Anaerobic bacteria - bad smell.

[smileandnod]

When I got home last night, one of my new fish in my new tank looked very poorly indeed. Not even moving when I disturbed the plant she was in.

So I decided to change some water, and while doing so, I noticed a really bad smell, like rotten eggs coming from the tank. I traced it to the piece of bogwood I have in there. The sand under the wood was black, and also smelt really bad, I guess it was anaerobic.

I removed the wood, and the sand, and changed about 70% of the water, and the fish seemed to recover quite well. Although I haven't seen them yet today (being at work and that).

Has anyone come across bogwood going this way before? It was soaked in boiling water for a day or so before being put in the tank, and has been in there for about a month now. I've never had anything like that happen before.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

yes, when anaerobic bacteria develop they produce some sort of hydrogen based acid that smells like rotten eggs.
I would suggest you bury the bottom of the drift wood completely, so the base touches the bottom of the glass, so in only displacing sand instead of blocking it.

 

[AquaNut]

I would say it was most likely the sand under the wood, and not the wood itself, that was housing the anaerobic bacteria. Make a point of disturbing the substrate under all wood, rocks, and decorations weekly during gravel vacuuming and you should avoid that problem.

 

[DrOizo]

The same happened to me when I was removing my plants from their baskets, they had been in them for about 3 weeks, I can't see the smell/bacteria doing any harm to a tank though although in human anaerobic respiration lactic acid is formed??? Is this the same with bacteria?

 

[AquaNut]

I'm the least scientific fishkeeper of all time, but I do know that the gasses released when you disturb a pocket of anaerobic bacteria can be quite lethal to the fish in your tank.

 

[DrOizo]

ahh, that might be a problem then

 

[smileandnod]

Thanks. I will try and make a point of moving stuff like that.

There was definately something wrong with the wood though, as it also smelt bad top and bottom, and was covered in some sort of furry mouldy looking stuff.

Still, the fish seem much happier now, so the wod has been consigned to the back yard.

Little tanks seem to be so much more trouble than larger ones . I never have this sort of thing with the 300 litre

 

[smileandnod]

Thanks. I will try and make a point of moving stuff like that.

There was definately something wrong with the wood though, as it also smelt bad top and bottom, and was covered in some sort of furry mouldy looking stuff.

Still, the fish seem much happier now, so the wod has been consigned to the back yard.

Little tanks seem to be so much more trouble than larger ones . I never have this sort of thing with the 300 litre