How do some petstores make their water blue??

[itsuki]

this is probably a newbie question but i wanted to know how some petstores get that blue hue in their water. its looks cool...very tropical like. im a sucker for color, and a big reason i like bettas so much. I have no idea how this is acheived and the only thing i can think of is foodcoloring. dont get me wrong clear water is awesome but if i could get clear blue water that'll be awesome+1. or is this some mega expensive procedure or likely to be the death of my betta and should not be replicated by a novice like myself??

[veggiegirl]

Hey there,

Some special aquarium lights can give the water a slight blue tinge but it was probably more likely that the fish were sick and they added a medication comtaining methylene blue. Methylene blue is quite strong and like any medication should only be used if your fish is sick as medication is stressful, therefore obviously you cannot add it just to change the colour of the water. Also never add food dye to a fish tank..... If you really want the blue look check out some aquarium lights but even then certain lights suit certain situations so you would need to do some research before rushing out and getting one. Alternatively you could stick some blue backing to the back of your tank, not quite the same I know but probably the safest and easiest option.

[madmonahan]

I have heard it is medication. But I believe it is to help with waste. Some people put tabs in the water before shipping, it turns the water blue and helps with the waste while they are being shipped.

[itsuki]

i plan on upgrading my tank light as it was just a retrofitted minibow 2.5g lamp over a 10g tank as well as going to live plants (beginner plants) and dont think the 10w 5100k bulb will be sufficient for the live plants i want. the light doesnt disperse evenly over the tank, i have it shifted more to the right to brighten up the decor to eliminate the shadows cast by the large leafs. will these lights with the blue tinge have the correct light spectrum to give proper nitruients to the plants??

[MollyJean]

The mom and pop store I go to most often says it's for stress. They add a little in the bag before the fish heads home with you so the trip won't be as stressful. Now I'm curious which one is true, or if they all are, or what.

[itsuki]

would you advise using a drop of that medication in his isolation tank during water changes, he does not like that tank. i want him to be stress free as possible

[dramaqueen]

Yes, it's methylene blue and they use it for shipping and I believe it's used as a disease preventative.

[Skyewillow]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

Yes, it's methylene blue and they use it for shipping and I believe it's used as a disease preventative.

^ Exactly. It's supposed to counteract the weakened immune systems caused by stress and improper care in a petstore situation.

[Skyewillow]

"Methylene Blue is effective against superficial fungal infections of fishes. The drug may be used as an alternative to Malachite Green for the control of fungus when it is known that the fish to be treated are sensitive. Methylene Blue is safe for use with fish eggs and fry for the prevention of fungal infections. As a secondary use, it is effective against some external protozoans, such as Ichthyophthirius (Ich), Chilodonella and Costia."
http://www.novalek.com/kordon/methylene_blue/index.htm