FAQ: Grooming for fish

Watch the water level and look for damp on the cabinet, floor and around filter hoses and connections. Run a dry paper towel along the corners and seams to check them. If you find a leak, switch off the equipment and lower the water below the leak.

Do not scrape or cut the silicone when cleaning the glass with a blade. Inspect the seams now and then for peeling, air pockets or cracks. Seams on an old tank can start to leak over time, so watch such a tank more closely.

Moderate stocking, plenty of live plants, a suitably sized filter, small feedings and a lighting timer all help. A fixed weekly routine and tools kept to hand save time as well.

The quartz sleeve of a UV steriliser gets coated with dirt and limescale, so it needs cleaning now and then. The UV bulb loses effectiveness over time even while it still glows, so replace it as the maker advises. Unplug the unit before opening it.

A surface skimmer collects film and floating debris, so its basket or sponge clogs quickly. Take them out and rinse them in tank water weekly or whenever the skimmer stops pulling the surface.

A sponge on the intake stops fry, shrimp and small fish being sucked in and catches coarse particles before they reach the filter. It clogs faster, so rinse it in tank water more often than the filter itself.

The ceramic disc of a CO2 diffuser gradually grows algae and clogs, so the bubbles become coarse or uneven. Clean it as the maker directs after shutting off the CO2 supply, and rinse it well before putting it back.

Take the glass pipes out and clean them with a long flexible brush to remove algae and slime. Limescale can be soaked off in vinegar or a dedicated cleaner, then rinsed very thoroughly. Handle them carefully, as thin glass breaks easily.

Light encourages algae inside clear hoses, so they go green from the inside and gradually narrow. Dark or opaque hoses grow algae much more slowly. Clean green hoses with a brush or replace them.

Freshwater tank water can go down the drain or be used to water house or garden plants, since it contains nutrients. Do not use water from a medicated tank or a marine tank for watering. Never pour aquarium water into natural waters.

Corydoras constantly root through the substrate with their barbels, so they need clean, fine, smooth gravel or sand. Siphon the bottom regularly so waste does not build up, and do not leave rotting food, as a dirty bottom can damage their barbels.

Yes, but carefully: do not siphon the spawning site, nest or eggs, do not move decorations and work calmly, as some fish become territorial and guard the nest. Sometimes a small water change even triggers spawning.

Fry are small and delicate, so put mesh over the siphon and cover the filter intake with a sponge. Change small amounts of water often, because fry eat a lot and the water fouls quickly. The new water must be the same temperature.

Kits often include a siphon with a hose, a glass scraper or pad, a net, and sometimes tweezers and plant scissors. Before buying, check that the siphon length and cleaner size suit your tank, as separate tools sometimes fit better.

Floating plants multiply fast, so regularly scoop out the excess with a net so they do not cover the whole surface and shade other plants. Leave some open surface near the filter outflow so the water gets enough oxygen.

Wipe a film or board stuck behind the tank with a dry or barely damp cloth so no water gets underneath. Scrub internal 3D backgrounds with a soft brush along with the glass, since dirt collects behind them where a siphon struggles to reach.

Zookainos.lt compares prices from Lithuanian online pet shops, including aquarium care products. The site itself sells nothing: once you choose an offer, you buy the product on the shop's own website.

Prices are collected about daily, and each product shows when its price was last checked. Before buying, still confirm the final price on the shop's website.

Yes, product pages show price history, so you can see how a product's price has changed over time. This helps you judge whether the current price really is lower than usual.

In a well-kept aquarium the water is clear and almost odourless, the fish are active and eat eagerly, plants grow, algae are few and water tests stay stable. Sudden changes in these signs show that care needs reviewing.