Green Algae in Goldfish Tank Water
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Q & A: About Green Algae
What is Green Algae?
There are thousands of different species of algae that range from a microscopic single cell to strands of seaweed kelp that can resemble a plant. Green algae is a primitive aquatic organism that contains two forms of chlorophyll that converts energy from the sun into food in the form of sugars and lacks any true stems, leaves or roots. Certain single celled types of green algae can create ‘pea soup’ green colored water. Stringy types of green algae can create a blanket on the surface or cover rocks and plants. Algae found on aquarium glass and decorations can come in the form of film, spot and fuzz.
Where Does Green Algae Come From?
Algae spores are everywhere in the world. Algae can show up in your indoor goldfish by way of airborne free floating spores, through spores that live in water or through spores found in living organisms, including humans. Given the right conditions, these spores can grow into algae blooms.
What Causes a Green Algae Bloom?
When there is an abundant amount of dissolved waste and nutrients in the water; the temperature of the water is warmer; the water receives direct sunlight or too much artificial light; an absence of algae eating fish or a lack of live aquatic plants.
Is Green Algae Harmfull?
Some strains of algae are toxic but many are harmless but it’s difficult to tell with the naked eye which is and which isn’t. However, many types of algae that are commonly found on the sides of aquarium glass or on aquarium decoration and aquatic plants called film, spot and fuzz are not typically harmful.
How Do you Remove Green Algae?
Physically remove the green algae with a net and algae scrubber. It is a good idea to do a significant water change and to vacuum the gravel. Using chemical products should be a last resort since they can affect your aquatic plants or fish if you use more than the recommended dose.
How Do you Prevent Green Algae?
- Keep the goldfish water cooler
- Remove the goldfish tank from any direct sunlight.
- Don’t overfeed your goldfish
- Remove fish waste and decaying organic plant materials from the water
- Perform routine water changes.
- Add living aquatic plants to use up extra nutrients and nitrates in the water.
- Catch algae early and remove it when it first appears.
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Lisa Conner,
What was the tank that you used was it new was it old? that could have been what happened
Wow! Don’t underestimate yourself, you have a great setup and do a really good job of caring for your goldfish. I’ll just say one thing though; if you hand feed your fish, always make sure your hands have been washed and there are no residues on them. no soaps, food, perfumes, oils or anything else that might make the fish sick. Additionally, try not to handle your goldfish since it could remove their slime coat that help keeps them healthy.
Yeah, you don’t need a heater since they like water temps around 70*f ; your filter is fine especially since you have gravel and live plants. the gravel is a good place for beneficial bacteria to grow and the live plants help remove ammonia; good job on the water changes and your lighting setup.
well I have a 10 gallon tank which is home to my beloved two fancy goldfish, Alpine ( white with NATURAL black,brown and golden speckles he is a fantail)
and Snare( a black moor goldfish)
both are doing swimmingly! ( lame joke! XD) they are happy and are fed cucumber every other day along with a steady amount of goldfish flake food. I can now hand feed them even though i’ve only had them for 2 weeks! the tank is properly cycled but it honestly took me about a week and a half. i replace 30% of the water weekly and use a dechlorinator for the water as well. The only fake plants i have are made of silk so they do not rip the fins of my fish. I monthly replace my aponogeten plant ( my fish enjoy snacking on them) and keep my hornwort plant under size control same goes for my anubias plant. i have an led light that has white and blue bulbs and to try and give a natural day\night effect i switch the blue light on at 6:00 pm and turn the white light on at 6:00 am while i can still enjoy my fish. i don’t have a heater as the temperature in my area is pretty warm anyway but even if it wasn’t i don’t think i’d need one anyway. i have a filter that does 2-10 gallon tanks i know it is small but every 2 cleanings i’ll replace the cartridge and the ghost shimp and snails sure do help in keeping the tank clean as well as thelive plants. the backround i have gives the tank a more spacious feeling and compliments the fish quite well. My gravel is a tawny brown color ( for better aquascaping) I’m not sure if something is missing or not needed in my tank please tell me as being only 12 I don’t think i’ll get everything i need. thx and happy fishkeeping!
I’m sorry to hear about your goldfish. These things happen and you are for sure not the only that has gone through this. I was pretty upset when I killed my goldfish too. I eventually got over it but it’s still a downer.
The problem with goldfish are that they produce a lot of ammonia which is toxic if it’s not removed from the water. There is a thing called “new tank syndrome”, it basically means that there isn’t any beneficial bacteria in the tank to convert the ammonia into nitrates. That usually take two to four weeks. you can buy bacteria from the pet store to help get it going faster. But your biggest problem is that you said “bowl”. Three goldfish in a small bowl means a lot of ammonia in a small space. Your little goldfish either died from ammonia poisoning or oxygen depravation. To lower the ammonia levels quickly, the best thing you can do is do a 50% water change every other day. and yep add those drops to remove the chlorine.
Oxygen depravation means there isn’t enough oxygen in the water. The less goldfish in a small bowl, the more oxygen it will have. What you want is a container that is wider than it is deep; it maximizes the circulation of air and water. Also the colder the water, the more oxygen in the tank. No need for a heater and keep it out of direct sunlight. The filter is good for circulating the water and adding oxygen if it agitates the surface.
All that being said, if you don’t want to change the water all the time, you should consider investing in a 5-10 gallon tank. For more info, read the beginner articles in the Goldfish Bowl Section
we have 3 goldfish only 2 wks, my children were all excited, they got 1 each. last night 1 was floating at the bottom of the tank, and today when we go up another one was dead, the third one i put into water i had over night in a bowl, and that goldfish is barley alive, he not swimming or anything, dont know what i did wrong, we have the filter all the drops and we just give them 1 pinch of food a day, my girls are very upset.