Sorry you still have the algae problem. Is this the brown algae still. Did you try the Phos-Guard product? Standard bulb for an eclipse6 is 8 watt 5500K. Anyway, The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is a lone dwarf gourami or honey gourami, or a betta in the medium catagory. I would just go with a scool of small tetras 8-10, or perhaps try some Killifish, they are small (Most) like tetras and are very colorful. You should be OK with a few Java Ferns with both types (unless you modify your lighting), tetras and killi's love plants.

I keep a java fern in the exact tank you have without any problems. A betta is housed in this tank.

No, I have not tried Phos-Guard but I did try Ammo-Lock. That did help some with the algea on the tank wall, but not on the decorations. I think the Honey Grounomi would be nice, but do you think I could pull off having two Dwarf Grounomis? I already have a betta and I want something different. Also are you sure I could put 8 killis in a six gallon tank? With the algea problem still at hand, I don't want to pollute the tank further(if that is the case).

Thanks!

I meant 6-8 small tetras(neons, cardinals,glowlight etc). For Killifish I would start with a pair, then depending on size. Either fish excel in a heavy planted tank, so alotta java ferns/moss. 2 honey gouramis is a little over crowded, but manageable with good maintainance. Thats as long as the betta is not in that tank. Bettas and gourami are not compatible. its been done sucessfully but could be deadly. I only remember a brown algae problem. If thats all you have no problem. It really isn't algae but diatoms. Phosguard will cure it.

What I meant by kilis is neons, cardinals ect. Don't know why I typed that! Oh, and no, the betta is in a seperate tank! Do you think I should get rid of the algea before adding the new fish or would it not affect them? Thanks for all your help. I think I might get 2 Flame Dwarf Gouramis.

Thanks!

Is the water clear, except for algae? Has the algae gotten worse since a month ago? Is it just the brown crud? And, as long as it is algae or diatoms it is harmless. You just have too much nutrients in the water. Best thing is to add the Java Ferns and do weekly PWC's at 25%. Keep a close eye on water parameters with a small tank and slightly large fish load. Most important Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and pH. Big fish load with moderate amount of plants = less chance of system crash/overload, as long as the plants are healthy.

"Alot" of the plants sold in containers are not true aquatic plants so look for labeling and confirm on a Aquatic plant site. They are grown by the use of hydroponics and sometimes take a while to adjust sometimes they loose most of their leaves. But I guess you haven't had problems so go for it, but check light requirments, your aquarium is underlit. Only low light plants. The pond snails that come on plants are not harmful. I find them beneficial. If you deside on Gouramis, some even eat them. Usually at first you get an infestation of snails but the population decreases when the food supply is depleted. The "Brown Algae" problem can be cured with the "Phosguard". It is perfectly safe for the fish unlike the algae kill liquid products that can kill your plants and bio-filter. All phosguard does is grab the phosphates and silicates from the water. Silicate is the "food" of brown algae. So what happens is the "algae" starves. A few stores in my area stopped the trade in policy. One will except a fish but will not credit you. A few products that help your plants are "trace elements" and "flourish excel". Petsmart carries them, they are Seachem products, as is Phosguard, but my Petsmart doesn't carry it. You really dont need other fertilizer, but if you do get some pick one with no, or the least amount of phosphate. Post another picture when you are done. Good Luck.

First of all.....there are no gouramis that could be housed in a 6 gallon tank. That will be a disaster. If you want fish that will stay healthy and live in this tank......you will have to get small fish.....a school of 6 neons or 6 danios would be best suited for this size of tank. This is a really small tank so it limits the types of fish you can keep. You could try a trio of guppies or a trio of platies.....

Shut the light off completely in this little tank.....turn it on when you are feeding.....as soon as the fish are done eating.....shut the light out again.

I don't think live plants is the answer here......if you have extra nutrients ..the question is why? Are you over feeding? Are you doing weekly water changes? Why did you use amo-lock? Don't dump products into your aquarium...do partial water changes.....if your tests show ammonia, nitrite and nitrate....do water changes daily...about 1/3 of the tank water.....this should settle down in a month or two. The algae will dissipate once the tank is balanced....

Something just hit me...does tempature have any thing to do with the algea? I have a thermometer in it and the tempature is about 82 degrees...so this may or may not have ant thing to do with it.

Also I do have to feed a little more than usual because the fish don't seem to notice the food, so could the algea be the cause of overfeeding?

I am doing PWC and I use ammo-lock because it claims to help remove ammonia build up. I only use it when doing PWC because my normal declorinator doesn't help remove ammonia. Another thing, I don't think I can use Phos-Guard after all because my filter won't let me use different media-it comes pre assembled.

I am still confused on the fish...I would really like to have some larger sized fish than guppies and the like...but Sierra, I don't quite understand why the gournomis won't work...

Thanks!

Hi there,

Gouramis won't work for several reasons....one being that they are just to big for your little tank. Your water capacity in your tank...simply won't hold the bio load that the gouramis will cause. Secondly larger type Fish will become stunted and unhealthy when housed in very small spaces. They may become twisted or have crooked spins. It would be cruel to keep gouramis or any other larger type fish in this small tank.

The solution if you really want bigger fish is to purchase a bigger aquarium.......you would also find that a larger aquarium will have fewer problems. If you really want to keep gouramis try a 29 gallon tank or larger.

The temp seems a little high......I would try to regulate it around 76F

When your fish don't seem to notice food...that is indicating a problem. Healthy fish will be at the top begging for food everytime you go near the aquarium. Well unless they are bottom dwellers...but yours are not.

When you feed more food.....it causes more nutrients to feed your algae and causes the ammonia and nitrite to go up. I think you should be doing 1/3 water changes daily until you get this tank under control. Feed only once a day and only a tiny amount....feed each fish the amount of food that is the size of their eye. That means very little.

Sorry to tell you but there is no product to fix poor aquarium practices. Adding extra chemicals will just cause more problems.

Do water tests.....For ammonia... and Do partial water changes.......Do not add anymore fish until you get this tank cycled properly.

Sierra

Dwarf/Honey gourami's only get 2-3" they put no more bio-load in the water than a danio, platy or betta. Still not the best choice, but not unmanageable. Moore I didn't realize aquarium wasn't cycled, I thought it had cycled a month or 2 ago then the brown algae appeared. Also,I thought the previous fish cardinals/danios where going to be replaced by new fish, had no idea of other fish in the aquarium with the potential new ones.

PhosGuard can be added to a filter cartridge by making a small slit in the filter cartridge and adding it to the activated carbon or removing the carbon and replacing it with the PhosGuard. Another option, and probably easier is to use a media bag inplace of the carbon/mechanical filter until it clears.You will only need 4 1/2 tsp. If Phos-Zorb is available (actually its probably easier to find) it comes in a pouch already. It has the same active ingredient (the only ingredient) Aluminum Oxide or Alumina. It is perfectly safe for aquarium use. It is an adsorbent of phosphate (the usual cause of green algaes) and silicates (the cause for diatoms/brown algae). It is an anti-exchange resin (means it does not release chemicals or disolve in the water). It works similar to the way activated carbon works. Activated carbon traps some toxins and organics. Aluminum Oxide traps the silicates. Silicate is the food of diatoms/brown algae. No food = starvation. Starvation = death, so no more brown algae. Silicate comes from the plastics, sand/gravels (some) and glass/acrylic in the aquariums. It can also come from your tap water supply. If it is just the silicates from the aquarium leeching out eventually it will go away by itself. It all depends on water chemisrty how long ( a few days to a year). If it is from your tap water then you will have to remove it with a product like this or use Reverse Osmosis water (or R.O.). Another option is small algae eaters like Oto Cats. I get diatoms in almost all new aquariums within 2 weeks. Most of my aquariums are planted with 2-4 watts 6500K lighting. I am anal about testing water and all of my tanks (planted ones) are 5ppm Nitrate and 0.5 ppm Phosphate. Still the Diatoms appear. I have only used the PhosGuard once for removing diatoms, mainly to see if it worked, well it did like a charm. I used it with green water, gone within 4 days. At any rate it is not harmful to fish (the diatoms). If this is your only concern, not water parameters or uncycled tank then it is safe to add a fish.

Here's a gorgeous little gourami that would work for your little tank.

The picture in the link doesn't do it justice, however.

http://www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/Gourami/SparklingGouramiInfo.asp

I would have posted it as a link, but for some reason, the server keeps telling me that any link I post that way is invalid. It USED to work easily, but...something has changed, apparently.

I think there is a misunderstanding. First of all, the tank IS cycled: I bought this tank in July so it is cycled. Second of all I will get the new fish AFTER the fish living in there currently die. Thanks for telling me how to put the PhosGuard in the media. I might go with two Pygmy gouramis that drygulch suggested or I decided I can go with one Dwarf/honey Gournomi. Sorry for the misunderdstanding!

As Sierra wrote previously, if fish aren't interested in getting fed and are up and "begging" as soon as the tank lid is lifted (or in my case, as soon as I walk by any of my tanks) that should be an indication that something is wrong with the fish. SO yes, you are feeding too much and yes, this will contribute to a lot of things and not just an algae problem. The small tanks that I keep are in my office at work. I have a 6 gallon (one betta resides there) and a 12 gallon. The 12 gallon right now over the years have lost some of it's residents, but currently houses two glass cats, a cory cat and one danio. When I'm not here over the weekends, my fish don't get fed. And believe me, they're fine without the feeding for a couple of days. People at work always comment on how clean the tanks are - I think it has a lot to do with not overfeeding and regular water changes.

Okay - that aside. The inch per gallon ratio is not really that accurate. It's accurate if using a slim type fish like a neon or danio, but is not correct if using a fish like a gourami (totally different body type!)

Gourami's, btw, in my opinion, like to be in pairs. They like company. It's one of the reasons why my 6 gallon holds the betta who is fine without the company. He rules without competition in that tank! Gourami's, too, depending on the type, can be aggressive. Most of the flashy dwarf gourami's like neon blues or flame are usually only male (since they are more brightly coloured) - so getting two of these types means occassional fighting. And in a smaller tank, there's no place to escape.

Honey gouramis are fairly small and peaceful. I think they'd be happier in a 12 gallon than a 6.

A school of six neons or cardinals would be very pretty in a six gallon tank. I love watching them school.

The feeding issue is easy to resolve if it is just over-feeding and not disease for the cause. Is the tank heated with an aquarium heater? If not with fall upon us and lower temps at night, the fish will become lathargic and metabolism will slow causing them not to have an appetite. As for over-feeding, only as much as they will consume in 2-3 minutes, less frequent daily feeding (1 or 2 times daily). 1 day of fasting/no feeding a week. Remove any uneaten food after the feeding with a straw or the turkey baster. I agree with more water the better, it is just easier to maintain an "understocked" tank and allows for less fluctuating water parameters and you have the oppurtunity to catch a spike or problem before it gets too bad. Just to check, I looked up profiles for Dwarf/Honey Gourami's. I found it varied, about.com said 5-10G minimum, another site said 5G minimum, some said 10G minimum. Most agreed that only 1 male of the Dwarf's per tank (i whole heartedly agree). Honey's do better in pairs but they are somewhat smaller then dwarf's. If a male and female dwarf are paired, when the aquarium is optimum conditoned and they are mature enough they will breed. Their breeding ritual is similar to the betta's, though not quite as agressive. The male blows a nest and maintains the eggs/fry. The female is also reccomended to be removed right after spawning as with the betta, the males become very protective and the females will try to eat the eggs/fry. This usually ends up in female death. Of course this is all generalized, and roles are sometimes reversed. Like the saying goes "Always is a false statement". I still think it would be "manageable" to keep 1 male or female dwarf or a pair of Honey's in the 6G. I deffinatly would improve the water if it "needs" to be. Gourami's are sensitive to water parameters, so weekly or even bi-weekly testing with a reliable reagent type kit is advised. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and pH are key. NO Ammonia or Nitrite should be detectable, and is better suited. I would by the 10G tank seperate from a LFS or even Wal-Mart (

I can do without the gournomis and I think I will indead go with the school of neons. Are black neons any different? If not, I would like to have a school of five or six. Thanks for all the help and information. This weekend I will try to grab some PhosGuard and clean the algea covered decorations. I will also fast my fish for one day a week and feed them less.

Also the aquarium is not heated but since the Eclipses don't have any opening in the back, the tank stays quite warm. Since it IS enclosed, I don't think the tank gets cold at night!
Thanks!

You would be supprised, the only way to tell is an inexpensive thermometer for aquarium use, only $2. Its like when you have a glass of water out all night and it stays cold even when the heat is on. Black neons would probably look cool, head and tail lights are also neet. You could try even 8, incase one doesn't take. For some reason every time I add a school at a time 1 or 2 don't make it.

Ok, I will try that experiment. If it does get cold at night but warm in the day, would I only turn the heater on at night? What wattage of heater should I use for the eclipse if it does turn out to be cold at night?

Once I get my new fish and clean the decorations AND the algea gets starved, I wil post a new picture!

Thanks a bunch everyone! You always can help!

What's your normal room temp? with a 6 gallon, a 25 watt heater works fine for me at work. Get the kind where you can regulate the temp to what YOU want. They're more expensive than the preset type, but I think it's worth the money.

Get six of either the black neons or neons. They're both tetras, but if you want schooling behavior, get six of the same type. My black neons do not school with the neons.... although the penguin tetras will school with black neons (similar colouring). The metallic red and blue in neons will look very nice in the six gallon. Don't overfeed. With just six you really only need a pinch of food twice a day.

Before you buy any fish, really check them out in the store. Check out the OTHER fish that might be in adjacent tanks that MIGHT be sharing the same filtering system (a lot of times stores will set up filtering systems where several tanks share it... ) Make sure they look healthy, and look closely for any signs of ich. If you can, find out when they get fish deliveries. I've always found if you get them just as they arrive, they seem to transition better.

Before putting the fish into the tank, float them in the bag in the tank for about 15-20 minutes. Then, open the bag carefully, put about a cup of tank water into the bag with the fish and reclose it, allowing it to continue to float in the tank water. Let it sit for another 15 minutes or so, then scoop the fish out with a net and place them into the tank. Do NOT pour the water from the bag into the tank. This process helps your fish to transition between water temps from bag to tank, along with adjusting to pH differences.

Don't feed your fish immediately. Let them settle in. Healthy fish, regardless of the change and new environment, really should eat right away and be interested in food. If they don't, I usually don't feed for a day or so.

First of all I would like to address drygulch. The sparkling or croaking gouramis stay small...however they are really not a beginner fish.....this fish would not give moregirl the colorful show that she was hoping for in her 6 gallon tank. So therefore I ruled this fish out for her tank.

Now moregirl.....you will definately be heading in the right direction with 6 blue neons or 6 black neons....you may wish to get an odd number like 5 or 7.....just for a more pleasing view....I don't know but they say odd numbers look better.....I personally would stick to just 6....I am more concerned with the health of my fish than what looks extremely pleasing to the eye.

When I mentioned cycling your tank........I am very suspicious that you probably have ammonia problems...caused by the over feeding. Do you have an ammonia test kit? Are your tests reading 0 ppm? If you are getting any other reading......basically you are still cycling your tank.......it won't matter if you have had it set up for 6 years.....if you have an ammonia peak.....it has to be dealt with.....or any new fish you add will still have health issues.

Here my house temps go down at night....so the temps in my aquariums will go down to.....but I have heaters that prevent this from happening. Its especially dangerous with small tanks because the temps can change very quickly.....larger tanks cool slower because of the volumn. I agree with the above post that a 25W heater with changeable settings is what you need. I run my basic tanks around 76F. Again you must have the heater running and the temp regulated before you add your new fish. Just leave the heater in the tank and plugged in all the time...it won't come on...unless the temp starts to drop.
A themometer that goes in the tank and is easy to read, is best...don't get the stick on the outside type....the room temp influences the stick on type.

Oh I just noticed that Woe mentioned the test kits....

As you can see there is a lot more to fish keeping than just sticking some pretty fish in water......this hobby is a difficult one that takes a lot of time, learning and patience!

Sierra

One other thing I thought of...

Quite honestly, when I set up a new tank about the only chemical that goes in is water conditioner (to remove chlorine and chloromines). I don't put anything else in the tank. With small tanks, I don't cycle the tank. Sorry - I know some would say it's a no-no, but with a single resident like a betta or some small fish population, I just stick to a regular bit more frequent water change schedule while the filter media gets seeded with good bacteria in the natural way. Oh - and I also always always run the tap for a good 5 minutes before using the water. I'll do this whether I'm using the water from inside the house or from the house outside.

When I do water changes, again, the only thing that is added is the water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloromines. And in the guppy tank and the goldfish tank, they get some added aquarium salt. But that's it.

With ich, I try to do the raise the temp treatment before I start putting in chemicals. I watch new fish like a hawk, and look for signs of disease closely - especially the first two weeks.

If fish die, I remove them right away so that their bodies don't start decomposing, fouling the water.

I also don't feed tons when they first go in the tank and feed sparingly the first week.

Now - I'm not saying these are sure-fired ways to be successful at keeping fish, but it's what I've been doing that's been working well for me.

When it comes to algae in the tank, it takes patience and perserverence to get control of it. I've used no algae type of products with success - but usually I try increasing my water changes over a period of time and make sure all ornaments, sides of tank and filter parts are cleaned up... along with maybe a new filter pad. It takes longer, but it usually works.

tomorrow I will test my tank for ammonia and on Saturday I will also buy a 25 watt heater that doesn't have a set temp. I do know what to look for when buying fish, but I never thought to look at the other fish around the specific fish tank. I don't have any drip test kits, only the dip.(and yes, yes I know there not as accurate but I am on a slim budget!)

So now when I go to my LFS this weekend I will:
A. buy a 25 watt heater with a changable setting
B. buy some PhosGuard to work on my filter
On the weekend I will also do a PWC and clean off the algea. When I do get my new fish I will look for the right signs(and the wrong ones!) and I will only buy six black neon tetras. If I missed anything on my LONG list, please let me know. Thanks for all your help!

The only reason I ever even thought to look at the tanks around them was one time someone working at a local LFS clued me in on it. I was interested in some apistogammas (which were expensive) and he told me not to chance it because there was a tank hooked up to the same filter system that was being quarantined.

Now I always check.

Also - if you look, you'll see that fish are grouped by water parameters. The tanks that are hooked up to the same filtering system are those with fish who need the same water parameters (pH and temps, salinity)

I know that feeling of really wanting to set up that tank - like Yesterday and not wait for next week!! but you will save money in the long run if you wait, rather than take a chance on fish that may be iffy.

Sometimes you can ask the clerk to feed the fish while you are there. Alot of times before buying a fish from an unfamiliar store if possible I check it out daily and check inventory. One time I checked a place out that seemed OK. I returned the next day when the store opened and was shocked at the amount of deads. If you are on a tight budget go to the link below and type in the product codes here. Als PhosGuard is a little pricey and not alwayes available at most pet stores, go with the Phos-Zorb. It is cheaper and it come in a packet so it is easier to use. Remember to presoak it before puting in your filter. Your aquarium is still on the new side and the silicate may have not all leached out yet. If its really pissing you off (brown crud) try it. Do not use a "similar" product. Some products dont or rarely work, like ones that are barley straw based. Just make sure its the white bead type. Also, some stores dont carry good 25W heaters. Heaters pc-18872 or cd-18709 (visa-therm sounds nice). Phos-Zorb pc-111334. Just a suggestion cd-110706. These prices, even with shipping, are great. Plus you aren't wasting the gas to boot. The savings on the heater alone will pay for the shipping. The savings on the other crap is gravy in the boat.

Here is a link that might be useful: The good Drs.

One thing I like to to is pick out fish I like then come back next week to buy them. If they still look healthy they probably are. Look for signs of stress or illness like rapid breathing, scratching on objects and white spots or gill infections.

Thanks! I just might go ahead and get the master test kit. I am so glad that Phos Zorb is just like Phos Guard but cheaper(every one must love that) I didn't realize that aquariums would be considered new even after being set up for six months! Thanks a ton and I will post a picture when I get new fish and the like! Thanks Again!

I guess its more of a question of when it started cycling, then started. I guess anything that hasn't been established for a year or 1 1/2 yrs. is new ? PhosGuard is cheaper in the long run, but for trial purposes why spend the money. It says it treats up to 55 gallons which should treat your 6 gal for quite some time. You may have to trim the mesh bag it comes in to fit, I have never used it but it is the same stuff as PhosGuard, alumina. You should only need about 4-5 tsp. You may have to do the slit in the filter cartrige thing, not sure of the size of the bag. I have a 5.3 oz. jar of phosguard and it is = to 250ml or 1 cup. The test set is good, and accurate. It will last you a year easy. It reminds me of 8th grade chemistry class (minus the fire I started).