Cloudy Water

[FlareBettaGuy]

I know that I have already posted questions regarding cloudy water, but here's the whole story. So if you don't critisize me, and try the best you can to try to help me out on this one, then I will not post this again. Ever. Here it goes...

After my old betta, Firebolt, died, I got a new betta. I didn't take the dead Firebolt out of his bowl the first night, cause I was to sad. The next day, he was rotting, and fish particles were all over the water, gravel, and plants. So I took him out. I got a new container, and it's one of those ones you're supposed to keep bugs in. The square, plastic ones with hundreds of little slits on the cover with a big transparent sliding door in the middle of the cover. As a guess, the one I got holds around one gallon of water, which is acceptable for a betta. Since the square container had more ground space than a bowl, I needed some more gravel. So I got more from my friend, which was full of poo, and washed it with hot water, along with the gravel from my old betta's bowl, full of dead fish particles. After I finished washing it, I washed the plastic container, his hidey hole, his little decoration thingy, and also his castle. I gave the dirty plants a little scrubbing too. Then, after the container was all set up, I put water that has aged for 4 days into it, and then the betta. Everything was going fine. Betta eating. Active. Aware of my presence. Then, after a few days, the water started to get cloudy. I was thinking that it was just gravel dust, and that it's all going to be alright, but I was wrong. A few days later, the water got VERY thick and a little white. There was fuzzy stuff growing on the plants, and that stuff was also getting on the other stuff in the container. The surface of the water looked oily and had stuff on it, and the inside of the water had all kinds of stuff. Fish still eating, but seemed uncomfterble and irritated. So I said "MY GAWD!! IF I DON'T CLEAN THAT SOON, IT'S GOING TO BE A FOREST!" So I took the betta out, took everything out again, and vigorously scrubbed all the decorations with a toothbrush and hot water, washed the gravel with hot water too, and even scrubbed the sides of the container cause it was slippery. When I stirred the gravel, there was so much stuff in it. I don't know how it all got there. After everything was done, I put the aged water in, and then the betta. The water seemed much more clean. Then, a few days later, the water started getting cloudy again. So I bought some Tetra Aquasafe for Aquariums so that when I change the water, which i'm going to have to do a lot now, I don't have to wait 4 days for the water to age. I put some in, and the water turned slightly blue. The cloudiness is still getting thicker and thicker, and it is developing that oily surface layer again. I decided that I have to change the water every day now, in fear that the dreaded fuzzy stuff will return. Today, the water is still cloudy. I put some pellets in, but Mr. Betta won't eat. I took a little less than half the water out with a cup, and put new treated tap water in. Looks just as cloudy as before, but this time, Mr. Betta will eat. And also flare. That is where I am now. Water still clouding. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? What is this stuff? What I should do? I don't want to change the water everyday, but I will if I must. I heard that beneficial bacteria can help prevent this. How do I get that? And also, I heard that sometimes, white cloudiness is called bacteria blooms. Is that correct? MANY MANY thanks to you if you answer this, and have a nice day.

 

[semper fi]

one thing the old gravel had the beneficial bacteria in it. you washed it all away with the hot water and cleaning it thoroughly.

white cloudy water is a sign of a bacterial bloom, but i do not think that is what you are having. water is not slimy and will look like someone poured some milk in the water. probably poor water quality. sounds like you might need to add an aerator to the tank. small tanks like that are harder to maintain than the bigger ones, beleive it or not. my 180 i do water changes on it every 10-14 days and my 30's i do every five days.

you may have to do daily water changes on the tank of about 30%. make sure there is no leftover food on the bottom of the tank. this will cause ammonia to rise and could kill your fish.

 

[Inchworm]

Well FlareBettaGuy, I have some good news and some bad news.

First the bad news: you totally screwed up your tank!

Now the good news: (maybe) you can easily fix it if your friend has a big enough tank and is willing to help you again.

If your friend has an established 10 gallon tank, or even a 5 gallon tank it would be safe for him to make a "clone" of his tank in your bowl or the plastic container. All he has to do is give you some dirty gravel and 1 gallon of water from his tank. You can wash the gravel you now have and give it back to him for him to replace it with. The beneficial bacteria will regenerate itself and his tank will be no worse for helping you. That's all there is to it.

You then have the same chemistry he has. It will be, starting out, an exact minature of his. You can move the decorations from your tank and the plant into it. Just swish them around in the water they are in to clean them without losing the bacteria clinging to them.

Then it will be a matter of maintaining it. It sounds to me like you may have been overfeading your fish. I have heard that the size of a fish's stomach is about the size of his eye. So don't feed too much and if you do, be sure to get it out of there before it has a chance to spoil and cloud the water. (Live food won't cause this problem.) But, remember whatever goes in is going to come out again and this has to be removed on a very regular basis The smaller the tank, the more often you will have to do this. This is why a larger tank is easier than a small one to care for.

If you can, get a regular 10 gallon tank. Here in New York they only cost $7.99. I don't know what that is where you live, but I'm sure it's not very much. That will be the basis for you to build on. You can keep a couple of corys in it, too, to help clean the bottom and it is less changable and more easily cleaned. As time goes by you can get a hood and filter, heater, more fish if you want, etc.

The important thing to remember is that you are caring for a living thing and it will need regular attention. Do everything with a gentle touch.

Good luck to you. I hope things work out better from now on.