Glass Box Diaries

Here's a quick update on my 25-litre Walstad-style Medaka aquarium before the full one-year update goes live.

Unfortunately, I recently lost one of my male Platinum Medaka. He was the oldest fish in the tank, and with heated aquariums typically limiting their lifespan to around two years, but I think it was old age rather than illness.

The females have been laying eggs on several plants over the past month, although I haven't spotted any fry yet.

The mixed-bloodline ("mutt") Medaka has also started developing a slight spinal deformity, but as none of the Platinum Medaka show the same issue, I suspect it's genetic rather than disease-related.

The tank is also home to a Skittles colony of Neocaridina shrimp. Most of the orange, yellow and blue shrimp have gradually reverted to their wild-type colours over the generations, while the reds have held their colour well.

After moving a lot of them into my 70-litre aquarium, the remaining colony has exploded thanks to the warmer summer temperatures, so I'll soon have plenty more shrimp to stock future tanks.

Plant growth has been excellent. The Pogostemon quadrifolius has become the real workhorse of the aquarium, growing so quickly that it could probably keep the tank stable even without a filter by absorbing excess nutrients.

I removed the Rotala Blood Red varieties because constantly trimming and replanting stem plants became more effort than they were worth in a Walstad aquarium, replacing them with fresh Pogostemon trimmings that are already filling in nicely.

The Helanthium tenellum 'Green' carpet is also progressing well, especially considering it's growing under an entry-level Seaoura SR616 light.

A stronger light or planting a few extra pots from the start would likely have produced a full carpet by now, but I'm still really pleased with how it's developing.

A Quick Update On One Of My Filtered Walstad Method Planted Tanks!

Here's a quick update on my 375-day-old Walstad method Medaka aquarium! The full one-year update will be coming to YouTube soon, but I wanted to give you a look at how the tank is progressing after more than a year of running with a low-maintenance approach.

This is a 25-litre (6.6 US gallon) planted aquarium running a Nicrew Slim hang-on-back filter, an Eheim Jager heater, and a Seaoura SR616 LED light. Sadly, I recently lost one of my oldest Platinum Medaka, but at around two years old, I believe it was simply old age rather than illness.

The remaining Medaka are doing well, and I've been seeing the females laying eggs on the plants over the last month. No fry have appeared yet, but hopefully it's only a matter of time. One of my mixed-breed "mutt" Medaka has developed some spinal deformities, although none of the Platinum Medaka show the same issue, so it looks more like a genetic problem than a disease.

The tank is also home to a Skittles colony of Neocaridina shrimp. Interestingly, only the red shrimp have consistently held their colour, while the orange, yellow, and blue shrimp have gradually reverted back towards the wild type. I recently moved a large number into my 70-litre aquarium, but the warmer summer temperatures have triggered another breeding boom, so this tank is quickly filling up again.

Plant growth has been excellent. I replaced the Rotala Blood Red varieties with Pogostemon quadrifolius because it's much easier to maintain in a Walstad aquarium, and the new cuttings are already starting to establish. The Helanthium tenellum 'Green' carpet is also coming along nicely despite using an entry-level light. With a stronger light or more plants at the start, it probably would have filled in much sooner.

Java Fern vs Bucephalandra: Which Is Better For A Low-Tech Planted Tank?

Java Fern and Bucephalandra are two of the most popular plants for low-tech planted aquariums, but despite both being epiphytes, they serve very different purposes.

In this comparison, I break down the biggest differences between them to help you decide which is the better fit for your aquarium. Both plants are normally attached to rocks or driftwood instead of being buried in the substrate, making them easy to add to most aquascapes, but that's where many of their similarities end.

Java Fern is the larger of the two, often reaching around 30 cm (12 inches) in height. It develops broad, dense clumps of leaves that create excellent hiding places for fish while also acting as natural sight breaks that can help reduce aggression in community tanks.

Bucephalandra stays much smaller, with many varieties growing to around 5 cm (2 inches). Instead of creating large masses of foliage, it's usually used to add detail, texture and colour to hardscape. One of its biggest advantages is the huge range of leaf shapes and colours available, with many varieties displaying attractive red, bronze and brown tones even under affordable LED lighting in low-tech aquariums.

Although both plants are often recommended for beginners, neither is completely maintenance-free. Java Fern can be more demanding in certain water parameters than many people expect, while some Bucephalandra varieties can struggle in hard or very hard water. Understanding your own tap water can make a big difference when choosing between them.

If I could only keep one, I'd choose Bucephalandra. Larger Anubias plants already provide plenty of cover and sight breaks in my aquariums, so Bucephalandra fills a unique role that I find much harder to replace. Its compact size, slower growth and incredible variety make it one of my favourite plants for adding detail to planted tanks.

The Easiest Way To Grow Aquarium Plants Faster!

How the fish poop fertilization method works - https://glassboxdiaries.com/fish-poop-fertilizer/

Want faster plant growth in your planted aquarium without immediately reaching for fertilisers? One of the easiest changes you can make might be something you're already doing every day: feeding your fish.

A lot of hobbyists focus on buying stronger lights, adding CO₂ systems, or constantly changing fertilisers, but sometimes the limiting factor is simply that there aren't enough nutrients being added to the aquarium in the first place. That's especially common in low-bioload tanks with species like bettas or shrimp, where very little food is going into the system.

I'm not suggesting you suddenly double the amount you feed your fish. Instead, a small increase in feeding can provide more nutrients for your plants through the natural waste produced by your livestock. It's a simple approach that I've been using in several of my own aquariums after moving away from liquid fertilisers, and the results have been surprisingly consistent.

I have a full article on my website covering the fish poop fertilisation method in more detail, but the basic idea is that fish waste eventually breaks down into nutrients that aquatic plants can use. As organic waste decomposes, it can also contribute a small amount of natural CO₂, giving plants another potential source of carbon in low-tech aquariums.

Of course, lighting, plant selection, water parameters, and CO₂ availability still play major roles in plant growth, so this isn't a magic fix for every tank. However, if your aquarium has a healthy balance already, slightly increasing feeding can sometimes be enough to noticeably improve growth without buying additional equipment.

One easy way to monitor how your aquarium responds is by using a liquid test kit to check your nitrate level. Nitrate is one of the main macronutrients aquatic plants use, and in my own planted tanks I've consistently seen stronger growth when nitrate stays around 10-20 ppm compared to tanks that remain below 10 ppm.

As always, avoid overfeeding. Only increase feeding gradually and make sure your fish consume most of the food you add. If you're worried about leftovers, shrimp, snails, and other clean-up crew members can often help consume uneaten food before it has a chance to cause problems.

The Water Change Myth Everyone Believes!

One of the biggest myths in the aquarium hobby is that large water changes are always dangerous. In reality, it's not the percentage of water you change that matters most, it's how closely the new water matches the water already in your aquarium.

In this video I explain why the common "25% water change every week" recommendation isn't a universal rule. While there are situations where changing around 25% makes sense, such as gradually reducing nitrate levels, many people repeat the advice without understanding why. Over time, that has led to the misconception that anything larger will automatically shock your fish.

The truth is that many aquariums can safely handle much larger water changes when they're done correctly. Matching the temperature of the new water, using a dechlorinator, and making sure key water parameters are reasonably similar can make a huge difference.

In my own heavily planted aquariums, the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) stay surprisingly close to my tap water because the plants help maintain stable water conditions. That means I can perform larger water changes when needed without causing problems. Every aquarium is different though, so it's always worth checking your own parameters rather than relying on general advice.

Affordable tools like a TDS meter, digital thermometer, pH meter, GH/KH test kit, and a standard aquarium liquid test kit can help you compare your aquarium water to your tap water before carrying out larger water changes. Spending a few minutes checking your parameters is far more useful than blindly following an old rule that may not apply to your setup.

The goal isn't to encourage everyone to do massive water changes. It's to show that one larger water change can often be a perfectly reasonable option if your schedule doesn't allow for several smaller ones. Understanding why you're changing water is far more important than sticking to an arbitrary percentage.

This Budget Light Grew An Aquarium Carpet!

One of the biggest myths in the planted aquarium hobby is that you need an expensive aquarium light and a pressurised CO₂ system to grow a healthy carpet. While those things can certainly help, they're far from essential if you choose the right plants for your setup.

The light I'm Using - https://glassboxdiaries.com/seaouralight (Affiliate Link, I Get Commissions)

The Plant I'm Growing - https://glassboxdiaries.com/plant/helanthium-tenellum-green/

Other Low-Tech Carpeting Plants - https://glassboxdiaries.com/lowtechplantindex/plant_type-carpeting/

This aquarium is running a very affordable Seaoura SR616 LED light with no CO₂ injection at all, yet it's still supporting a carpet alongside the rest of the plants in the tank. The light has been running at maximum intensity, and during the time this carpet has been growing I've experimented with both 6-hour and 12-hour photoperiods with good results.

The carpeting plant you're looking at is Helanthium tenellum 'Green', which I genuinely think is one of the easiest carpeting plants available for low-tech planted aquariums. It's much more forgiving than many of the popular carpeting species people recommend online, making it a great option for beginners or anyone trying to keep costs down. I've also put together a full care guide for it on my website for anyone who wants more detailed information.

The carpet is still a little patchy, but that's completely expected. In hindsight, I could have planted another one or two pots when I first set the aquarium up, and it would have filled in much faster. Given enough time, though, it will continue spreading naturally through runners.

For me, this tank proves an important point. Success in planted aquariums isn't always about buying the most expensive equipment. In many cases, choosing plants that naturally suit your lighting, water parameters, and maintenance routine will give you far better results than simply throwing money at the problem.

There's often far too much focus on high-end lighting, CO₂ systems, and expensive substrates, when many beautiful planted aquariums can be created using budget-friendly equipment and carefully selected plant species. Understanding what each plant actually needs is usually far more valuable than chasing the latest gear.

125-Day Planted Aquarium Update (Inert Sand, No CO₂, No Root Tabs)

This is my 70-litre (18 US gallon) planted aquarium, now 125 days old and home to two honey gouramis, nine lambchop rasboras, and a colony of mixed-line Neocaridina shrimp.

The tank uses inert sand with no root tabs, a Seachem Tidal 35 filter, and a Chihiros B Series light. I moved the honey gouramis over a couple of weeks ago, and they've settled in perfectly. One has claimed the back left corner, the other the back right, and one has already started building a bubble nest.

The lambchop rasboras are doing well too, and I'm thinking about increasing the group soon. I was originally considering adding Panda Corydoras, but I'm now leaning more towards moving my ember tetras and pygmy corydoras over from another aquarium instead.

The "Skittles" Neocaridina colony originally included red, orange, yellow, and blue lines. Apart from the reds, most have gradually lost their colour over time, although they still produce some really interesting wild-type shrimp.

Overall, I'm really happy with how the plants are progressing. I recently added an Echinodorus 'Aflame', which is supposed to be an easy red sword plant, so it'll be interesting to see how it performs over the coming months.

The standout plant has to be the Aponogeton ulvaceus. Most nurseries recommend growing it in a nutrient-rich substrate, yet it's thriving in plain inert sand and has already produced both runners and a flower.

Several other plants that are usually considered heavy root feeders are doing well too, including all of the Cryptocoryne species and most of the Echinodorus swords, although my Echinodorus 'Tricolour' is still taking its time.

The houseplants are starting to fill in nicely as well, with spider plants, Epipremnum, and Philodendron all taking advantage of the warmer summer weather.

The only real challenge at the moment is algae.

I'm fairly sure it's being fuelled by excess organics released as the Centurion wood decomposes, but thankfully it's gradually becoming less of an issue as the tank continues to mature.

PLANT LIST

125-Day Planted Aquarium Update (Inert Sand, No CO₂, No Root Tabs)

This is the latest update on my 70-litre (18 US gallon) planted aquarium, now 125 days old, and I'm really happy with the progress it's made so far. The tank is home to two honey gouramis, nine lambchop rasboras, and a mixed-line "Skittles" colony of Neocaridina shrimp. Despite using inert sand with no root tabs, the aquarium continues to grow a wide variety of plants surprisingly well under a Chihiros B Series light with filtration provided by a Seachem Tidal 35.

The honey gouramis only moved into this aquarium a couple of weeks ago, but they settled in almost immediately. One has claimed the back left corner while the other has taken over the back right, and one has already started building a bubble nest. The lambchop rasboras are thriving too, and I'm considering increasing the size of the school. I originally planned to add Panda Corydoras, but I'm now leaning towards moving my ember tetras and pygmy corydoras into this aquarium instead.

The mixed-line Neocaridina shrimp are still breeding well. The colony originally included red, orange, yellow and blue shrimp, although apart from the reds, many of the other colour lines have gradually faded over time. Even so, they continue to produce some really interesting wild-type shrimp with unique patterns and colours.

One of the newest additions is an Echinodorus 'Aflame', which is often recommended as an easy red sword plant. It'll be interesting to see how it develops over the coming months. The real star of the aquarium, though, has to be the Aponogeton ulvaceus. It's commonly recommended for nutrient-rich substrates, yet it's thriving in plain inert sand, producing long flowing leaves, runners, and even a flower.

Several plants that are usually described as heavy root feeders are also growing far better than many people would expect. The Cryptocoryne species and most of the Echinodorus swords are doing extremely well, although the Echinodorus 'Tricolour' seems to be growing more slowly than the others at the moment.

The emersed houseplants are beginning to fill in nicely too. The spider plants, Epipremnum, and Philodendron have all put on noticeable growth as the warmer summer weather has arrived, helping to create a more natural riparian look above the aquarium.

The biggest challenge right now is algae. I'm fairly sure it's being fuelled by excess organics released from the Centurion wood, which started decomposing much faster than I expected after it was added to the tank. Thankfully, the problem is slowly fading as the aquarium continues to mature.

I Removed My Guppies… Everything Changed (Planted Aquarium Update)

What happens when you remove the main predator from a planted aquarium? That's exactly what I'm finding out after taking the guppies out of one of my tanks and giving them to a friend for his breeding project.

Within just a couple of weeks, the ecosystem has already started changing in some really interesting ways. The biggest difference has been the sudden explosion in the flatworm population. Although they look similar to planaria at first glance, I believe they're harmless flatworms because their heads have a different shape. It seems very likely that the guppies had been quietly controlling their numbers without me ever noticing.

I've also seen a huge increase in what I believe are freshwater copepods, although I'm not completely certain of the identification. Whatever they are, their population has grown dramatically since the guppies were removed, suggesting they were another natural food source that the fish had been keeping in check.

Freshwater limpets are still present too, although I haven't noticed any significant change in their numbers just yet. It'll be interesting to keep watching over the coming weeks to see if they also respond to the absence of the guppies.

The Neocaridina shrimp continue to thrive as usual. Despite keeping guppies with them for years, I've never actually witnessed the guppies eating either adult shrimp or shrimplets. Even so, I'm curious to see whether the shrimp population grows more quickly now that one potential predator has been removed from the aquarium.

Of course, ecosystems are always changing, and this experiment probably won't stay this way for long. I've recently introduced medaka ricefish fry into the tank and, as they grow, they'll almost certainly begin feeding on some of these tiny invertebrates. That should shift the balance of the aquarium once again and create an entirely new food web.

It's a great reminder that every species in an aquarium influences the ecosystem, even in ways we don't always notice. Sometimes removing just one fish can trigger a chain reaction that affects countless other organisms living in the tank.

Why Seeded Aquariums Still Need To Cycle!

Does adding mature filter media instantly cycle a new aquarium? Not always.

One of the biggest myths in the aquarium hobby is that squeezing out a mature filter or moving established filter media guarantees an instant cycle. While it can definitely speed things up, the reality is much more complicated.

Not all of the microorganisms responsible for biological filtration are the same. Different groups have different environmental preferences, ammonia tolerances, and growth rates. A mature aquarium with virtually no ammonia may be dominated by ammonia-oxidising archaea, while a brand-new aquarium experiencing elevated ammonia often favours ammonia-oxidising bacteria instead. This means the microorganisms you're transferring may not be the ones best suited to the new tank.

Water chemistry also plays a huge role. Differences in pH, temperature, alkalinity, hardness, and even phosphate availability can all affect how efficiently these microorganisms work. Moving mature media from a cool, hard water aquarium into a warmer, soft water setup may provide far less biological filtration than many people expect.

Heterotrophic bacteria add another layer of complexity. They can temporarily reduce ammonium by incorporating it into new cells as they grow, but they also require an organic carbon source. Since brand-new aquariums usually contain very little organic matter, their contribution is often smaller than people realise.

Another common misconception is that almost all beneficial microorganisms live inside the filter. In reality, large populations also colonise the substrate, plants, rocks, wood, decorations, and every other surface in the aquarium. Depending on the setup, transferring mature filter media may only move a fraction of the established microbial community.

Dissolved oxygen matters too. Most of the microorganisms responsible for nitrification need plenty of oxygen to work efficiently. If the new aquarium runs warmer with less surface agitation, like many betta tanks, the transferred microorganisms may not perform as well as they did in the donor aquarium.

Unboxing A New Plant Haul For My Planted Betta Tank!

Here's a quick look at my latest aquatic plant haul and the setup of a brand-new betta aquarium.

I ordered these plants from ProShrimp for £38.33 including UK shipping, which is a pretty reasonable price compared to many other aquatic plant retailers. Everything arrived in excellent condition with healthy roots and plenty of plant mass, which is always a good sign when buying plants online.

The order included Cryptocoryne 'Mi Oya', two pots of Nymphoides hydrophylla 'Taiwan', and three pots of Hydrocotyle tripartita. The Cryptocoryne is actually destined for another aquarium because I've grown it before and know it's a fantastic species. The other two plants are completely new to me, so it'll be interesting to see how they perform over the coming months.

The aquarium itself was already fully cycled before anything was added, meaning the beneficial bacteria were established and the water parameters were safe for livestock from day one. It's a 30-litre (8 US gallon) aquarium running a Nicrew Slim hang-on-back filter, a Fluval T Series heater, and a Chihiros A Series LED light. While the Chihiros is a great light, this layout would also grow perfectly well under many cheaper aquarium lights.

For the aquascape, I used Hydrocotyle tripartita throughout the foreground and along both sides of the aquarium to naturally draw your eye towards the centre. The Nymphoides hydrophylla 'Taiwan' was planted across the back to create a dense green background that should only look better as it grows in.

A few days later I finally managed to buy the plant I'd been waiting for: Nymphaea 'Peru Puerto Maldonado'. It had been out of stock for quite a while and sold out again within just 48 hours, so I was lucky to get one. It's already beginning to develop the deep red colouration that makes it such a stunning centrepiece.

My Aquarium Is 840 Days Old… Here's How It's Doing...

Over the last month it's had a couple of major upgrades, with the biggest being a new Seachem Tidal 55 filter and a Seaoura SR659 light.

So far, both have been performing really well, and I'm happy with the improvements they've made.

I also recently mentioned that my Siamese algae eater had started eating some of my plants, but thankfully that seems to have stopped. It may have been stress caused by last week's heatwave.

It also looks like one of my zebra danios is carrying eggs.

There are plenty of fish in the tank that would happily eat any fry, but there are also lots of dense plants for them to hide in, so it'll be interesting to see if any manage to survive.

Other than that, all of the fish are doing well, and the shrimp population continues to thrive.

I'll be taking down one of my shrimp tanks soon to make room for another aquarium, and when I do, all of the cherry shrimp will be moved into this tank to give the Neocaridina colony an even bigger boost.

The plants are all growing well too.

I thought I'd removed every Nymphaea lotus 'Green' bulb over a year ago, but at least one must have survived because it's started sending lily pads up to the surface again.

The houseplants with their roots growing in the aquarium are doing really well as well.

I recently upgraded the pothos and spider plant to a new grow light, and both have already started putting out plenty of fresh growth.

The pothos has even sent out a long runner, which I'm training along the light to create a natural green backdrop behind the aquarium.

Overall, I'm really happy with how this tank is developing, and apart from that brief issue with the Siamese algae eater, everything seems to be heading in the right direction.

My Planted Community Aquarium Is 840 Days Old… Here's How It's Doing...

Today marks 840 days since I set up my 160 litre (40 US gallon) planted community aquarium, so I thought it was a good time for another update.

Over the last month, this aquarium has had a couple of major upgrades. The biggest changes were replacing the old filter with a Seachem Tidal 55 and upgrading the lighting to the Seaoura SR659. So far, both upgrades have been performing really well. The new filter is much quieter, provides excellent flow, and the new light has been encouraging healthy plant growth while giving the aquarium a brighter, more natural appearance.

I also recently shared that my Siamese algae eater had started eating some of my plants, particularly a few of my Echinodorus species. Thankfully, that behaviour now seems to have stopped. It may simply have been a temporary stress response caused by last week's heatwave, but I'll continue keeping an eye on it over the coming weeks to see if the behaviour returns.

Another interesting development is that one of my zebra danios appears to be carrying eggs. While there are plenty of fish in this aquarium that would happily eat any fry, there are also lots of dense plants, mosses and hiding places throughout the tank. If any fry do hatch, it'll be interesting to see whether a few manage to survive naturally without any intervention.

Apart from that, all of the fish seem to be doing really well. The shrimp population continues to thrive too. I'll actually be taking down one of my dedicated shrimp tanks soon to make room for another aquarium, and when I do, all of those cherry shrimp will be moved into this tank, giving the Neocaridina colony another big boost.

For anyone interested in the plants, I've included the full plant list in the video. Despite the brief issue with the Siamese algae eater, everything has been growing really well. One surprise was discovering that at least one Nymphaea lotus 'Green' bulb survived after I thought I'd removed them all over a year ago. It's now started sending lily pads back up to the surface, which was completely unexpected.

The houseplants growing with their roots submerged are also thriving. I recently upgraded both the pothos and spider plant to a new grow light mounted behind the aquarium, and they've already started producing lots of fresh growth. One of the pothos vines has even begun sending out a long runner, which I'm carefully training along the light to create a living green backdrop behind the aquarium.

This aquarium has now been running for well over two years, and it's always interesting to see how it continues to evolve. Plants mature, fish establish their own behaviours, shrimp colonies expand, and even unexpected surprises like dormant lily bulbs can appear months or even years later. That's one of my favourite things about keeping established planted aquariums—there's always something new happening.

Unboxing Two New Betta Fish For My Planted Aquariums!

If you've been following my aquarium projects, here's a closer look at the arrival of my two new betta fish and how I introduced them to their new homes.

Both bettas came from Alternative Aquarist, who breeds and sells bettas within mainland UK. Unlike many breeders who focus on producing specific strains through line breeding, she selects parents from different bloodlines with the aim of producing healthier, hardier fish. It's an approach I find really interesting, especially if it helps improve long-term health and reduce some of the problems associated with intensive line breeding.

The fish arrived well packaged with a heat pack that still had a little warmth left in it. Even so, we're in the middle of summer here in the UK, so temperatures have been high enough that the fish were never at much risk of getting cold during transit.

The first fish is a beautiful blue female betta. The second is a stunning copper male that shows some characteristics often associated with alien bettas, although he isn't bred as a true alien strain.

One thing some people may notice is that I didn't drip acclimate either fish. Instead, I moved them into their aquariums as quickly as possible. My reasoning follows the advice explained by Prime Time Aquatics. During shipping, carbon dioxide builds up inside the sealed bag, lowering the pH and keeping ammonia in its less toxic ammonium form. Once the bag is opened, carbon dioxide begins escaping, the pH starts to rise, and any ammonia present can become significantly more toxic. Because of this, I prefer to get shipped fish into clean, fully prepared aquariums as quickly as possible rather than leaving them sitting in shipping water for extended periods.

The important point is that both aquariums were fully cycled long before the bettas arrived. The biological filters were already established, water parameters were stable, and the tanks had been planted in advance so the fish could be introduced straight into mature, safe environments.

I also picked up a couple of mystery snails, which are completely new to me. They were banned in the UK until relatively recently, so I've never had the opportunity to keep them before. It'll be interesting to see how they do over the coming months.

The two bettas couldn't have had more different personalities. The blue female immediately started investigating absolutely everything in her aquarium. Within minutes she'd tried eating snails, sand, leaves, plant roots, and anything else that caught her attention. She also spotted the bloodworms almost instantly and devoured them within seconds.

The copper male, on the other hand, was much more cautious. Rather than rushing around the aquarium, he spent hours slowly exploring every corner of the tank. When I offered him bloodworms, he looked more confused than interested and ignored them completely, leaving most of them for the mystery snails to finish instead.

Thankfully, both fish settled into their new homes without showing any obvious signs of stress, which is exactly what I was hoping for. It'll be fun watching their personalities develop as they become more confident over the coming weeks.

For anyone wondering about the setups, each aquarium holds 30 litres (around 8 US gallons). I also chose not to include any hardscape. While rocks and wood can look fantastic, leaving them out gives the bettas as much uninterrupted swimming space as possible while allowing the plants to become the main feature as they continue to grow in.

The Real Danger Of Aquarium Bacterial Blooms!

Many aquarium keepers panic when they see cloudy water because they've been told it means their tank is full of harmful bacteria. However, that's not what current aquarium research suggests.

In this video, I take a look at two scientific studies that help explain what bacterial blooms really are and why they happen. One study examining aquarium microbiomes found that the overwhelming majority of bacteria present belonged to common environmental groups, while potential disease-causing bacteria made up only a very small proportion of the community. The researchers even failed to detect five of the twelve pathogenic groups they specifically tested for.

A second study helps explain why the water suddenly turns cloudy. When excess dissolved organic matter builds up in the aquarium, fast-growing heterotrophic bacteria rapidly multiply as they feed on it. As their numbers explode, they create the familiar white or grey cloudy appearance that many fish keepers mistake for dangerous bacteria.

That doesn't mean bacterial blooms are completely harmless, though. The biggest risk usually isn't infection—it's oxygen depletion. As millions of bacteria grow and reproduce, they consume dissolved oxygen from the water. If the bloom becomes severe, oxygen levels can fall enough to stress fish, shrimp, and snails, and in extreme cases it can become life-threatening.

Fortunately, bacterial blooms are usually easy to deal with once you understand what's causing them. Performing water changes helps by removing some of the suspended bacteria, exporting much of the dissolved organic matter feeding the bloom, and replacing it with fresh, oxygen-rich water. Improving circulation, avoiding overfeeding, and removing excess waste can also help prevent future blooms.

Understanding the science behind bacterial blooms makes it much easier to respond appropriately instead of assuming the worst. Cloudy water doesn't automatically mean your aquarium is full of harmful pathogens. In most cases, it's simply a sign that naturally occurring bacteria are responding to an increase in available organic matter.

Bloodworm Allergy Warning For People Using This As A Fish Food For Their Aquariums!

If you feed bloodworms to your aquarium fish, shrimp, or even some snails, this is something worth knowing. Although bloodworms are one of the most popular live, frozen, and freeze-dried fish foods in the aquarium hobby, they can cause allergic reactions in some people. The issue isn't caused by bacteria or parasites living on the food. Instead, it's an immune response to proteins found in the bloodworms themselves and the adult non-biting midges they eventually develop into.

For many people, the symptoms are relatively mild and can include itchy skin, red or swollen eyes, sneezing, a runny nose, or irritation after handling bloodworms. However, medical research has shown that, in some cases, exposure can trigger occupational asthma. The good news is that symptoms often improve or even disappear once exposure stops. That said, some studies suggest that repeatedly exposing yourself after developing an allergy may increase the risk of more persistent asthma symptoms in certain individuals.

One important point that often surprises fish keepers is that changing the type of bloodworm usually doesn't solve the problem. Because the allergy is caused by the proteins within the bloodworms, live, frozen, and freeze-dried bloodworms can all trigger reactions. If you've developed an allergy, switching between these different forms is unlikely to make a significant difference.

Researchers have tried to estimate how common bloodworm allergies are among people who handle them regularly. One study suggested around 20% of regularly exposed individuals may be affected, while another found 27.9% of participants showed signs of sensitisation. However, both studies involved relatively small groups and don't represent the general population, so the true figure remains uncertain.

Personally, my fish, shrimp, and snails absolutely love bloodworms, and they've always been one of my favourite foods to feed because of how eagerly everything eats them. But with so many excellent alternatives now available, including foods made from brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, daphnia, mosquito larvae, and other invertebrates, I think I'll be switching once I've used up my final pack.

My Siamese Algae Eater Started Eating My Aquarium Plants!

Siamese algae eaters have a great reputation in the aquarium hobby, and for good reason. They're one of the most effective algae-eating fish available and can be a fantastic addition to the right community aquarium. Mine has been peaceful with its tank mates and, apart from occasionally nudging my Corydoras away from food so it can grab a bite first, it has never shown any serious aggression. Recently though, it started doing something I wasn't expecting... eating my aquarium plants.

The first plant affected was my Echinodorus 'Tropica'. At first I assumed it was simply melting because it was shaded by a large Anubias growing above it. However, after noticing damage appearing on my Echinodorus 'Aquartica' and Echinodorus 'Ozelot Red Flame', I realised something else was happening. I eventually caught the Siamese algae eater grazing directly on the leaves. So far, I've witnessed it twice, although I haven't been able to capture it on camera yet.

What's particularly interesting is that it doesn't seem interested in any of the other plants growing in the aquarium. It appears to be targeting Echinodorus species specifically, while leaving everything else untouched. That's made me wonder whether there's a particular reason for the behaviour rather than it simply becoming a plant eater.

Because Siamese algae eaters are such a common species, I reached out to several experienced fish keepers to see if anyone else had experienced the same thing. Surprisingly, only one person had. Their theory was that the behaviour can sometimes appear during periods of unusually warm weather as a form of stress-related feeding behaviour. They'd noticed it several times during heat waves, and when I looked back at what had happened in my own aquarium, the timing seemed to match. Apart from the already-melting Echinodorus 'Tropica', the healthy sword plants were only attacked during the recent spell of hot weather.

At this point I can't say for certain that higher temperatures caused the problem, but it's an interesting observation and one worth sharing. Now that the weather has cooled down, I'll be keeping a close eye on the tank to see whether the behaviour stops completely or returns during the next heat wave.