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Visit Petco to learn about cleanup crews and how they can help your aquarium health.
Updated on December 30th, 2025
Learn how to safely handle your aquatic life to avoid toxin & bacterial exposure. Find aquatic life care supplies at your neighborhood Petco pet care center.
Updated on December 30th, 2025
Tanks with live plants can be excellent additions to your home, bringing a touch of nature indoors. Learn how to take care of aquatic plants.
Updated on December 30th, 2025
Find out what tools you’ll need and discover the best way to get your aquarium back on track without starting over and find out how to maintain a clean fish tank.
Updated on December 30th, 2025
Discover the fish tank filter system that’s right for your aquarium. Learn about mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration at Petco.
Updated on December 30th, 2025
Hello, and thank you for using Boop by Petco. The most common (and easiest) way to clean a fish tank is with a siphon-style cleaner. Fish tanks should be cleaned in stages, generally replacing 10-15% of the water at a time. There are times where a larger cleaning might be necessary, but removing the fish and changing too much of the water at once can be quite a shock and can be dangerous to the fish, so this should be saved for only extenuating circumstances. Here's a helpful video on using a siphon cleaner: http://video.petco.com/v/18852/how-to-clean-your-aquarium-with-the-aqueon-siphon-vacuum-/ And some more reading you may find interesting on general fish tank cleaning and maintenance: http://www.firsttankguide.net/waterchange.php Hope this helps!
Updated on November 25th, 2025
Without anything to use for scale, it is hard for me to tell how big your tank is, but in general it seems very small. Also, the water that is in the tank appears very cloudy right now, so that would be the first place to start. Water quality is very important, and will make or break your ability to house and care for fish. I would recommend getting a good filter system (you can visit a local pet store to assist you with brands in your area, as I am not familiar with what you can get in India). Be sure to bring the measurements (height, length, width) of your tank, or the gallons or liters so they can tell you what capacity of filter you will need. Everything else will depend on what types of fish you get - if you plan on getting multiple fish, they will need to be small - a general rule of thumb is one square inch of fish per gallon of water. Depending on the species you get, you may need to also get a bubbler to ensure there is enough oxygen in the water for them, and you will also
Updated on November 25th, 2025
If you are getting hard water deposits, use a utility razor and gently scrape the deposit off the glass. When you're doing a water change, if the water level drops below the deposits, use a cloth dampened with plain vinegar and scrub. Be careful to not allow any vinegar into the water. Wipe it well with a clean cloth to remove any vinegar residue and refill. Ideally, the tank should be emptied, sprayed with vinegar, sit for 10-20 minutes then scrubbed or scraped.
Updated on November 25th, 2025
Before you buy any fish, you will need to set up the tank. A basic set up includes: a tank, filter, hood/light, heater, gravel and some decor. The tank should run without fish for at least 4 to 6 weeks. This gives it time to cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle is critical to the health of the tank and any fish you will be keeping. During this time, beneficial bacterial will populate the filter and substrate (gravel). These bacteria will be responsible for breaking down fish wastes and other wastes (uneaten food, dead plants, etc.). You will need a home test kit to monitor water chemistry (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH) or you will have to submit water samples for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. At first, you will see high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Over time, as bacteria grow, these levels will drop. When ammonia and nitrites are at 0 ppm and nitrates are below 20 ppm, you can consider adding fish. Regular (every 1 or 2 weeks) partial water changes as we
Updated on November 25th, 2025
If it is on the glass, remove enough water to drop levels below the lotion and wipe with paper towels until clean. Avoid soaps or cleaners which can cause more harm to your fish than the lotion. Replace water with aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Use a fresh carbon filter insert to remove any residual lotion or chemicals. If the lotion is on tank furniture, remove and wash with a mild soap then rinse very well before returning it to the tank.
Updated on November 25th, 2025