Shedding

[Jebus]

I posted a topic about last week about my betta and the strange material at the top of the tank. Well it's still there ( i have cleaned the tank about every two days) and it looks like the betta is shedding. It's this clear stuff that's all over the tank, and i can see it right after i do a full water change. What does this mean?

 

[wuvmybetta]

It's a mystery. Some say too much protein,I dunno. I have a female giant who lives in a 10 gallon by herself at the moment and I get the same thing...a clear thick film. When I try to scoop/skim the surface with a cup...it just sticks to the sides of the cup and swirls around. When I turn a filter on..it just pushes it out of the way When I stir it...it swirls all over and lays on the bottom of the tank (stir then filter works for like....2 hours )
I do daily 75% water changes on her tank to get rid of it and it's unstoppable.None of the other betta tanks have it. I've really put a lot of thought into it and I think that it has something to do with particular betta spit.

 

[BeccaBlain]

I get that too... on all my betta.

Its actually, I've found, from the water conditioner. After about 3-4 days, it clears up on its own, when I add the conditioner, it comes with a vengence. Its the scale coating slime that comes with my type of conditioner. Its more of an aethetics issue than an actual real one, in my opinion, as the fish end up slimy and happy and their scales are nice and protected. I think it may come from adding a little too much when doing a waterchange. I know it is highly altered by the amounts of the conditioner I add to the tank. If I have a situation where I have fin tearing, and I add the slime coat doseage to help it heal and protect it, I get the slime on the top of the tank.

Thats all I've noticed from my observations. (I use Aqua Plus.)

 

[Jebus]

thanks, so i guess it's nothing to worry about
next water change ill try adding less conditioner

 

[wuvmybetta]

I get that too... on all my betta.

Its actually, I've found, from the water conditioner. After about 3-4 days, it clears up on its own, when I add the conditioner, it comes with a vengence. Its the scale coating slime that comes with my type of conditioner. Its more of an aethetics issue than an actual real one, in my opinion, as the fish end up slimy and happy and their scales are nice and protected. I think it may come from adding a little too much when doing a waterchange. I know it is highly altered by the amounts of the conditioner I add to the tank. If I have a situation where I have fin tearing, and I add the slime coat doseage to help it heal and protect it, I get the slime on the top of the tank.

Thats all I've noticed from my observations. (I use Aqua Plus.)

That's a good theory, but it can't be possible in my case,since everybody gets the same water.

Keep us posted,Jebus. I'm curious to see if that works for you.

My observations on fry have proven that they really are all different. Some are just 'scummier' than others. 2 sets of fry, both on the same ritual. One set has 80 fry the other 40 of a different kind...same size tank. The 80 have crystal clear water all the time,the 40 scuz up the water as fast as I can clean it.

 

[BeccaBlain]

Well, I get it in the buckets I change the water with, and there aren't fish in those... so I don't think its the specific fish.. Maybe a reaction with something present in that tank versus another? I don't really know.


Fun to think about it, though.

 

[thellama]

yea i dont use water conditioner and a couple of my bettas get it also..

 

[sef]

I have had such a film on every non-cycled tank I've ever owned, but not on my cycled ones. Apparently it's some sort of harmless bacteria -- not from the water conditioner, since I've never used a slime coat additive.

sef

 

[slamster17]

i think one of my bettas has that. its like a clear oily looking film on the surface of the water. all i feed him is hikari bio gold.
dunno wut it is

 

[jacblades]

if it is an oily looking film, it probably means you arent changing your water often enough. i noticed that when i failed to clean a few of my tanks a couple of times.

 

[tekknocolor]

My betta had it in his tank too. I had a one gallon that had a lid that hardly permitted any surface movement except right over the tube that allows filtering (undergravel filter) which was enclosed by a section of plastic from the hood of the tank. Over the tube there was never a film, but where the movement was restricted started the slime film. I would do constant water changes, but it wouldn't help. I did notice though that when I changed the hood of the tank and the entire surface was able to ripple the film was non-existant. I no longer have that nasty slime on the surface of the water. I have noticed too that when I put stress coat in the tank it produces the slime "strings" that looked similar to the slime surface film. Don't know if this will be helpful, but wanted to share just in case.


-- Leigh Ann