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#290602 02/03/07 07:26 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
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Amoeba
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Amoeba
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My question is about my beta Eclipse and his 2.5 gallon tank he is now in. About a month ago I added a carbon filter. Since I have had the filter though I have needed to change the cartredge once a week. The cartredge is clearly visible and is 1/2 black carbon on the top half and the bottom 1/2 appears to have a cream/clear spongly material -whcih turns black after 1 week so I change it.

My concern is that after a week not only is the cartredge black but there is a white/clear build up on the sides of the tank, filter, plants, decorative gems and heater. Everywhere but on my beta -thank goodness it wasn't on him too. In the tank it appears almost like an algea would in terms of where it is found and the shape of the build up. The other strange part is that when I clean the tank it is slimely -not just wet and some what slippery but slimly and clings to everything unless I wipe it off - it won't just rinse off.

This build up has happened over the last 3 weeks. I have since then removed the filter and have been observing the tank. So far no build up is occuring. But what could have caused this? Out where I live we are not on city water but well water - which I know has more bacteria in it. So could that bbe it? The confusing part about it is that I also have my 20 gallon tank here at home too, same water and also with a carbon filter, though with a unit that hangs outside the tank with a suction tube in the tank instead of completely inside the tank like my betas. More puzzling is that it did not seem to bother my beta if it was there or not- no negative symptoms, glad it was cleaned but nothing more than that.

Anyone have any ideas what could be causing this???

Fantails and Betas

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Hi,
First of all, you should NEVER have to tear down and "clean" your tank. Clean the filter, do a PARTIAL water change, (10-25%) and use a high tech tool called a scraper, (razor blade on a stick) to clean the glass. Or a sponge on a stick, what ever works.
Thats it!

"Slime" is natural.
Without boring you too much, you do need to understand any tank has to "cycle."
When you first set it up, it's steryl. As soon as you add something alive, say a small fish, that fish eats, and well... poops, and chemical changes start happening right away.
First amonia builds up. Bacteria catches up. This is GOOD! You WANT this.
That benificial bacteria breaks down amonia into nitrites. And eventually into nitrates. Each step is less and less toxic. Eventually the whole thing reaches a balance. That "slime" is a film of bacteria that will grow on every surface in there.
Some filter systems depend on this. Undergravel filters for example. Some filter media is nothing more than wierd shaped bits of plastic or other material with a lot of surface area for that bacteria to grow on and act as your filter. Don't worry so much about it. keep the glass clean, and if you can't stand it on a decoration, clean that. So you know also, "good bacteria" keeps the tank clean. And a clean tank smells like garden soil. If it smells like rotten eggs, you have bad bacteria starting. Poor filtration, overfeeding, or not doing water changes will cause this.

Unless..... the only other thing that would cause a build up of "white stuff" is over feeding. Uneaten food will start to grow nasty things on it.
Rule for fish feeding, is they eat EVERYTHING in three minutes. You can feed often, just tiny amounts. Fish nibble all day in the wild.

Hope this helps.


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artmaker #297661 03/08/07 12:52 AM
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Amoeba
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Amoeba
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Artmaker-

I took your suggestion to heart and re-added the filter. At first everything seemed normal, but just a moment ago I looked over at the tank and Eclipse was floating on his side! :< He's not dead but I am really concerned.

He's been eating maybe a little more but not much. Still not as vibrant as he used to be though I thought he was getting a little color back. Now he has been hanging out near the top of the water and watching me whenever I am near the tank - usually he will ignore you or just swim by you but a few inches below the water line.

His tank is at 75 degrees, I've been giving him 4 pellets a day, added some aquarium salts. After consulting my fish disease chart the closest thing I can think of that he has would be dropsy. The closest meds I have atm is maracyn-plus though it recomends maracyn-two. I was able to get him to eat 2 pellets tonight - that I personally saw him eat.

I thought it would be a good idea to see how this treatment goes then get the maracyn-2 if it persists and start feeding him 2 pellets at a time 3 times a day.

Any suggestions would be expremely helpful! Please help!

Joined: Aug 2006
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Amoeba
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Sick beta update-

The maracyn-plus seems to be helping. He is due for his second dose tonight. He is slightly more active and now instead of just hanging by the heater he actually will swim to the other side of the tank and then come abck and rest -(float)- for a few seconds then atleast right himself up and putz around a little more.

He did eat the 3 pellets this morning and a bloodworm this afternoon. (this was his first and is suposed to povide nutrients other foods do not so I thought I would see if it helped - he loved it and it was gone in under a second!)

I bought some maracyn-2 incase he still has symptoms after the full treatment he is on now. I also found another helpful thing at the store- Jungle Bowl Buddies Betta Care Kit. Although the information they provide is very very basic and not as much as you would need to know about the proper care their tablets seem to be one of the best water treatment options I have ever come across. After the treatment I plan on using one of the tablets and seeing how it goes.


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