My aquarium is always getting slimy, is it fine for my betta?
First, I have to clean the filter sponge about twice a week because too much slime gets caught in it and water cant get through the filter if i dont clean the slime out,
Second, the slime gets all over the sides of the aquarium and on my plant. Which makes it look filthy.
I clean the tank every 2 weeks
Its a 4 gal
There is only a betta fish in the tank
Posted by Direct_Bug5866
4 Comments
The smaller the tank, the harder it is to keep healthy. You are cleaning very often, which I appreciate. It means you care!
The algae growth is very quick, which could be in part because of the harsh lighting you have. If your light has settings, turn it down! If not, move it away for find a way to cover it partially with a non-flammable material.
It may also be caused by too many nutrients in the water, maybe overfeeding? I am not familiar with bettas, so Im not sure how often to feed it. Try feeding less food and less often for a bit, but also research how much a betta needs 🙂 How old is your tank? New tanks often do this when they’re being established.
Another way to prevent the slimy algae is by using algaeicide. Like a pestacide, but for algae, it just helps balance your water parameters and destroy algae. Try API brand CO2 Booster, it’s basically an algae killer. Its wont harm your fish unless you dont follow the directions, if you overdose, its toxic. If you want something more natural, try a Nerite snail. Theyll love eating all that algae!
You need more plants to outgrow the algae. And maybe less light.
Can you die your light? Or is the tank close to a window? It seems that that could be a problem, not a bad one by any means, but a gross looking one. Overfeeding could also be a problem, check your ammonia.
I’d suggest using distilled or RO water for top offs. Also, you can dramatically cut back on your light. Try going two or three days without lights. The plants will survive a lot longer without lights than the algae will.