White Film in Tank

[AggieMo05]

OK here is my problem. My roommate has a year old betta who started making this film in his tank. It collects at the top of the bowl and starts to hang down the longer it is in the bowl. We clean the tank once a week and it always comes back.

We didn't think much of it until a few days ago. He has now stopped being active. He sits at the bottome of his tank and doesn't move unless we tap on his tank. And now we have notice that his fins look like they are torn on the ends and have what looks like white fuzz on the tips. We love our Azulito and he loves us, too.

Please help us save our fish!

 

[StiX]

Is it like loads of bubbles on the surface? if it is then its a bubble nest

If its like an oily film, then what filteration/airation do u have on it ?

 

[AggieMo05]

There are some bubbles and I know that bettas make a nest but that isn't what I am talking about.

Ok. We have discussed and my roomie and I have decided what this stuff looks like. It is like a thin layer of skin or something (obviously not what it is) hanging down and covers the top of the surface. It is a filmy layer on top. It is white. It is hard to describe.

We do not have a filter or anything like that because it is in a bowl and we were told it didn't need any of that stuff.

Oh and he has faded to a green gray color from a bright blue color

 

[AggieMo05]

Forgot this stuff.

He is in a bowl that is less than a half a gallon.
He is by himself.
There is tap water conditioner in it.
There are no filters or anything like that in there.
We are beginners when it comes to fish.

Thanks

 

[William]

Do a water change now to help perk up the fish a bit, make sure the water is dechlorinated. Without a filter and being cleaned out each week the tank is going to suffer a cycle weekly! In fact in just a week you will probably just get the spikes of ammonia and nitrites maybe just.This is bad!

I truelly suggest you buy a bigger tank 1 or 2 gallons at least and buy a little filter also. Obviously if you could get bigger than 2 gallons it is good!

So to recap do water change now but don't wash out the gravel. The betta seems to be very unwell perhaps it is too late, keep him in the current tank water while you do the water change then put him in, make sure the temperature of the water is the same also!

Best of luck

 

[William]

Just to clarify change all the water with half a gallon its not very much so get rid of it all...

 

[AggieMo05]

So in other words. Just change his water (which I had done minutes before I posted. Go me!) and see if he lives?

There is nothing I can do to try to fix this?

I can't buy a new bigger tank because I live a dorm and my roomie and I got him because bettas are supposed to be easy low mantainance fish that don't take up but a bowl amount of space.

If there is anything else I can do please tell me!

We LOVE our Azulito!!!!

 

[AggieMo05]

Seriously, we really need some new advice.

Anything would be great! Is the tail fins looking ripped anything that could be causing the film on the water?

He seems to have perked up a little bit since the water change but not as much as usual.

Oh and we don't have gravel in the tank. We have those glass beads that they sell at the pet store. And we don't clean then with soap when we change the water. We just run the water over them.

Ok someone take this info and help!

Thanks and Gig'Em!

 

[wetwetwet]

HiYa AggieMo,

When you do a water change use a tapwater conditioner and bring the temp up to the same as the water you're replacing.

There are several remedies that will help to treat a fish with finrot - personally I use a product called Melafix. You really do need to get him some medication and follow the instructions for dosing.

How often do you change his water?

As far as the film/skin goes not sure on this one but could be some kind of mould, fungus or possibly from some airbourn contaminant - do you have a cover for the bowl? This may help.

Next time you do a water change (with conditioned water) remove him as william said in his present water and give the bowl a good clean.

Let us know how you get on

 

[AggieMo05]

Ok. So we clean the tank every week and my roomie does scrub the sides of the tank with a paper towel because the film sticks to the side.

If we do cover the top of the bowl, how will new oxygen get into there so he can breathe?

We will buy some of the fin rot stuff tomorrow because at the moment the stores are closed.

Thanks guys. Oh and if anyone else wants to respond with anything else or give us some more advice it would still be appreciated.

Thanks and Gig'Em!

 

[William]

Well theres no way this film should form each week, a 2 gallon bowl isn't much more space at all and its only a couple of £'s / $'s and it will give your betta a load more space to swim in

 

[TAZZ]

im not much of an expert when it comes to fish... but if a film is forming...sounds like some kinda fungus... is there a film forming on the fish?

i also read that fin rot is caused by poor water conditions - make sure u have conditioner in the water, and its at the right temperature ~ 26 deg C.

i had a whitish film on my betta a while back, and cured it almost immediately by buying some "Fungus Cure" which is supposed to cure fin rot too. it cleared up the film like within minutes of adding it. i have a little fin rot on my betta too, but im continually doing water changes every 2 days (cause i noticed the temp of the water keeps dropping if i wait a week) -- around 25-40% water change.

1 suggestion i would make, if u dont have one, get a plant for ur tank. my betta loves the plant i bought hehe, he swims around it all the time =)

tazz