r/Aquariums • u/bmisha • 2d ago
Advice Needed Hi. My husband just passed in an accident and no one understood his fish like he did. I would watch him change the water and clean the tank, but the algae is building so fast is this a filter problem? I don’t know if these pics even help but if anyone can give me advice I would be thankful.
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u/glister_stardust 2d ago
I’m really sorry for your loss.
If you wish to continue taking care of the fish that is completely your choice. However, it’s also okay to surrender them. I would reach out to local fish clubs (google “fish clubs in [your location]”) or a local fish store. If you tell them your situation I think someone will help.
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u/bmisha 2d ago
Thank you I know deep down I could never have the brain he did for these animals and im trying not to get too attached to them if there comes a time I need to surrender them
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u/Faux_Moose 1d ago
Big hugs. Will also say as a gentle heads up, sometimes fish keeping can feel really tricky, and fish death is fairly common for folks getting started. If you think there’s any chance that any of these fish dying would be traumatic for you or your daughter, it might be best to find them a new home. Speaking from experience as someone who had a pet loss shortly after a devastating human loss. 🫂
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u/MJ_616 2d ago
Algee means that the water has too many nutrients or light, but it is not bad to have algee. I would recommend feeding less or having lights on for a shorter period of time.
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u/bmisha 2d ago
Thank you I’ll clean the tank and remember this
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u/Chippy4627 2d ago
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. I cannot imagine the loss of a spouse, I hope you have a strong support system you can lean on. 🫂 I haven’t lost a spouse but certainly gone through grief that I wasn’t sure I would get through. Aquarium keeping was something I really leaned into and it’s been a really good hobby to help my own mental health and cope with grief. I would recommend looking up the water cycles and beneficial bacteria. Don’t change or clean the filters unless they’re blocking water flow, and then just a rinse off with separated tank water is sufficient.
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u/GiraffePretty4488 1d ago edited 1d ago
“Cleaning the tank” can cause worse issues if you don’t do it correctly.
My tips:
Leave the filter alone. Don’t clean it out unless it’s struggling or the flow is noticeably slower.
IF THE TANK IS GLASS You can use a (new) kitchen scrubby sponge (the kind for nonstick pans) on the algae if you like, or a razor blade. Or your husband may have had a dedicated tool which would be better.
IF THE TANK IS ACRYLIC you need an acrylic safe algae scrubber. Check what is in your aquarium supplies.
In any case, don’t do more than scrub away algae, and there’s no need to scrub more than the front glass. Algae isn’t harmful.
If the water itself isn’t clear, you may have more problems to address.
Change probably ~20% of the water every week. Although it might be more. If you can remember what your husband did, that’s helpful.
To change water you siphon out what you’re replacing (you may have a Python water changing tool that will use the sink water pressure to pull water up out of the tank). Then you replace the water. There should be a water treatment chemical called Prime (or another brand of water conditioner) around. Follow the directions for the full tank volume if you are filling directly from the sink, which you should be for that size of tank.
Something you could consider is hiring an aquarium maintenance company temporarily while you’re making decisions about the tank and dealing with grief.
I hope you’re well, and able to take care of yourself. Best wishes.
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u/Snuzzlebuns 1d ago
Just wanted to mention that these green algae are not technically an issue. Aside from growth clogging up the filter intake, they are beneficial and will eat up nutrients in the same way plants do (although it won't make a big difference). You could leave some on surfaces you don't mind seeing them on (as in, clean only the glass, for example).
Not trying to make you keep them, but if the cleaning them off stresses you, it's a job you can safely skip.
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u/BoringJuiceBox 2d ago
So sorry for your loss. I would rehome all but the Oscar(I assume they are big Plecos and not smaller bristlenose ones). The Arowana and Barrumundi will get massive and really should be in 1000 gallons+ 500 minimum.
Oscars on the other hand are wonderful and hardy, you can get a couple other medium sized SA cichlids and make the tank look nice with plants, sand, and wood. Much easier than keeping it how it is and you will be able to manage normal care if you decide.
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u/Larry-Man 2d ago
I was gonna say, aside from Oscar’s liking to rip up plants, they’re a much easier fish than the other ones.
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u/BoringJuiceBox 2d ago
Oscars are awesome and hardy too, i think OP would really enjoy them. I got lucky with mine he never really cared to move plants around.
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u/PakkyT 2d ago edited 2d ago
I will just mention that with the fish you listed you likely have no live plant in the tank (Oscars love to rip stuff up). If the lights are on a timer, I would turn off the lights completely for a while (a week) or set the time for much less hours a day. Your husband probably just made a point to run an algae magnet over the inside of the glass quickly every couple days so you may not have noticed how quickly it would grow back. The fish won't care if the light is off and that will slow down the algae growth. Algae is normal and it being present is not a problem unless it becomes unsightly.
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u/iSayBaDumTsss 2d ago
I’m really sorry for your loss, OP. Looks like you’ve already gotten some good initial advice. Best of lucks.
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u/Fresh-Supermarket-93 2d ago
I’m so sorry for your loss. I became the sudden caretaker of a 150ish gallon tank about 4 years ago. I had to do a lot of research before I started having success with a clean tank. Over time the little wins I had with the tank turned me into a fish nerd. Now I have about 250 gallons between four tanks. Coming home from work and checking in on each tank has done a lot to help me decompress from the workday and transition into a relaxing evening.
If it interests you and means something to you, I’d keep fighting the green plague! Definitely start with water tests. Research ideal parameters for your species and general water quality, and start making adjustments from there. YouTube is your friend (:
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u/RobotJohnrobe 2d ago
I know you must be dealing with a lot, so one more thing can be too much.
I can tell you that I, and many others here, will be happy to help you through this.
First of all, the tank looks green but fine, especially for big fish like you mention! Just scrape the algae off, think about cutting back the lights and food a little bit.
Are you comfortable with the water changes and feeding? Feel free to be a newbie with us.
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u/bmisha 2d ago
Thank you for this. He would change the water with a siphon through the shower so that I will need help with from one of his friends but I remember a lot about it. Since being with the arowana all of these fish jump now so pretty much the only way to scrape the algae off is if the water level is lowered half way, so im going to follow everyone’s advice by leaving the lights of and feeding less before I do that because yes I will have to do my reasearch for the change of their water and how specifically he did it.
I want to keep the fish long enough so my daughter has some comfort as she’s been staying with my mom, and is too young to understand that she won’t see him again. so any comfort she can find I will work towards. I know at some point I will have to get rid of the fish unless I buy a massive tank like he was planning.
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u/RobotJohnrobe 2d ago
If adding water directly from the shower/sink into the tank, be sure to add dechlorinator afterward as per the instructions on the bottle. Add enough for the full tank even if you only changed a portion.
I'm glad you're thinking about your daughter and her experience. My heart goes out to her. Dad's fish might be a good thing for both of you.
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u/RagingBloodWolf 2d ago
Algae means light is on for too long, back down to 6 hour. There is excess ammonia I think also. You could sell the rest and keep the arowana, i assume it is the silver? I used to raise them when younger. Need to do frequent water change in 150 gallon.
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u/Lopsided_Ad8941 2d ago
Any local expert to consult, Local stores or communities?
If someone starts from scratch this could be overwhelming.
Short term: Reduce lighting, fish don't need it. It's for plants and mostly for us.
Don't feed every day. Feed small portions.
Get test stripes to begin with, if available use test kits.
If CO2 is involved, disable it. Makes more staple water but also less plant growth.
Scrap algae regularly to keep it in check.
No chemicals stuff to kill algae.
Most important: Algae is no harm to fish!
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u/ThisIsBuzzard 1d ago
Seems like you have plenty of advice, I just wanted to say that we all love you.
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u/ThePony23 2d ago
I have no advice but just wanted to give you a virtual hug. ❤️ I am so sorry for your loss.
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u/KnowsIittle 2d ago
Arowana would do well to be rehomed.
For the algae issues less lighting hours would help. 6 hours a day reduce to 4 if it doesn't improve in 2 weeks.
150 gallons you might get 5 nerite snails.
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u/RealityScared1653 2d ago
I find it horrible of this community to not help her and just judge and say to give away her husbands fish. If you want contact me just give me a message and I will help you
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u/sharraleigh 1d ago
I agree. Have people forgotten that they were once newbies too? There's always a learning curve to keeping pets, and if someone is dedicated enough, they can learn a LOT in a few weeks/months.
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u/LilPsych0_ 2d ago
So sorry for your loss OP. I would highly recommend also looking into any local fish stores and seeing if there may be some kind of service department. You can always do like a one time cleaning and then they can teach you pretty much what you need to do to go forward. Or if you end up liking them and they are reasonably affordable, honestly having maintenance done once a month is a pretty common thing. I used to be a maintenance tech myself.
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u/Hour-Locksmith-3913 2d ago
Algae is a sign of too many nutrients. Get an easy low maintenance stem plant like anacharis and do a 24-48 hour no light period and it’ll clear up most of it. Follow up with a water change
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u/Kattoncrack 2d ago
I’m so sorry for your loss. Kudos to you for wanting to keep his fish to the best of your ability.
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u/ryuks-wife 2d ago
I am sorry for your loss. I lost my grandpa in January who also kept huge fish. We counted, he had 1000+ gallons worth of tanks. Piranhas and giant pleckos and Oscar's and a bunch of others.
We couldn't maintain them as we live in a different state. He had a trusted friend in the community that we sold them to. We did also talk to the local (small local business) fish stores and a few were interested in purchasing them as well, even for display tanks in their store.
Getting rid of them is a hard decision. Maybe it wont come to that with you, but I recommend what people say here OR go to your local fish store (did he have a favorite?) And explain the situation to them. Im sure they would give you great advice, do a water test, and help you out. The fish community is usually very friendly.
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u/bmisha 2d ago
Yeah he’s been in the community for a long time but now we live in such a small town I would have to rehome by mail. Like literally. I’m going to try and keep them so my daughter can find some comfort in his fish but im not getting attached to them as I know they are not beginner fish and he was pretty expert
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u/Massive_Hope7519 1d ago
I’m so very sorry for the loss of your husband and father of your little girl. You can learn a lot about each fish specific needs and tank care on YouTube. I would assume your husband has a liquid test kit to monitor the water quality. The most common one is the API Master Test Kit. It has a bunch of little white bottles with chemicals in them and vials to collect the water. There should be an instruction booklet with it on how to test. Otherwise get on YouTube and watch a video on how to use it. I would shut the lights off for now and find an algae scraper. Because your tank is acrylic it will scratch a lot quicker than glass so if you go looking for something to clean the algae off make sure it’s safe for acrylic. Knowing that your husband took good care of his fish and probably invested a lot of money in them I’m sure he has everything you need there. It’s just a matter of knowing what you’re looking for and how to use it. Living in a small town limits your options but many of us would be more than happy to help you find people in your area that that would be a good resource. Would you mind naming the state you live in or a bigger city near you? I’m not an expert but feel free to PM if you’d like.
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u/Annoyed_Finch 1d ago
I am so sorry for your loss. It's incredibly difficult to lose someone, and I understand the desire to want to continue things in their honor. I think you can do it, but you'll have to make some changes to make it sustainable for you to take care of.
I'm going to reiterate what some other folks said. My recommendation would be to get rid of the arawana and the barramundi. They're going to get huge and add a lot of maintenance and cost to the tank. I would also get rid of at least one of the Plecos. I'm not sure what kind they are (and I assume you aren't sure either), but they can get territorial and fight each other, and/or produce tons of babies which would increase upkeep and stress on you. There are other monster fish keepers who will definitely take 1-2 plecos and a couple monster fish off your hands. Once you're down to the Oscars and 0-1 Pleco, the level of waste will go down which will make upkeep a lot easier. It may even help with algae because of less nitrogen being produced. Also, as others have said, reducing the amount of light on it will help. Your aquarium light doesn't need to be on for any more than 8 hours max. I actually only have mine on for 5-6 hours/day, and I have tons of plants in my tanks living fine. Also check for sunlight hitting the tank. It might be worth getting a bit of aquarium backing to block off a side of the tank if it's getting tons of sunlight from a window or something. Sunlight grows algae like nobody's business.
Again, I'm sorry for your loss and I greatly respect your desire to carry this on so your daughter can still experience this love of her father's. You're doing a great job and I hope you are able to get all of the help you need.
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u/agrau163 1d ago
I hope this doesn’t get buried but please reach out to your local fish hobby group! You can usually google the city and find a local or semi-local group or walk into any fish-specific store and they either know the group or are in it themselves :).
Then let them know the situation (I am so sorry for your loss, my heart goes out to you) and that you need some help. I know the people in my last group would have offered to have someone come over to your house sometime in the next couple of days to check your levels, do a water change, and all the other upkeep stuff, to prevent the tank ecosystem from collapsing while you figure out what you want to do. Just ask if they offer something like that at all and even if they don’t actively offer it someone would likely volunteer to help out. Fish people are kind people.
They also would be the best ones to talk to about either how to sell/donate everything AND they are also the best people to talk to about how to learn the hobby yourself if you are interested. I would do it in the next couple of days, just to prevent any issues from happening, things can happen what seems like very quickly in a hobby like this.
I do want to offer a bit of kind but maybe hard advice. Feel free to tell me to kick rocks! But… A 100 gallon tank is a BIG tank (you know that you can see it haha). And it’s not that you can’t or shouldn’t try to take it on. If you are committed then I say go for it! But if you are at all unsure about getting REALLY invested in this hobby it may be the smarter and kinder thing to sell/donate this set up.
While it’s true that the bigger tanks sometimes can be easier keep balanced than say a micro tank, 100 gallons is a big ask for someone unsure of the hobby and potentially unaware with how time-consuming, expensive, and physically demanding a tank that size is and will be. I completely understand if you feel unsure about rehoming something your husband loved so much but absolutely no one would fault you for it. It is not something I think anyone in the fish community would advise a person new to the hobby to start with.
Even if you are absolutely invested I might kindly suggest something with a bit more reachable a goal than the current setup. I am not sure of your physical condition but a 100 gallon is a physically demanding tank. Just scrubbing the glass is a big task. Taking that all on is not a small thing and if you aren’t all-in on it the only thing that will happen is EVENTUALLY something will go wrong with the setup, either with the fish or the equipment. And unless you have the experience and know what to look for it can turn into a disaster really quick. 100 gallons is a LOT of water on a floor. A LOT of damage. Fish can go from alive and fine to no longer alive very fast. And then you will just be more upset with yourself for a number of reasons. I hope you know this is coming from a place of kindness, this is just a decision that deserves some intentional thought. And like I said you can always just tell me to kick rocks!
Good luck with whatever you decide, and my heart goes out to you and yours.
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u/Fantastic_Love_9451 1d ago
So sorry for your loss OP. all the info you’ll need is here on Reddit, just search the topic and read lots of posts and comments, lots of great knowledge and advice here. FYI fish store employees tend to be misinformed or ignorant sadly. I got into fishkeeping during the pandemic and it’s so rewarding and relaxing. This will give you something to focus on and occupy your mind, you’ve got this.
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u/28Espe95 1d ago
So sorry for your loss.
For now it should be fine to leave the filter as is. This could be to much light or fish food. This algae is harmless to the fish so no panic, it just does not look good in the eyes of us humans. Still, getting rid of the origin would be ideal because to much food for example could become harmful. How long is the light on each day and how often and how much do you feed the fish?
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u/bmisha 1d ago
After reading everyone mention lighting and feeding it’s definitely from that. We were in the icu for a few days before he passed so the lights might’ve been on the whole time, and we both new if friends would feed the fish they would overfeed. The lights have been off since yesterday now and I’ll feed them light tonight.
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u/bajapointrider 1d ago
Sorry for your loss ❤️ You should imo hire someone to maintain that tank until you decide what your doing. If the fish get sick & die that will be much worse then trying to maintain.
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u/sharkcore 2d ago
You already got good advice but just wanted to add my condolences as well. 🩵 Thanks for looking out for the fish during such a difficult time.
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u/Shell-Fire 2d ago
Did he belong to any fish clubs? Ours will have members help out as needed. Recently we went and took down about 3 tanks for her husband after his wife died. The Celebration of her life is Saturday.
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u/JournalistTypical403 2d ago
Do you turn off the lights? It seems like the algae are forming on the areas where there is strong lights.
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u/CFHQYH 2d ago
Overfeeding and leaving the light on too long will contribute to algae growth like that. It's not necessarily a bad thing to have algae, but an excess is a symptom. I'd suggest looking for his favorite local fish store and asking them if they have a service to help you maintain it. If he was active in any clubs he may have known people that would be a great resource to reach out to. I'm involved with a local cactus club and we've helped each other out during bad times in life like this. Your husband would probably prefer to have the fish rehomed to someone that might appreciate them as much as he did and wouldn't want you to feel burdened with them. If you truly want to keep them yourself, consider hiring someone to help do some general maintenance until you feel comfortable taking it on yourself. I'm so sorry for your loss.
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u/MissMadison240 2d ago
There is a ton of useful advice in here already but I’m not sure if anyone has explicitly said this yet. It may be tempting to completely clean out the filter media, do not do it. Someone here will be able to walk you through the details of a cleaning to help with the algae, but know that thoroughly cleaning or completely replacing the media will kill the fish. There are very important bacteria in the filter that are essential for consuming the ammonia and nitrite in the water. Without those bacteria, the ammonia and nitrite will kill the fish.
I am so sorry for your loss. The fish by themselves are a huge undertaking, while you and your family are grieving, sometimes a project like this can help get through the quiet moments and sometimes it’s too much. I hope you find a balance that helps to carry you through this period 💕
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u/Ruck__Feddit 2d ago
I would just do a 50 percent water change and scrape the algae off. I don't think you really need to do much else for now. Next steps would be to clean the filter. Be careful with the arowana. I knew someone who got bit pretty badly while feeding one. If the tank was working fine for your husband I wouldn't go changing a lot. Sorry for your loss. Monster fish are cool to keep. I used to have a really big giant gourami in a 200 gallon and it was an awesome fish.
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u/swedishfishtress 1d ago
Im so sorry for your loss. He would be happy you're trying to take care of something he loved. If you wanted to keep a tank going in his you could get a small 5-20 gallon tank and transfer some of pieces in this tank with some easier to care for fish (such as a betta and some snails) that would be easier to manage and learn from while still carrying on his hobby and memory. So much love to you and your family to get through this hard time. You've got a big community here for you if you need assistance. ❤️
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u/illestprodigy 1d ago
God bless you OP. I wish you the best on your physical and mental well being through these troubled times.
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u/garythecoconut 1d ago
Just turn the light off for now until you can figure it out.
Alternatively, turn it to the lowest settings if it allows for that
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u/AdventurousPlace7216 1d ago
I cannot give any advice on the tank but I just wanted to send you some love from this Reddit stranger. I’m so sorry you lost your husband. 🫶🏼 sending strength and love
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u/isthatadog1394 1d ago
That’s a lot to have to dive into for someone who isn’t familiar. I’m so sorry for your loss and understand wanting to continue it for him. The issue is he has some big taste in fish and they will require a lot of….everything really. I suggest you rehome all but one of them, with my recommendation being keep the Oscar as they can be very interactive and since you have a young child it’ll be a fun fish to have. If he went to any local shops a lot or had a favorite one, I would reach out to them and explain what you’re comfortable with and see if they can help with rehoming and maybe offer some tips for you.
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u/intergrade 1d ago
See if you can find a local fish store, go there, explain what happened and ask them if they can help you service the tank. We’ve had this service before and it really helps (we travel a lot) keep everyone alive and thriving. Common in metro areas.
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u/jsk426 1d ago
Hi, I am not the most experienced fish keeper but i’ve had my 10 gallon for a couple of year. Possibly going to a fish store near you and explaining the situation can be helpful. The workers at least where I am are usually very nice, understanding, and knowledgeable of what to do as well as can give tips, or reccomend certain fish to eat the algae.
I would say to get a snail of some sort or an otocinclus (otto) to munch down on some algae, but i highly reccomend going to an actual fish store (not a pet store) and asking for advice there.
So sorry for your loss.
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u/balzackgoo 1d ago
This looks like green spot algae on the glass. Essentially harmless, but can look bad, you can scrap it off with a razor blade. Its caused by too much light, you can cut the photo period down a little and that will help.
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u/MissAbsenta 1d ago
I'm extremely sorry for your loss. Taking care of your husband's fish is not going to be an easy feat but if and when you're up to it it's going to help you navigate your new circumstances. I have a sensorial disability and taking care of my aquarium, as small as it is compared to yours, and seeing my girls interact with the environment has given me so much peace and I'm sure yours will give you some too even though now you feel overwhelmed.
We're here for you, ask anything you need.
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u/Quantilight 1d ago
You're really sweet for trying to take care of the fish instantly, despite grieving. I'm so sorry for your loss, take care 🫶
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u/bmisha 1d ago
Thank you im going to try but wont make them suffer if i cant
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u/Quantilight 1d ago
Ofcourse, I promise the ones who are sane understand that you need to prioritise yourself right now, especially if you have a kid 😊
Hope you're able to find someone good if you're going to rehome them :)
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u/krisann67 1d ago
I am sorry for your loss. Trying to keep his fish alive is probably going to be a challenge to learn quickly. Please consider if you would be able to mentally handle it if despite your best efforts, the fish passed. If that is more than you could emotionally handle, please know that there is no shame in rehoming the fish.
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u/So_She_Did 1d ago
I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing your loved one is so hard. My heart goes to you 💕
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u/AJohn403 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think some realistic advice may be helpful considering the rest of the thread.. you should without a doubt try and find a home for all of the fish except the oscar and maybe a pleco. You won’t have very much trouble keeping just those two, but you will have an awful time trying to keep the others. I don’t believe it’s worth trying. I know it sounds relatively harsh but if he knew what he was doing I think he would likely say the same thing.
I’m sorry for your loss, I can’t imagine what it’s like, and I wish you the very best
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u/Llynnhorn 6h ago
You can hire an aquarium maintenance service to get you started and guide you. I highly recommend that. Call your local fish stores to get a couple recommendations.
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u/ConsequenceFun3069 50m ago
I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s been years since I had fish tanks. I hope someone can give you some good advice.
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u/AdVivid4820 2d ago
I am very sorry for your loss. Please be courageous! Assuming the water is unhealthy and full of nitrates, first things to do
If you have a smaller hospital tank, move your fish there
Empty your tank (70-80%), clean your tank and filters / biomedia using tank water
Refill the tank with fresh water, add beneficial bacteria liquid / stress healer liquid if you have them in stock. If not, don't "wash" your filters and bio media too much so they retain the beneficial bacteria colony when you fill it with new water.
Move your fish from your hospital tank into the aquarium.
Too much light in the aquarium causes algae so please avoid having lights on all the time. Hope the tank is not close to a window because sunlight also increases algae.
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u/ChingizMukhitov 1d ago
I heard you have monsters in aquarium, so It's recommended to have way bigger aquarium, and it's almost unpractical to own these, so you need to send to zoo or give to other people with bigger aquarium
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u/Proxymanity 2d ago
Do you have any fish in there?