Blogs

Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium

Beginners Guide

Setting up an aquarium is an exciting journey, but success begins with understanding the essentials. A healthy aquarium is more than just water and fish—it’s a carefully balanced ecosystem. Step 1: Understanding the Nitrogen Cycle Before adding fish, it’s crucial to establish the nitrogen cycle—the process that breaks down waste. Stage 1: Fish and decaying matter produce ammonia (toxic). Stage 2: Beneficial bacteria convert ammonia into nitrite (still harmful). Stage 3: A second type of bacteria converts nitrite into nitrate (less toxic). Stage 4: Nitrates are removed through water changes or absorbed by live plants. 👉 Without cycling, ammonia and...

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White Spot Disease “Ich” in Freshwater and Marine Aquariums

Article

White Spot Disease “Ich” in Freshwater and Marine Aquariums By Michael A Grima (B.Sc. Hons I, GradCertVetStud) A protozoal disease associated with the formation of small white spots/cysts on the gills and skin of marine and freshwater fish species. White spot disease, in the context of salt and freshwater environments, is not caused by the same species of protozoan, however, clinical signs of infection (symptoms) and pathogenesis (disease development) in both contexts is similar. Causes: Freshwater pathogen - Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Marine pathogen - Cryptocaryon irritans. Diagnosis: Scrapings of gill and/or skin tissue or body slime associated with cysts can be...

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