Hi I've bought a secondhand tank and it's contents and it's got green fur and silver bugs!! Help how do I get rid of these! Tried green algae remover and it's not working! Photo attached of the bugs they are silver and walk about, what are the bugs?? Will they harm the fish? I think the previous owner over fed as he said feed twice a day and I always find once is enough could this of caused the bugs and fur?
Help bugs on tank
- Thread starter Maryida
- Start date
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Hi and welcome to the community.
I would get a single edged razor blade and scrape all the odd algae off.
The alge fix stuff can be toxic if not used correctly so please be careful with it.
Are the fish in a bucket? Are there fish in the tank?
Remove fish if there are any to a separate bucket/container.
Scrape off the stuff in a tank - with no fish in it, use some table salt or aquarium salt and /or some baking soda and rub all around gently to get off any residue. if you missed any algae just use the razor blade to get any leftovers off.
Be careful at the seams where the calking is holding the pieces together not to cut into the seams with the razor blade.
A Magic Eraser or generic kind is helpful too.
Rinse 3-4 times to get out all the salt and baking soda and get rid of the bugs. After you think it is well rinsed, do it one more time just to make sure
. Don't forget the underside of the top rim of the tank, there is often muck under there.
The pic doesn't show the bugs clearly so I can't tell what they are.
If there is a substrate like gravel, rinse it with treated/dechlorinated water, a strainer with appropriately sized holes would be a benefit and can get cheaply from a dollar or thrift store.
Add the gravel and everything back into the tank. Acclimate the fish and their water to the new tank water gradually, if you can put the heater and air bubbler into the bucket, add your new treated tank water into the bucket a few cups at a time over the course of a few hours.
So you would start with a 1/4 amount of water in the bucket. Add 2-3 cups at a time. When the water level gets to full, remove half of the water and keep going like that refill gradually. Maybe add water every 20-30 min.
The reason so gradually is because it seems the old owner didn't take care of the fish and there is likely a huge build up of TDS and maybe even Nitrates, and that will be hugely different from your new tap water. That can cause shock. aka Old tank syndrome.
They fish will need the heater and air bubbler is good but not required as long as you don't forget them in there, as you will be adding aerated water each water addition.
I would get a single edged razor blade and scrape all the odd algae off.
The alge fix stuff can be toxic if not used correctly so please be careful with it.
Are the fish in a bucket? Are there fish in the tank?
Remove fish if there are any to a separate bucket/container.
Scrape off the stuff in a tank - with no fish in it, use some table salt or aquarium salt and /or some baking soda and rub all around gently to get off any residue. if you missed any algae just use the razor blade to get any leftovers off.
Be careful at the seams where the calking is holding the pieces together not to cut into the seams with the razor blade.
A Magic Eraser or generic kind is helpful too.
Rinse 3-4 times to get out all the salt and baking soda and get rid of the bugs. After you think it is well rinsed, do it one more time just to make sure
. Don't forget the underside of the top rim of the tank, there is often muck under there.The pic doesn't show the bugs clearly so I can't tell what they are.
If there is a substrate like gravel, rinse it with treated/dechlorinated water, a strainer with appropriately sized holes would be a benefit and can get cheaply from a dollar or thrift store.
Add the gravel and everything back into the tank. Acclimate the fish and their water to the new tank water gradually, if you can put the heater and air bubbler into the bucket, add your new treated tank water into the bucket a few cups at a time over the course of a few hours.
So you would start with a 1/4 amount of water in the bucket. Add 2-3 cups at a time. When the water level gets to full, remove half of the water and keep going like that refill gradually. Maybe add water every 20-30 min.
The reason so gradually is because it seems the old owner didn't take care of the fish and there is likely a huge build up of TDS and maybe even Nitrates, and that will be hugely different from your new tap water. That can cause shock. aka Old tank syndrome.
They fish will need the heater and air bubbler is good but not required as long as you don't forget them in there, as you will be adding aerated water each water addition.
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