Bright Green Algea!

[BrookeLea]

My mom has a betta living in a 2 gallon hex in her bathroom. He's been in there for about three years and I'm always checking up on him to make sure that everything's ok when I come home to New Orleans. He's usually doing great, and my mom makes sure that his tank is extra clean before I get here because she doesn't want to hear me nagging. This time, though, things were different. Not so much bad as freaky. Well...maybe bad. There's this BRIGHT GREEN algea growing in his tank! It's so bright. I would take a picture, but I forgot my card reader for my digi cam back in Savannah. It kind of looks like...hair? But green and soft. My mom thinks that it's because the bathroom is too hot. I think that maybe it's because she leaves his light on all the time, and the bathroom light is prety much on all the time, too. He has a silk plant in his tank, an air stone and the same marbles that I keep in all of my tanks. Anybody know what this algea is, if it will hurt him and what should be done about it?

 

[Bettabelieveit]

it's probably a mixture of the temprature, and light being on all the time, it's really not good for the light to be on all the time either. that and the fact that she may not be changing the water as much as she could be. it's probably a combo of things.

 

[GuppyDude]

i get that stuff too, is normal alge that u find in all tanks, but when its not kept under controlle it does reach a stage where is becomes hair like. plecos, and otos will eat it right up. i recommend an otto or 2 for the tank, i dont think they get too big and teh betta will get used to them in time id recommend alge killers but iv had bad experiences with them

becasue bettas take their air from teh surface of the water, teh alge wont hurt him, but it is disturbing to look at

 

[BrookeLea]

Thanks guys! I know that having his lights on all the time is not good. I've told my mother that. I've been turning his lights off at night since I've been here. I've been telling my mom to get some otos for her 10 gallon female tank, but I wasn't sure the she could put an oto in a 2 gallon tank with a betta. Is there enough room for that? I'll go buy some for her today. How many would be ok in a 10 gallon with 4 females? And what about the 2 gallon?

 

[eudielynn]

Otos shouldn't be kept in less than groups of four. That's really too many for the 2 gal IMHO. You might PM Inchworm. She gave me some good advice on otos.