Lethargic Fish

[Otter2009]

I have a 20 gallon tank that's about 2 years old and my fish seem to have become very lethargic over the past few months. None have died but they're less active and don't respond to food the way that they used to. There has also been a lot of brown algae growing recently.

Here are the specs:

20 gallon
Ammonia - 0 (my API test tends to have a green tinge to it regardless of the levels so I'm a tad skeptical of its results)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20-30
pH - 6.8

 

[jayyvonmonroe40]

I have a 20 gallon tank that's about 2 years old and my fish seem to have become very lethargic over the past few months. None have died but they're less active and don't respond to food the way that they used to. There has also been a lot of brown algae growing recently.



Here are the specs:



20 gallon

Ammonia - 0 (my API test tends to have a green tinge to it regardless of the levels so I'm a tad skeptical of its results)

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 20-30

pH - 6.8

You have live bacteria growing in your tank and taking all the nutrients out of the water

 

[Otter2009]

Thanks, Jay! I'm not super familiar with this problem (I'm used to bacteria being beneficial to an aquarium). What symptoms tipped you off to it? Also, how do I fix it?

 

[jayyvonmonroe40]

Thanks, Jay! I'm not super familiar with this problem (I'm used to bacteria being beneficial to an aquarium). What symptoms tipped you off to it? Also, how do I fix it?

I had to use water clarifier, I put my fish in quarantine for awhile