Senzeal | Aquarium Fish & Aquatic Plants Blog
Senzeal aquarium blog is for fishkeepers who want to know more about planted aquarium, aquatic plants, fish keeping such as goldfish, betta fish and tropical fishes. We will also recommend you some aquarium supplies you may need...
By Lorraine | 13 July 2020 | 0 Comments

The relationship between ornamental fish and bacteria in the fish tank

In fact, the fish tank is a small ecosystem. Each fish tank has different fish, different flora, different landscaping, different styles, and different values. However, a fish tank must be a small ecosystem. How is this system built? What kind of fish tank is a complete ecosystem?



First of all, we know that there are three main types of creatures in fish tanks: fish, plants, and bacteria. These three creatures are actually supporting each other. Let's first understand how the three creatures are brought into the fish tank and how they support each other.

First, we need to nourish the water, and the beneficial bacteria are the first produced during the nourishment process. When the temperature and other conditions meet the needs of bacteria, various beneficial bacteria in the water begin to multiply and build up a bacterial system. But bacteria at this stage are not very powerful because there is nothing to eat in the water.

Later, algae in the water tank of the fish tank exposed to light every day will start to produce algae, and the algae will photosynthesize in the water, and then continue to multiply and produce oxygen to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. These two are the most important things in the ecosystem.

The ornamental fish was artificially brought into the fish tank, and the ecosystem started to operate. First of all, fish will produce a lot of waste, and these wastes can become food for bacteria, which are decomposed by bacteria, and the nitrifying bacteria system will gradually become stronger. Bacteria break down waste, which is equivalent to eating it. 
After eating, they will convert the waste into nitrogen, which plants like, and other harmless substances. Nitrogen will be absorbed by algae or other water plants for growth while ensuring that the nitrogen in the water does not exceed the standard. At the same time, the ornamental fish will absorb oxygen and produce carbon dioxide. But the aquatic plant is the opposite during the day, it will absorb carbon dioxide and expel oxygen. This oxygen can be absorbed by bacteria and ornamental fish.



This is how the three circulate and support each other. Fish will excrete, bacteria break down, and algae absorb.

So why say that fish tanks without algae are generally incomplete ecosystems? 

We already understand the role of algae. But aeration pumps can replace aquatic plants. The water plants in the tank will also absorb nitrogen, and the nitrogen will also volatilize out of the water surface, which does not need algae. However, wild lakes do not have these devices and often have underwater plants, so they can only rely on algae. But the algae in the fish tank were replaced by these machines, so, in essence, it is not a complete ecosystem. 
Of course, algae is not needed as long as the ornamental fish is healthy and the water in the fish tank does not suffer from hypoxia.

The fish tank is a small ecosystem, and all three living creatures have their own jobs. If you want the fish to live well, you must give them a settling time.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked. *
Name
E-mail
Content
Verification code