what’s with all the foam in my aquarium?
this sunday i purchased a 2.5 gallon aquarium from the pet store. i set it all up (brand new gravel, a soft plastic plant, and a small ornament) to house a male betta (“Kuzco”). everything was fine until i woke up the next morning to an aquarium full of what looked like suds! we used Top Fin’s “betta water conditioner” and added aquarium salt when we treated the water the day before. we thought it would go away but it’s still foaming up every time we have the aquarium covered.
if i don’t lift up the cover of the aquarium every hour it starts to look like this:
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg184/braidbasket/sudsysoapy.jpg
Kuzco making the best of it under the suds:
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg184/braidbasket/sudsandkuzco.jpg
our first weekly water change isn’t scheduled for another day. will this help? should i continue using the same conditioner?
i appreciate any help!
**edit** i forgot to add that yes, all (gravel, plant, aquarium parts, decor) was rinsed with warm/cool water before it was put into the tank.
hmm… i think you need to add a little more water to your tank. I got bubbles too when i added medicine to my tank when my fish were sick. All i know is that topfin sucks. You should try a better brand! I use aquasafe products.
As the other poster said, more water. Did you wash anything before you assembled it? Hopefully not with any detergents or cleansers. You can do a water changed immediately but do not forget to treat the water before adding it and try to match the temperature to the tank. It also looks like you have an air stone in the tank creating bubbles, could you turn it down a little so it creates less bubbles.
the “foam” you described is normal it is kuzco’s bubble nest male betta are famous for them. water changes will add to it don’t worry just be happy he made it it is a good sign of temp and water condition.
Hi , Pls don’t worry cause as per what I am aware of its a natural tendency if its a male betta, I have 2 myself and they keep doing it all the time , no doubt that in your case it does foam up a bit but still should not be a worry. This bubbling up just means that hes a male. Am chcking out on some more info for u and will post it once am done …… cheers …tc ……
heres something that would be good info …..
What does it mean when a betta blows a ton of bubbles? Is he sick? Actually, a bubblenest just means he’s just happy, and feeling amorous.
I get a ton of letters from readers asking if it’s normal for a betta to blow bubbles in their tanks. These bubbles are called bubblenests, and a big nest means your fish is feeling all right with the world and is hoping for a date!
The male will collect gulps of air and blow them back out. The air, mixed with betta mucus, makes for tiny, sticky little bubbles that form a dome. These nests could eventually be home for fertilized betta eggs, which the male cares for after mating with a female. A little nest means your betta is happy and healthy, and a gigantic nest means he is feeling absolutely super and would like a girlfriend.
If you have any nest at all, you can lean back and feel good about your betta parenting – keep up the good work! And refrain from adding a female betta unless you are specifically trying to breed. Breeding bettas is NOT a project for most keepers and requires much study and preparation before attempting. The mating process is complicated, and frequently violent for both male and female. Remember that while your betta is “feeling his oats”, and is trying to show it, he is NOT PINING AWAY for a mate; he is showing the world how good he feels. Making a nest is just something a betta male is hardwired to do.
If your betta male is not making nests, you might take a look at his conditions. Do you change his water often enough? You can try more frequent changes. Are the water temperatures too low, and uncomfortable for him? Bettas like water in the high 70s, for example. Is he a part of the household, able to watch you and the world go by? A betta housed in a lonely corner will languish from lack of stimulation.
Keep in mind that some bettas will simply not make a nest. Some are not so good at it, even when they try. Your little bettas are individuals, and nests might not be his thing, even under perfect conditions.
Of course, if you are using an airstone or bubbler, you will also not see a bubblenest
Sometimes this happens when people use too much water conditioner. You really don’t need much, if any for a 2.5 gallon aquarium( you could just leave water sitting out on the counter for a couple of days to break down the chlorine) You need to treat for the amount of water that you add, not the total amount in the tank.
By the amount of bubbles in the tank, I think that this might be your problem.
Go ahead and do a water change early but add less conditioner this time. You can change the water everyday in a fish tank and have only positive effects. Whenever in doubt, do a water change!
he ade a bubble nest which just means he is ready to mate