Pests/Problems

Green and generally dirty and dull aquarium. There are many reasons why your beloved aquarium may go a little greener than you expected. Sometimes this can be due to insufficient maintenance but other times may be influenced by lighting and location of the aquarium. The water quality may be slowly drifting away from ideal conditions which can also lead to an increase in algae growth. Please feel free to contact us to arrange a visit. Each aquarium we come to maintain and service will also get a free water quality test and analysis.

Diseases are unfortunately a possibility for all animals, sadly your beloved fish are no exception. If you feel there is something wrong or indeed you can see symptoms of disease then please call to arrange a visit. If we can not get out to you promptly we would then advice you to take a water sample and maybe a picture of the fish to your local fish store.

Hair algae is another common problem that can make aquariums look unsightly. This can affect both freshwater and marine habitats. Please contact us to discuss solutions to this problem.

Do you have these fast growing pest anemones in your aquarium? Act fast and contact us to resolve this issue. These little pests can very soon multiply into many. They have a potent sting and will out compete many corals and inverts for space, in doing so they harm what ever they touch and will dominate most aquaria containing them.

Do you have these little starfish multiplying in your aquarium? Please call or email to discuss whether these little freebie critters are going to be a problem for you.

Blanket weed can and very often does become a problem for most ponds at one time or another. Please contact us to arrange a site visit to ascertain the best way to tackle this persistent, troublesome and ugly menace. There are many ways to deal with blanket weed and its removal, some natural solutions, some just labour intensive and sometimes chemicals are used to eradicate it.

Green water is another common problem afflicting many ponds. There are many ways to rid the pond of this green single celled algae. This will depend on the exact nature of the pond itself, its location and the equipment and filters currently being used. Please contact us to discuss possible solutions to this common problem.

These mat like algae/bacterial films often covering rocks and the substrate make regular appearances in the home aquarium and can quickly make the aquarium unsightly. However this is not just a visual problem, both forms can cause havoc if left un-checked. There are two very similar looking forms of this common problem but each are two entirely separate organisms with totally different actions required to eradicate them. Please contact us to ascertain which you may have.

The Heron. A truly stunning looking bird when viewed in its natural habitat around by lakes and streams, but for most of us its not the best visitor we would wish to see in our gardens. Please contact us for advice on correct, safe and legal deterrents for this hungry visitor. If you see this bird in the skies around your property then it most certainly has seen your pond and your fish. Please don’t believe stories of 6ft fences putting these birds off from landing in your garden.

Aquarium snails can multiply very quickly. Call us to discuss why you may have an abundance of these.

 Another fast growing pest anemone.  There are many species of anemones that can arrive in our aquariums. Generally speaking most of these smaller species that appear and then spread quickly are considered a pest.

An attractive plant when it first appears, but it will very soon smother the entire surface of your pond.

These little guys can eat certain corals.

You wouldn’t believe this pretty little snail is going to be a problem but it most certainly will.

This little critter could be an indication that you may have too much excess food in the system. If you see one then don’t panic, but if you appear to have many then please call us to arrange for a visit and an aquarium clean.

Leaves building up on your pond can not only make for an unsightly looking pond but they will eventually become water logged, sink and start to decompose and add to the bioload of your system increasing the work for your filter and ultimately affect the water quality.

Bubble algae can look oddly attractive when it first appears attached to a piece of liverock, but this can be a bit of a pest too. Please do not simply ‘pop’ this spherical green algae. Contact us to provide a solution.