fishy smell

[canis_lupus]

how should a fish tank smell.....fishy or not just a quick dumb question

 

[juliethegr8t]

I've heard that fish tanks should smell sort of like good soil, earthy and healthy. However, I imagine everyone's smells a bit different. I don't necessarily think you'd get that "fishy" smell unless you were filleting them .

 

[canis_lupus]

well my tank had no odor but yesterday it started to smell a bit fishy....i've brought the smell down thru water changes but i hope it's not serious

 

[Kossy]

How often do you do water changes? and do you know what the ammonia nitrates etc were...mine never smell but maybe extensive build up of algae could give an odor but like I said I've never had a smell besides teh fish food

 

[mrV]

well my tank had no odor but yesterday it started to smell a bit fishy

Every fishes are still alive - no one is dead?

What about bottom? Is it gravel/sand? If gravel, do you use gravel cleaner? Does it bubbles?

Any algaes?

Like juliethegr8t said, tank shouldn't smell bad.

 

[Alien Anna]

how should a fish tank smell.....fishy or not just a quick dumb question

A fishy smell is usually an indication of something going wrong - sometimes a dead fish stuck behind your filter, or maybe an overgrowth of algae. It certainly warrants investigation, if nothing else. Keep a close eye (nose!) on it. A healthy tank should not have a strong odor.

 

[smb]

I have to agree with the others thinking it might be algea.

When I get lazy from time to time and don't clean my algae, even tho I still would do water changes, the buildup of algea will make my tank smell. A day or two after I clean it the smell will be gone.

If it does turn out to be an algea problem, clean the algea the day before you do a water change/gravel clean and clean your filters in the tank water you took out as they might be a little dirty after scrubbing your algea.

 

[canis_lupus]

well i do water changes once a week but i did it twice this week because i needed tank water 4 my betta...there is no algae on my glass that i can c....but maybe in the rocks........i try 2 vaccuum as much as possible but the live plants get in the way......i know it shouldn't smell .....all my fish are healthy and i'm almost done cycling i think (no testers) but the fish seem fine and i'm going into the 3rd week of starting my tank