Nadia Oyelaran

I have lost count of how many times I have heard this exact story from fellow fishkeepers: “My tank has been running for two years. My neon tetras are fine. But every new fish I add drops dead within a week.” It is one of the most frustrating puzzles in the hobby, and it almost … Read more

Fish usually die days after being added to an aquarium because of new tank syndrome – a condition where toxic ammonia and nitrite build up faster than beneficial bacteria can process them. I learned this the hard way with my first 20-gallon tank, watching six neon tetras die one by one over a week despite … Read more

I have moved dozens of fish between tanks with wildly different pH, and the ones I lost taught me more than the ones I kept. Acclimating fish when store water has a very different pH is the single most common cause of preventable fish death, and most beginner losses trace back to the floating bag … Read more

I remember the first time I checked my aquarium thermometer at 6 a.m. and saw the reading had fallen four degrees overnight. My heart sank. Was my heater broken? Was something wrong with my tank setup? If you have noticed the same thing, you are asking the exact right question. An aquarium temperature drop at … Read more

If you just walked past your aquarium and noticed every single fish crowded at the water line, you’re right to be concerned. Fish swimming at the top of the tank is one of the clearest distress signals in the hobby, and the clock starts ticking the moment you spot it. I keep several community tanks … Read more

Seeing your fish sink to the bottom of the tank and struggle to swim up is stressful. You rush to the glass, watch it gasp, and wonder if it’s dying or something you can fix. The good news is that a fish sinking and unable to reach the surface is usually treatable, especially if you … Read more

Seeing your fish shaking in place can be alarming. I remember the first time I watched my molly quiver constantly near the bottom of the tank, and I had no idea if it was normal or a death sentence. Fish shimmies is a symptom, not a disease. It means your fish has lost proper control … Read more

I noticed my betta pacing up and down the front pane of his tank for three straight days after I brought him home. Watching a fish press against the aquarium glass can feel unsettling, but this behavior, called glass surfing, is one of the most common concerns fish owners bring up. The good news is … Read more

You walk up to your aquarium one morning, coffee in hand, ready to enjoy the peaceful scene you have cultivated for months. Instead, you see one of your fish darting across the tank, chasing and nipping at everything in its path. A fish that was perfectly calm yesterday now looks like it wants to pick … Read more