Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
Get It Today
Learn how to test your aquarium water. Poor water quality stresses fish, which leaves them susceptible to disease and possibly death.
Updated on October 29th, 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 October 29th, 2025
Learn how to pick the right aquarium plants, substrate, lighting, and fertilizers to ensure that your aquarium plants thrive and stay healthy.
Updated on October 29th, 2025
Learn how to care for a Koi, recommended diet and aquarium setup. Find Koi for sale, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on October 29th, 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 October 29th, 2025
Check the water chemistry. Confirm ammonia and nitrite levels are 0.25ppm or less and nitrates are 40ppm or less. Use a liquid test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes, about 30% can be done to decrease high levels. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. My preferences for water conditioning are AmQuel Plus and NovAqua in addition to StressCoat. Confirm water temperature between 78F and 80F. You can soak pellets in some garlic juice to stimulate his appetite.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Some iron is necessary for a healthy aquarium, but too much can promote algae growth or impart an unsightly yellow or orange tinge to the water. Reverse osmosis (RO) filters are deal for removing mineral and heavy metals from water but they can be prohibitively expensive. Buying RO water from a local market or pet store is also a possibility but not economically feasible if you have a large tank. The best option may be a Polyfilter, which can be purchased in the local pet store or online. These filters will remove iron or other metals/chemicals and must be changed monthly or quarterly. You can also buy a water conditioner that will precipitate out some of the iron which can then be removed by mechanical filtration. An example of just one is Rid Metals (by Kordon). Follow label directions carefully, perform regular water changes and monitor iron levels with a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing.
Updated on August 12th, 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 August 12th, 2025
Monitor water chemistry using a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20ppm or less. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Pristine water quality is the foundation for healing and recovery from infection or injury in fish. You can use plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) as a general tonic to reduce stress, improve gill function and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup or two of water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 14 days then reassess the condition. An "all in one" product, such as Lifeguard (by Tetra), can be used concurrently to treat infection or parasites. Find one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove
Updated on August 12th, 2025
I would recommend to have the water completely changed. New water should be ideally submitted for quality testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or a nominal fee. High ammonia levels, PH imbalances may be responsible for that as well. Oxygen concentration and quality of the filters should be determined as well. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on August 12th, 2025