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About Ron Coleman
Expertise
I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish). Please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. I keep fishes both as a scientist and as a hobbyist and I currently maintain about 140 aquariums.

Experience
I am an Assistant Professor at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.

Publications
Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes

Education/Credentials
PhD (Toronto, 1993) MSc (Simon Fraser, 1986) BSc (British Columbia, 1983)

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Pet Fish > Fish > cloudy water dying fish

Fish - cloudy water dying fish

Expert: Ron Coleman - 11/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have a 60 gallon tank, contains 2 blood fins, 2 blueberries, had 3 angels all have recently died, algae eater, 2 small catfish, 2 zebras, 2 platies that just had 2 babies tonight. We check the ph etc very often. It has underground filter, two airstones, heater, light. The biggest angel had a sudden "popeye" that we treated with antibiotic, stringing white fungus and a white fungus growing on him, we treated that also. We did a couple of 5-10 gallon waters changes, but they just keep dying. Please help! I am at the point that I just want to quit but I love fish tanks. The tank is about 6 months old, cost me in total abut $700 so I would like for it to be functional. The water goes from cloudy to clear to cloudy to clear...I hate to see them suffer and die, I want happy healthy fish.

Thank you,

Dee Dee

ANSWER: Hi Dee Dee,
Undergravel filters are not a good way to go. They are very picky. You have to have just the right amount of gravel over them (not too much, not too little). Also, they do not work well if you have cichlids. By "blueberries", I assume you mean blueberry oscars? If so, they will dig. Once the undergravel filter plates are exposed, the undergravel filter is worse than useless -- it becomes a reservoir of toxins and will continue to poison your tank.   I had undergravel filters years ago but got rid of every last one of them.   In the short term, you need to do a lot more water changes. You should be changing 25% of the water in the tank, once a week, EVERY week to keep the fish happy and healthy. Given that your water gets cloudy, there is also a good chance that you are overfeeding your fish. Feed them only once a day and only what they eat right away. Never put in food for them to "eat later". It will rot and wreck your water.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I bought the tank at an aquarium store, they provide everything to go in it, including the amount of rocks. I have never liked the underground filters, had them before in smaller tanks, but trusted them. What kind of filter do you recommend, and what size?

Thank you,

Dee Dee

Answer
Hi Dee Dee,
For most of my tanks I use sponge filters. They are cheap, simple and never need to be replaced. I clean them once a month and they work wonderfully. For tanks with a LOT of fish, I use internal power filters (typically Fluval 3+ or Fluval 4+) in addition to the sponge filter. These are excellent at cleaning the water rapidly and effectively, and relatively quick and simple to clean, which is important because I maintain 140 fish tanks in my lab.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>

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