Q&A for How to Clean a Fish Tank

Start by doing daily water changes. You can safely change about 20% of the water each day.

Fish go into a resting phase, most often at night. Though not perfectly analogous to our sleep, it is a resting phase that allows the animal to save energy and recoup.

I would strongly recommend against it. If you are doing your water changes approximately, it's preferred to keep the fish in the tank undisturbed. This means maintaining a constant temperature, proper aeration, and salinity if applicable. If you are mixing specialized water, such as a marine mix, a hard water cichlid mix, or a soft water low pH mix, you should always prepare your water prior to starting your water change.

It is possibly some type of lesion indicating a pathogen of some type. It could be a secondary infection from a wound or a parasite of some type. If the skin appears to be broken, it is prudent to add aquarium salt to the water at a rate of 3-5 grams per liter to aid the fish's osmotic balance with the water as well as a possible prophylactic treatment. Salt can be effective against fungus and several types of bacteria at this concentration.

There are professional aquarium cleaning services. Check for professionals in your area.

The same as any other freshwater aquarium. If you are keeping Rift Lake cichlids (Malawi, Tanganyika, Victoria), you should pay special concern to the pH and alkalinity of your aquarium. Keep the pH well into the alkaline range by maintaining an adequately high alkalinity. Keep the aquarium clean and do regular water changes to ensure the pH doesn't drop as a result of the acids created by the nitrogen cycle.

If your plants get covered with nuisance algae, it is possible to lightly scrub certain plants to remove the algae. In this situation, you should investigate your nutrient (nitrate and phosphate) levels, and look to mitigate any issues you have in that department. You can also consider a few algae eaters that are suitable for the planted aquaria such as dwarf bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus), Otocinclus sp., or Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata or Caridina japonica).

Rinse thoroughly, then soak using a chlorine remover (de-chlor) treatment. If you are working with porous materials such as stone or wood (or some synthetics) allow it to dry thoroughly before adding to the aquarium. Be conscious of ammonia/nitrite levels for a few weeks, as your bacterial colony may be impaired.

Fish don't need to be removed from the tank unless you are doing a huge water change, it can be more beneficial if they stay in the tank so they acclimatize to the new (correct temperature/treated) water. The tap safe water conditioners are pretty much instant in the correct dose.

If you're asking about your fish, you can look up your fish and their environment to find out which water type they prefer. If you're talking about acquired water, then you can get fresh water from regular household sources like the faucet.

No. Your fish could die or get sick. It's best if you take out the fish first.

It is cyanobacteria, which can turn into a bubbly slime all over the tank if it is not abated.

Get rid of most sunlight. Sunlight is the main cause of algae.

A typical water change should be about 25 to 30 percent (2.5 - 3 gal.). If you let your water sit out for a week, you really do not need to add chemicals to the water, as long as the water stays clean. Most chemicals, like AquaSafe, work instantly if ratioed correctly. It is recommended you mix your chemicals with your replacement water, get the new water to the same temperature as your tank water, then add the new water into the tank. This can also be done without having to remove your fish from the tank as well.

No, this is a stressful time for the fish; best to clean the tank first and feed afterwards.

If the marks are on the outside, use surface cleaner and a towel and wipe them off. If the marks are on the inside, use a clean sponge soaked in hot water and wipe it clean.

Get the fish out and clean the tank immediately, they could be killed if left in the water for too long.

No, this can kill your fish. The chlorine in the bottled and tap water is toxic to fish. Only change half the water, leaving the fish in the tank. Make sure the water is a similar temperature to that of the water in the tank as temperature changes of more than a few degrees can shock a fish, causing it to get sick. Changing more than 50% of the water kills the good bacteria of your tank allowing bad bacteria to thrive.

It's not necessary.

Scrub it down with water and a sponge, then a towel it off. If it is still dirty, get a used toothbrush and scrub away. Then test the tank by filling it with water (preferably outside so it is easy to dump out with a siphon) and looking at the tank. If there are splotches on the outside, rub them off with a clean paper towel.

Yes.

Consider buying an automatic fish food feeder that can feed your fish daily.

You can clean it the same way as shown above.

You can clean a tank that has scratches on it by buffing the glass with sandpaper, and then using some non-toxic polish (only on The outside). If the scratches are inside, do the same but no polish because it can harm and kill your fish.

You may have to clean it again, as it may not be sufficiently clean.

This is brown algae. Scrub the sides of the tank and siphon 50% of your water, adding back the remainder after. I would also suggest buying a freshwater test strip, or kit, to test for anything off. Also, I would keep your lights on for 8 hours a day and away from sunlight if possible. The light may keep it pretty, but it will definitely grow some algae if left on.

No, that tank is way too small even for one beta.

Sometimes dullness is caused by an improper diet. You might want to look at the food you are feeding and see if it is the best one for your type of fish.

Get the water tested at the local pet store. Many, such as Petsmart and Petco, will test a sample of the water for free.

As long as you are being gentle with the gravel vaccuum, you can clean the tank with the fish in it.