Why does the aquarium smell fishy? Causes and How to Overcome It

 

Aquarium owners must be familiar with the fishy and unpleasant smell of their aquarium. This kind of smell is also common when we walk to the ornamental fish market or ornamental fish shop. For true ornamental fish lovers, this smell is very pleasant. But if you smell a pungent fishy odor that leads to a foul odor, then there may be something wrong with your aquarium. Today we will cover all the common causes of this kind of odor in your aquarium and how to get rid of it from your tank.

Causes of bad smell in aquarium

1. There is a dead fish

It is undeniable that the stench that comes from your aquarium may come from the carcass of your favorite fish. A dead fish will give off a fishy and foul smell that fills your room with a terrible smell. If you have a tank full of decorations or plants, dead fish can be hard to spot. And if you have a crowded community aquarium, missing fish are very hard to spot. It could be that the fish has rotted deep at the bottom of the substrate or got stuck in the plants/decorations

The missing fish can be a source of strange odors. Be sure to check behind every stone, decoration, and plant. You will be surprised to see that your fish carcasses can fit in the narrow crevices of the aquarium. Your dead fish may not even be in the aquarium! This is common with jumping fish species such as the killifish and arowana, which can easily jump out of an uncapped tank. No need to be surprised, fish that come out of the water will not last long and will soon die and emit an unpleasant odor.

If your fish can jump, check behind the aquarium stand and nearby furniture for the carcass. Fortunately, dead fish is an easy smell to control. The smell will disappear as soon as the fish is removed.

How to prevent bad smell caused by dead fish

Unfortunately, this is the most difficult type of odor to control – no fish live forever. This is sad but true. The best thing you can do is keep your fish long and healthy by taking proper care. Good water quality, not too many inhabitants, the right food, and regular care really help your fish live a healthy life.

2. Feeding too much

We know you don't want your fish to starve, but overfeeding is probably one of the worst things you can do for your fish. It can also cause a horrible smell emanating from your aquarium. Look, your fish will only eat so much food in one feeding. Anything you don't eat will fall to the bottom of your tank and start to rot. When food spoils, it releases gas and causes a bad smell. The smell becomes stronger as this uneaten food builds up. A good aquarium maintenance routine, such as cleaning filters and using a gravel vacuum, can remove most fish food residues that are rotten and smelly.

How to prevent bad odor caused by too much fish food

It's actually very simple: just give your fish the amount of food they can eat in one session or a few minutes. This way there will be no fish food left which gives off a bad smell. And remove the rest of the food that is not eaten.

Figuring out how much to feed your fish takes some experimentation. With so many different fish species and so many different types of fish food to eat, the right amount can vary from one aquarium to another. The rule of thumb is to feed your fish only as much as they can eat within 5 minutes.

3. Fish poop

The bad smell can also be caused by the food your fish eats. If your tank is filled properly, you should do your weekly maintenance routine long before the dirt starts to smell from your tank.

As you may have noticed:

More fish = More poop

Piles of dirt break down quickly and give off a foul odor.

How to prevent unpleasant odors caused by fish droppings

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This is easy to do. Do not overfill fish in your aquarium and only keep fish that are suitable for the size of your aquarium. Overstocking is a common problem for beginners with poor experience. Before you buy fish for your aquarium, first read up on the specific fish keeping requirements on the internet. If you've already done that and your current tank is overfilled, you have two options: buy a bigger tank or throw away some of your fish. Which one do you choose?

4. Rotting plants

Although this is less common than the other causes on this list , rotting plants can emit a foul odor if left unattended. Dead plants are easy to spot. They no longer look like themselves and often turn a slimy brown or black color.

You have to remove dead plants as they also damage water quality. If you have a plant that has only a few dead leaves, light pruning is sufficient to remove rotting shoots And remember, algae are plants too. Algae can rot, leaving behind a terrible musty odor. Blue-green algae in particular can make your aquarium smell bad.

How to prevent unpleasant odors caused by dead plants.

Keep them alive! Live plants do not emit a bad smell. We know this is easier said than done. But by making sure your plants have enough light and nutrients, you're giving them the best chance to thrive in your aquarium. Otherwise, why don't you invest in buying a cleaning crew for your aquarium? Malaysian trumpet slugs will happily devour dead or rotting plants without you needing to tell them to!

5. Dirty filter

You know the worst thing about all of this? Well, everything can get sucked into your filter system. In fact, it's not uncommon to find more sludge decomposing in the filter than in the aquarium itself. After all, the job of a mechanical filter is to suck up all the dirt floating in your aquarium and collect it in one place. And that's why filters can smell bad. Very bad!

Cleaning the filter should already be part of your regular maintenance routine. When it's time to do a water change, rinse the filter media in the water you're draining so you don't kill the good bacteria that live in it. Doing so will remove most of the pungent odor.

6. Dirty substrate

If the smell coming from your fish tank smells like rotten eggs, then your substrate may be to blame. The concept is quite complex, and here's a beginner-friendly explanation: Very fine sand or gravel that has solidified over time can produce zones where there is no oxygen. When dirt gets trapped in these pockets, bacteria turn it into a gas. Smelly gas! This gas then rises through the aquarium and straight into your nostrils!

How to prevent the substrate from emitting bad odor

Again, maintenance is key. Suck in deep gravel or stir the sand regularly to prevent pockets of these stinky gases from building up in your aquarium. Before you choose a substrate for your aquarium, read about how to care for it.

7. Water conditioner

The water conditioner that you add during a water change can also cause your aquarium to smell weird. When you open the cap of the bottle, there is a distinctive medicinal smell. However, once you pour it into your water, the smell will soon fade away

How to prevent bad smell caused by air conditioner

Avoid air conditioners with ingredients that smell like sulfur, which is often the cause of rotten egg odor.

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