I’m sure many of you have been thinking about getting a pet for a long time. You are aware of your duties and that you spend most of the day at work or completing numerous tasks. So you didn’t buy a kitten or a puppy because they want you to spend more time with them. So you decide to take a pet fish. You bought an aquarium, food, and a water purifier. Soon you discover the fish is ill and dies. But you did not give up and got yourself another fish to take care of. Sadly, your fish keep on dying.
Fish are excellent pets with their brilliant colors and calm swimming motions, but their untimely deaths can be distressing. But there’s always a reason, and knowing the most common causes of aquarium fish deaths can help owners avoid catastrophic mistakes.
The Causes of Aquarium Fish Mortality
Fish are generally healthy, and it is unusual for a tank to experience mass deaths without other reasons being at play. However, tank die-offs can be caused by a multitude of factors, including:
Stress is What Causes Fish to Keep on Dying
It’s dark. You’re about to retire to bed to be ready for tomorrow’s duties and tasks. You go to bed with your fish. She smiles back. But the next morning, she’s gone. So, how did your aquarium fish die in an instant?
You may not believe it, but stress is the leading cause of unexpected death. You may not believe it, but stress is the leading cause of unexpected death. Stress causes your fish to swim erratically from one end of the tank to the other. They cling to the glass and up and down. The fish is an indication that it is stressed and that if given the opportunity. It would leave the aquarium quickly.
The second sign is a persistent need to hide. If your fish is continuously looking for a place to hide in the tank, it is agitated and seeking refuge. Other fish in the aquarium could be causing this behavior. For example, if another fish attacks the fish in question. Another cause is if the tank is too small for it to move around freely. Weight loss is the final symptom.
If your fish is constantly shrinking and losing weight. They are agitated and must be relieved to stay alive and healthy. Fatigue and continuous exhaustion will follow weight loss.
Inadequate Aquarium Preparation is Another Cause Why Fish Keep on Dying
What we must keep in mind is that fish are not the only living organisms in the aquarium. Despite being the only visible organism, the fish share a symbiotic connection with countless microbes or bacteria. There are no such germs and bacteria colonies in your new aquarium. Furthermore, there are no such answers to the question of why fish dying suddenly. Cycling is a term used to describe a sport. When you receive a new aquarium, you must cycle is to establish the required germs and bacteria.
Only once you’ve finished this step can you place your fish in the aquarium. However, there is one thing you must keep in mind to ensure that there are no negative effects. So, the number of germs and bacteria in the aquarium develops directly with fish in it. Thus, if you have more fish, the number of microbes and bacteria increases.
If you have multiple fish, introduce them one at a time to allow the microbial colonies to flourish.
Inadequate Aquarium Size
When it comes to aquariums, you have two alternatives. The first choice is as follows. If you have a small aquarium, it is best to measure the possible dimensions. Purchase such an aquarium, and then modify the number of fish that will dwell in it based on its size.
The second alternative takes the opposite approach. When choosing a pet fish, you must first investigate and settle on the species. After which, choose an aquarium that best suits the fish’s demands. Choosing the right aquarium is crucial. A small aquarium or one with too many fish can lead to regular water contamination. The stress in fish, infections and a variety of other undesirable things risk the life of your pet.
Fish Keep on Dying Because of Having Incompatible Tank Mates
Along with selecting the incorrect tank size, newcomers may have difficulties when selecting tank mates that do not get along. Some fish are aggressive and will pursue any other fish in their claimed territory. Some fish are hostile and should be maintained with other fish that are capable of defending themselves. Others get along great with other fish, but may have problems with others of their own species.
This is why you must research a fish before buying it to ensure it is suitable for your aquarium. It can be difficult to know at times, and it is worthwhile to take your time. The dilemma is exacerbated by pet stores and their personnel, who occasionally provide incorrect information on care requirements and compatibility.
Bad Tank Management Practices
Most aquariums don’t require much maintenance once they’re up and running properly. A large tank requires 30 minutes to an hour of maintenance every month. Whereas, a small 10-gallon aquarium may require more.
However, the few activities you must complete each month are critical. They help counteract all the issues listed above, and ignoring them will harm your fish.
Your monthly maintenance schedule should include the following items:
Water transformations:
Remember that the answer to pollution is dilution. By replacing old water with clean water, you help your friendly bacteria colony and dilute waste chemicals. However, you never want to eliminate too much water. This could result in bacterial death and consequent troubles in your tank.
The gravel should be vacuumed:
Uneaten food, muck, and debris become trapped in the gravel, and even your hardworking little scavenger fish can’t keep up.
This is acceptable because many of the germs live in the gravel. Remember, you should still clean up and vacuum sometimes. You can really do this while changing the water by utilizing a gravel vac.
Clean the algae:
Even if you have algae-eating fish or animals in your tank, they can’t clean it all. Occasionally, you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and clean the glass and embellishments.
Excess algae are more than simply an eyesore; they also supply food for pest snails and might potentially disturb the equilibrium in your aquarium. Don’t use chemicals to get rid of it.
Scrapers and scrubbers are available that are specifically developed for use in fish tanks. This is acceptable because many of the germs live in the gravel. Again, remember to still clean up and vacuum sometimes.
Filter maintenance:
Clean the filter once a month, but don’t toss out the inserts unless they’re deteriorating or the manufacturer suggests it.
Test the water:
Even if everything is going well, it is prudent to test the water periodically. It can alert you if things are starting to go wrong.
Water Quality Issues
Dead fish equals bad water. There are several important lessons from this article, but that is the most important. Maintaining clean aquarium water is one of the most critical things you can do to keep your fish alive.
Keeping a testing kit handy will help you stay on top of your waste guidelines. Typically, these kits assess ammonia, nitrates, nitrate, and pH. I recommend the API Freshwater Master Kit because it is easier to use and more accurate than the strips. In a freshwater community tank, you should attempt to keep ammonia and nitrite levels at zero. Keep nitrates at or below 20 ppm.
It is prudent to be aware of the pH readings for both your water source and your tank. While it is possible to modify the pH of your tank naturally or chemically. Sometimes it is best to play the hand dealt. Most tropical fish can acclimate to varying pH levels in a well-maintained tank. But you should do your study to ensure you are not putting your new fish at risk. However, all fish can be affected by pH oscillations. Thus, it is critical to maintaining a consistent pH level.
Regularly checking your aquarium’s water parameters gives you a good idea of how things are progressing. You don’t have to guess whether something is wrong; the water-quality readings will show you. Then you must determine why and what to do about it.
Feeding and tank management are the next two topics I’ll go over. Getting these two things correctly will go a long way toward keeping your tank healthy and your water parameters stable.
Overfeeding Your Fish is One Cause That It Keeps on Dying
Feed your fish once a day, and only as much as they can consume in a few minutes. Choose one or more high-quality flake foods and rotate them. Include sinking pellets for scavengers as well as algal wafers for plecos, otos, and the like.
Don’t overdo it on the special dishes, and only serve them in moderation. Also, try to schedule a fasting day once a week. That’s when the fish do not eat at all, but that is all up to you.
Keep it easy and focus on overfeeding rather than underfeeding to keep your fish healthy and fed. Some fish keepers incorporate vegetables, thawed frozen items like blood worms, or freeze-dried foods. Just as you research each new fish you add to your tank, you should research any new food you intend to feed.
Overfeeding is one of the most common issues in fish tanks, especially small ones. To put it bluntly, everything that goes into a fish has to come out. The more waste your fish make, the more waste they produce. Uneaten food decomposes and pollutes the water. Your bacteria colony and plants can help, but too much can make your fish poisonous.
Overfeeding can also cause algae blooms. It can also feed algae outbreaks. An abundance of nitrogen-rich food can color your tank greener.
It may even increase the number of pest snails in your tank. This is due to the availability of uneaten fish flakes and algae.
A Disease Causes Fish to Keep on Dying
You may be asking yourself why your fish is acting strange. You wonder if it is sick. Most betta fish owners would have these worries.
Fish are strange. They are little creatures with simple intelligence, capable of doing absurd and unexpected things. Betta fish will sometimes sleep and appear to be dead. Fish might spend a lot of time in one area of the aquarium. This does not necessarily imply that they are ill. Don’t be alarmed if you notice your fish acting strangely.
However, fish do become ill for a variety of causes, the most common of which being filthy water and stress. A healthy fish can sometimes fight off an illness that would kill a stressed fish. That’s why, as previously indicated, it’s vital to watch for stress indicators in your fish.
You should also learn about common ailments like ich, dropsy, and fin rot. In rare circumstances, such as with ich (which is a parasite illness), the sickness is spread by another affected fish. Maintaining a clean tank and water will help keep your fish disease-free in most cases.
Conclusion
It is well known that fish is one of the pets that require the least attention. They are bonded to us, therefore they won’t follow you about and need you at your side continually. That doesn’t mean they don’t have needs or sensations that, if unmet, could risk the fish’s life.
So you don’t wind up asking yourself “why do my fish keep dying?” you need to remember the above guidelines. First, thoroughly research the fish’s needs and ensure that it has all the appropriate living conditions. Eliminate negative stimuli and provide enough space for the fish to swim freely.
