keep plenty of oxygen. Aside from that, an aeration strip kit can be an excellent choice for keeping a bubble curtain in your tank.

What kind of fish is prone to scale disease

Ornamental fish are susceptible to fish scale disease

Fish scale disease is commonly found in tiger fish, goldfish, koi fish, guppy fish, and other killifish, tropical fish, or older fish. Fish may encounter fish scale disease in winter and spring, and when aquarium water deteriorates and fish suffer injury.

How to prevent fish scale disease

• Do regular water changes

You can change 15-30 percent of water once each week. And it is necessary to change the water more frequently without a great filtration system. Just determine the water change frequency according to the aquarium status.

• Reduce stress on fish

The essential aspect is to keep stable water temp, clean water, and healthy aquarium conditions. To maintain great water quality, you can add photosynthetic bacteria, bacillus, and other probiotics. Also, never overstock.

• Never overfeed

Feeding your fish twice each day is great. Besides that, it is recommended to make sure your fish finish eating within 3–5 minutes.

Final thoughts

Compared with fish scale disease treatment, prevention should be the first step. Fish scale disease is hard to heal. Also, there is one tip for you. During the treatment process, you can stop feeding the fish. Of course, just make a decision according to the actual situation. It is not a must, actually.

If you have more information on diagnosing or treating fish scale disease, welcome to share it with us in the comment. We are happy to receive your sharing. Finally, thanks for taking the time, and we hope this article helps.

Mandarin fish are small saltwater fish, featuring aesthetically pleasing and appealing. They are popular among aquarists. Also, mandarin fish come in dark green, red, orange, etc. Furthermore, they have red, orange, blue, and yellow stripes, plus black spots with yellow and red edges. It makes the fish look colorful. In today’s article, we will share more about mandarin fish, like how to keep them.

Are mandarin fish poisonous

Get to know mandarin fish

As a brilliant fish, mandarin fish do add color to saltwater aquariums. Moreover, mandarin fish are small, elongated, and scaleless. They can form blue pigment, forming blue patterns on the body. Besides, mandarin fish can live up to 15 years in the wild, however, reaching 2–4 years in captivity.

Scientific name	Synchiropus splendidus	Temperament	Peaceful
Family	Callionymidae	Water temperature	71-81 ℉ /22-27 ℃
Other names	Mandarinfish /Mandarin fish /Mandarin dragonet /Mandarin goby	pH level	8.1–8.4
Diet	Carnivore	Water hardness	8-12 dKH /5-15 dGH
Size	About 3 inches	Specific gravity	1.020–1.026
Lifespan in captivity	2–4 years	Minimum tank size	30 gallons

Mandarin fish are poisonous? Yes or No?

The epidermis of mandarin fish contains two secretory cell types. One produces mucus to protect fish from threats because of bad living conditions. Another is to produce toxins to avoid attack from predators. Covered with tiny spines on the body, fish would inject toxic mucus into anybody posing threats to them.

What do mandarin fish eat

In the wild, mandarin fish usually live on coral reefs, but they are less active. Commonly, they consume small crustaceans, invertebrates, and fish eggs. In captivity, they prefer live foods, like brine shrimp. If you start with the feed, the fish may refuse to eat and even starve to death. Hence, keep in mind – larger tanks and more live food for mandarin fish.

Mandarin fish are carnivores and they are picky in aquariums. Mandarin fish seldom consume frozen or prepared foods. The available foods for captive mandarin fish include copepods, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, black worms, etc.

How to feed mandarin goby

Mandarin goby tank set up

Mandarin goby are peaceful and shy. Though they swim slowly, sometimes they would try to jump out of aquariums. Hence, adding an aquarium lid is necessary.

Besides that, mandarin fish usually stay at the bottom of the tank and will not disturb other fish. However, once they are threatened, the fish will hide in the sand substrate, corals, live rocks, etc. Consequently, adequate hiding places are critically crucial.

Mandarin fish are peaceful, and they can get along well with most docile saltwater fish of similar size. The available tank mates for mandarin fish can be clownfish, damselfish, goby, dartfish, cardinal fish, etc. By the way, never keep mandarin fish with large and aggressive fish or fast-moving fish.

Mandarin fish tank requirements

• Aquarium light: Necessary. Commonly, you should set moderate lighting and keep the light on for about 9–14 hours per day.
• Tank filter: Necessary. It helps to keep clean water and stable water parameters. But you should avoid strong filters.
• Aquarium heater: Necessary. It makes sense in providing warm water and keeping the water temp within the optimal ranges.
• Aquarium air pump: Not necessary.

Daily tank maintenance

• Monitor water condition

Use the aquarium water test strips and aquarium hydrometer to test the water parameters. The former helps to monitor seven crucial water parameters, including water hardness, total alkalinity, carbonate root, nitrate, nitrite, free chlorine, and pH level. Actually, it plays an important role in keeping the aquarium ecosystem healthy. Furthermore, the latter makes sense in testing salinity and specific gravity in marine aquariums.

• Do regular water changes

Poor water quality would triggerfish disease. As a result, changing the aquarium water regularly is essential. For example, change 15-30 percent of the water once each week. Electric vacuum gravel will help you a lot. You can change water rapidly with the help of an electric gravel cleaner.

• Never overfeed

Mandarin fish may forage on food throughout the day, so it is recommended to feed several times each day, like 3–4 times. And you should make sure they can finish eating within 2–3 minutes each time.

How hard is it to keep mandarin fish in tanks

Actually, mandarin fish are relatively difficult to keep. They strictly demand a specific diet. Without proper food, mandarin fish may starve to death. Plus, their mouths are small. So they can not consume large food. Consequently, they may spend most of their time in foraging. Thus, mandarin fish may not be a great option for beginners, but the fish can be an excellent alternative for experienced aquarists.

Mandarin dragonet fish facts

Mandarin fish are oviparous. Commonly, there is no fixed breeding season. When the fish are to mate, they will dance, usually at sunset hours. Every time the fish breed, they can lay about 200 eggs. And the eggs will be hatched after half a month. Actually, mandarin fish can breed in saltwater aquariums. Nevertheless, it is difficult to breed because of the high care level in captivity, the difficulty to breed artificially, and limited breeding information.

That’s all for today. As scaleless and vibrant fish, mandarin fish are difficult to keep in aquariums. Before getting into a mandarin fish aquarium, you’d better think twice. Anyway, wish you the best for your aquaristic effort. For additional ideas about mandarin fish, welcome to share it with us in the comment. Finally, thanks for taking the time, and we hope this article helps.

To oxygenate the water and expel excess carbon dioxide, an air pump seems necessary. So, why not take a look at hygger aquarium new release – the new air pump kit? Featuring wide scope of applications, it is rechargeable and portable.

Get to know hygger 067 air pump kit

Volt. /Freq	Input: AC 100-240V /50-60Hz	Output: DC 7.8V
Power	10W	18W
Air flow	238 GPH (15L/Min)	301 GPH (19L/Min)
Pressure	0.015 Mpa	0.024 Mpa
Cord length	4.9 FT /1.5M	4.9 FT /1.5M
Recommended for breeding	Up to 40KG	Up to 80KG
Dimension	10.8×5.7×5.1 inches (27.5×14.5×13 cm)	10.8×5.7×5.1 inches (27.5×14.5×13 cm)
Working hours	≤8 hours	≤8 hours

Ways to get this portable air pump kit on your shopping cart, please go to:
hygger Amazon Store: hygger Rechargeable Aquarium Air Pump or hygger official site: hygger Portable Air Pump Kit

Features of hygger 067 air pump kit

Wide scope of application

The versatile 067 air pump kit is available for:

• commercial transportation of live aquatic life
• fishing yachts
• fish farm
• power outages
• hydroponic planting
• home aquarium
• aquatic farm (Attention: do not use the pump in wet or rainy conditions, because it is not waterproof.)
• outdoor fishing

AC and DC dual-purpose

At home, you can use the 067 portable air pump by plugging in the power adapter. After plugging in the power adapter, the air pump can work while charging the battery. After the battery is fully charged, it will stop charging automatically, leaving the pump to work. In the face of a power outage, the battery runs the air pump to work. In the case of battery power, the 067 air pump with a single air stone can work 100 hours under minimum airflow volume, or 8 hours under maximum airflow volume.

LCD screen

The LCD screen displays voltage, power percentage, and battery status, enabling you to easily know whether the power meets the desired value.

Tips: When the power supply and battery are switched, there will be a short-term inconsistency in the display data because of the change in the power supply mode.

Adjustable air flow rate

The airflow rate is fully adjustable, which can meet various needs. There are 9 adjustable air volume levels. You can adjust the airflow rate by turning the air volume adjustment knob.

Plus, the 067 air pump is equipped with a diverter valve with 4 or 6 air outlets, which can link 4 or 6 air stones, while also adjusting the air flow rate. Consequently, the air pump can supply air for 4-6 small aquariums at once.

Portable handle

The 10W pump is 5.2 lb, and the 18W pump is 6.3 lb. The portable handle enables you to take the 067 air pump wherever you want. Actually, it is convenient.

Energy-saving

With the help of the latest energy-saving technology, the 067 air pump works more effectively and saves more energy, compared with traditional air pumps.

Ultra-quiet

The upgraded motor and shock-absorbing rubber feet reduced the noise.

More durable

Made of all-copper material, the 067 air pump is resistant to oxidation and deformation. Durable material and precise design make the air pump last longer.

How to use hygger 067 air pump kit

Tips for 067 pump use

067 air pump is not waterproof, so never submerge it in water. And keep it dry. However, the air pump kit can be placed below the water surface. Also, when the voltage is less than 5.5V, you should charge the pump. Be sure to charge the pump once every 6 months. Otherwise, it will be damaged. Tap to the video of using the portable air pump.

Install the 067 air pump

• Place 067 air pump lower than the water surface

If the hygger 067 air pump is placed lower than the water surface, you must install check valves. Without a check valve, the water will drain back to the pimp, resulting in damage.

• Place 067 air pump higher than the water surface

If the pump is placed higher than the water surface (25 cm /approximately 10 inches), It can avoid water flowing back.

About hygger

Focusing on making professional aquarium products, hygger was founded in Shenzhen, China. We offer a variety of aquarium products, including aquarium lights, water pumps, fish tanks, aquarium filters, air pumps, aquarium heaters, aquarium decorations, protein skimmers, fish feeders, air stones, etc. Mastered the PID Variable Frequency Drive Technology, and now we are actively developing the market worldwide.

Media contact info

Contact hygger

Email: [email protected]
Official website: www.hygger-online.com

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As one of the popular fish among aquarists, bettas are tropical freshwater fish. Bettas are active in captivity. And they will swim around the tank in response to your touch and even play with you. Of course, once betta fish are threatened by incompatible tank mates, mirrors, or other factors, they may puff up gills and fins. In today’s article, we will discuss angry betta fish – why do betta fish flare their gills and fins?

Fish flaring gills

Fish flaring gills look larger than normal. There are two main reasons for betta fish flaring gills – mate and fight. Male betta fish will flare their gills when mating. Because it makes them look stronger. Besides that, betta fish are aggressive. So, they will flare their gills before fighting. Because flaring gills make them look larger, which can frighten the opposite. In addition, sometimes bettas will flare the gills to take in oxygen.

Generally, normal gills flaring of betta fish do not need treatment. But when fish flare gills and fins, you can check whether there are signs of fin rot. Once you find any abnormal symptoms, take action to heal your fish immediately. By the way, Siamese fighting fish and guppy fish are susceptible to flaring gills.

Why do betta fish flare their gills at me?

Sometimes betta fish will flare gills at me, why? It is a common behavior when betta fish are introduced to a new tank. Fish flaring gills can be a defensive behavior. Because they are not familiar with the new environment. In this case, you should help your bettas get accustomed to a new tank. During the cleaning process, you can leave the fish in your tank. Then clean the tank gently and slowly. Also, most betta fish can see colors and action, while they can also feel vibrations.

For instance, betta fish have more cones than humans. So they can not only see red, green, and blue, but bettas can even see ultraviolet colors. Aside from that, bettas may fare the gills at a mirror. But actually, they do not know the fish in the mirror are themselves. Once you find the causes of flaring fish gills and fins, it is vital to take the necessary steps and start the treatment. Next, we will list some ways to heal your flaring fish.

Causes of fish flaring gills and fins	Treatment
Mate	Do not need treatment
Fight	Do not need treatment
Oxygen deficiency	Improve oxygen level by adding air pumps or air stones, etc.
Disease	Once fish suffer from disease, you should find root causes first, and then take targeted treatment

Is flaring good or bad for bettas

Whether betta fish flaring is good or bad depends on the real-time situation. Just continue reading, and you will learn more.

Flaring is good for betta fish

To some extent, betta fish flaring is good. For example, it is feasible for fish to flare 1–2 minutes per day. Fish will get exercise and feel entertained. Also, betta fish will flare because of excitement. As long as bettas do not show aggression or extend their fins, flaring would not be damaging to your fish.

Flaring is bad for betta fish

Betta fish flaring may be the result of stress, which is detrimental to your fish. The stress may be caused by another betta, incompatible betta tank mates, or their reflection. Once bettas become stressed, they may refuse to eat and their immune system would suffer damage. Provided that betta fish flare over 20 minutes each week, it is recommended to stop their flaring.

What to do when betta fish don’t flare

What can you do if betta fish don’t flare? If there is only one male betta in your tank, you can introduce a female or another male betta. Then, bettas may fight, and your fish would flare. But you should keep an eye on their fighting to prevent them from getting hurt. Furthermore, you can improve the water temp. Also, you can add some aquarium salt.

How to tell if the betta fish is happy

Abnormal betta fish behavior

Once bettas feel stressed or unhappy, they may show the following behaviors:

• Bettas’ body color turning dull
• Stress stripes (horizontal stripes) form on the body
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargic and inactive
• Bettas stay at the bottom of the tank

Additionally, let’s take a look at normal betta fish behavior:

• It swims and explores the tank
• Bettas flare their fins and become active when they see you
• Bettas hide in aquariums from time to time

How to determine whether bettas are happy or not?

Exactly, you can determine whether bettas are happy or not according to their behavior.

Happy bettas will be active in aquariums and have a great appetite. While sad bettas may lose the desire to eat, rub themselves on rocks, or crash against the bottom of the tank. In this case, you can check the water parameters in betta fish aquariums.

Also, you can observe the swimming status. If your betta fish just stay in one place in the tank, it may mean they are unhappy. And you should check whether your bettas get sick.

Moreover, observing how bettas interact with you can be another way to tell if they are happy. If they feel stressed, they may swim away and hide. Facing this case, you can form a close bond with bettas by doodling or sticking notes on betta tanks.

How to keep betta fish happy?

Sad or inactive bettas may shorten their lifespan. Then how to keep betta fish happy? Next, we will discuss it in this segment.

• Provide plenty of room: bettas prefer swimming in the tank. Also, adequate space for them to swim, explore, play, and hide.
• Keep great water quality: Change 20-25 percent of aquarium water once each week. Also, test the water once per week. Commonly, the ammonia and nitrite levels should be 0, while the nitrate level can be no more than 20 ppm.
• Add some live aquatic plants: Live aquatic plants are helpful to oxygenate aquarium water, while also providing hiding places for bettas. Excellent live plants for betta tanks can be Marimo moss, water sprite, and Vallisneria.
• Proper and balanced diet: You can feed betta food rich in protein. Live, frozen, or freeze-dried meaty foods are excellent alternatives, like daphnia. Nonetheless, never overfeed. Feed bettas twice each day and make sure they can finish eating within 2–3 minutes.

In summary

After reading, have you got a better understanding of betta fish flaring? To conclude, betta fish will flare facing mating, fighting, unfamiliar environments, inadequate oxygen in the tank, etc.

Related topics

That’s all for today. For more about betta fish, you can go to:

When it comes to water quality adjustment in aquariums, some aquarists may be probably overwhelmed. Actually, it mainly includes two aspects – sterilizing the water and adjusting the pH level. In this article, we are going to talk about pH in aquarium water. And you will walk away with a much better understanding of pH level and how to check the pH of water. Also, you will learn ways to test and adjust the pH level in aquarium water.

What is pH in aquarium water

Get to know pH in aquarium water

The pH measures the level of acid or alkali in the aquarium water. And it also refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions. In general, the pH level ranges from 0 to 14. 7 stands for neutrality, a level below 7 means acid, and a level above 7 shows alkali.

What does pH do in aquariums?

The pH level in aquariums directly influences the growth and survival of fish or other aquatic pets. Diverse fish species may demand different pH levels, but most fish are fond of slightly alkaline water. Commonly, the pH level that is suitable for ornamental fish can be 6-9. Specifically, most freshwater fish prefer a pH level of 5.5-7.5. While most saltwater fish do best in a pH level of 8.0-8.4. However, the pH level will be affected by fish feces, waste, uneaten food, levels of nitrogen, ammonia, carbon dioxide, etc.

For instance, most freshwater tropical fish fancy a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5. The table below gives you more details about pH water changes in freshwater tropical fish tanks and the effects.

pH level	Effects
Lower than 5.5	Fish are susceptible to fish disease, especially contagious diseases. Seriously, fish may suffer death.
Less than 6.5 /More than 8.5	Inhibit the growth of microorganisms /Limit the decomposition of putrefactive bacteria /Deteriorate aquarium water quality
Below 4 to 5 /above 9.5 to 10	Fish death

How to test pH in aquariums

It is crucial to test the pH level once a week or once every two weeks, but how to test water pH? Too low or too high pH levels are detrimental to your aquatic pets.

How to test pH in the aquarium water with a pH strip tester

• The pH meter: It is a piece of electronic aquarium equipment. You can read the pH level fast. But do not forget to change the battery regularly.
• 7-in-1 test strips: They can monitor seven crucial water parameters, including general hardness, total alkalinity, carbonate root, nitrate, nitrite, free chlorine, and pH level.
• 8 in 1 water test kit: It can check eight aquarium water parameters, including hardness, total alkalinity, carbonate root, nitrate, nitrite, total chlorine, pH level, and ammonia nitrogen.

Testing the pH level with water test strips is easy and convenient. Just dip the strip into the aquarium water for 2 seconds, then take it out and wait for 30 seconds. After that, compare the color of the strip to the test strip reading chart.

How to test pH in aquarium water without a kit

Without a water test kit, you can also test the pH level. But it may not so accurate as the reading by the test kit and consumes much time. Actually, you can make a pH-testing solution with the help of red cabbage and a bottle of distilled water. Mix and stir some grated cabbage with boiling distilled water. Then wait for about 30 minutes. After that, remove the cabbage from the water. Next, scoop up some aquarium water and dip some pH-testing solution in the water. As the water color changes, you can read the approximate pH level:

• The pinker the water, the more acid
• Deep purple refers to a pH level of 6
• Blue means the pH level is over 7
• Green indicates a pH level ranging from 10 to 12

How to raise the pH of the water

Fish prefer high pH levels (Alkaline water)

Freshwater fish	pH level	Saltwater fish	pH level
Guppy fish	7.0-8.0	Queen angelfish	8.1-8.4
Platy fish	7.5-8.5	Saddle butterflyfish	8.1-8.4
Molly fish	7.5-8.5	Chrysiptera cyanea	8.0-8.3
Rainbowfish	7.0-8.0	Clownfish	8.0-8.4
Flag fish	7.0-8.0	Emperor angelfish	8.1-8.4

Ways to raise the pH level

• Add coral sand

Coral sand is calcareous sand, which consists of calcareous algae, foraminifer, and fragments of echinoderms. It is mainly composed of calcium and magnesium compounds, like calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide. It produces OH-negative ions in the water, which will raise the pH level and then the aquarium water becomes slightly alkaline. However, adding coral sand can slowly increase the pH level, but it is less harmful to fish.

• Use sodium bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate, also called baking soda, can increase the pH level after dissolving in the water. It can adjust the pH level faster than adding coral sand. But you should control the quantity of it. Otherwise, excess sodium bicarbonate would lead to severe fluctuation in pH levels.

How to lower the pH if it is too high

Fish prefer low pH levels (Acid water)

Freshwater fish	pH level	Freshwater fish	pH level
Arowana fish	6.0-7.0	Discus fish	6.0-7.0
Harlequin rasbora	6.0-7.8	Freshwater angelfish	6.8-7.8
Costae tetra	6.0-7.5	Clown loach	6.5-7.5
Silver dollar	6.5-7.5	Zebra danio	6.5-7.5
Neon tetra	6.8-7.8	Goldfish	6.5-7.5

Ways to lower the pH level

• Add Indian almond leaves

Indian almond leaves are also named “Terminalia Catappa Leaves” or “Tropical almonds”. As the leaves decay, they will release tannins, oxalic acid, humic acid, and folic acid. The tannins are beneficial to bacteria and fungus inhibition as well as parasite elimination, they help to reduce pH levels. Adding terminalia catappa leaves to shrimp or bettas aquarium is an excellent choice. Generally, you should follow one leaf or two leaves for every 10 gallons of water.

• Add wood

Adding wood can create slightly acidic aquarium water. Plus, you can decorate the wood by tying moss or fern plants. It will greatly increase the ornamental level of your aquariums. While it is also helpful to improve water quality.

• Use sodium dihydrogen phosphate

Sodium dihydrogen phosphate is a colorless crystal or white crystalline powder. After dissolving in the water, the pH level will be decreased.

Key takeaways

The pH level is closely related to fish growth. Hence, it is recommended to test the pH level before introducing new fish to your tank or after changing aquarium water. You should check whether the pH level in your tank is suitable for fish or other aquatic pets to grow or breed.

Know more about aquarium water

If you want to learn more about aquarium water, you can go to: