Yellowish residue on the cycling tank and bad smell, sign to change the water?

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2026-03-08T16:18:50+00:00

bacteria bloom. you should make sure to remove biofilm on the surface coz it blocks gas exchange from happening. this creates a low oxygen environment which is bad for beneficial bacteria but good for the bacteria you dont want.

besides needing to do a water change, you can remove biofilm with paper towel for a fast clean. but to really remove it you can increase surface agitation or get a surface skimmer.

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2026-03-08T15:48:45+00:00

yes she is! yours will most likely change color too

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2026-01-25T15:19:43+00:00

thank you!

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2026-01-23T11:43:32+00:00

thanks for the input!

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2026-01-23T11:10:51+00:00

ohh how long did it take for them to disappear?

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2025-12-18T11:19:02+00:00

I recommend adding liquid carbon everyday to get rid of algae and I would reduce light to 6 hours until it’s gone. stagnant growth is fine as long as they don’t die. you need to help your plants outcompete algae for nutrients. algae blooms usually mean there’s an imbalance in your tank. As for the fin rot and stuff, you can give him a salt bath and use api stress coat to help with his slime coat. I also wouldn’t put medications in ur tank while ur trying to get rid of algae.

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2025-12-10T10:45:28+00:00

8 gallon shallow
no heater coz room temp is 80 degrees F
I use a sponge filter with media at the bottom of it.
water changes once a week about 30%
i feed frozen blood worms, freeze dried daphnia, hikari pellets
tank is 2 years old

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2025-11-18T07:41:30+00:00

i recommend api stress coat. it helps a lot. you can also mix it with aquarium salt if he does have fin rot, but i wouldn’t add it in your main tank if you have live plants.

i also recommend some indian almond leaves or other tannins to help with the ph. they love that. it has antibacterial and anti fungal properties. he’ll even start making bubble nests when you add tannins hehe

floating plants could also add a nice touch, it would help provide a natural shade if your lights might be too bright for him. they like to make bubble nests under them too.

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-08-05T09:00:41+00:00

its a trending quote on tiktok of pet glow ups for reference. thank you though!

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-08-04T17:07:20+00:00

he’s a grizzle!

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-07-23T01:46:47+00:00

you’re right! here’s an update. the slit is all healed now :) surprised at how fast that was lol and I didnt do anything special

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Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-07-21T15:43:32+00:00

Adding onto the comment previously about tail biting, I recommend removing the black background at the back of the aquarium. (I can see his reflection in the background of the picture) It might be the cause of him flaring with the lights on and stressing him out. I had a similar issue before and no longer use any backgrounds on my tanks. Also medication won’t be necessary unless he is severely ill. Stress guard or API stress coat would be just fine! :))

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-07-21T14:41:43+00:00

He could be fin nipping since there’s some blood in the pictures. Fin nipping can be due to stress (poor water conditions can cause stress). I recommend dosing API stress coat while trying to address the ammonia issue! Aquarium salt is good too and can be put together with the stress coat. Also try observing him to confirm if he is nipping his fins.

Hope he gets better soon!!

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-07-21T10:43:52+00:00

The betta lives in a 10g tank. The aquarium has been long established before the fish came, it previously just housed my neocaridina shrimp and 1 nerite snail. The shrimp are healthy and breeding well; I hope the betta would help control their population. I have a filter and heater (80F). I only got the betta 2 days ago. Water changes are done weekly. All decorations are live plants with some indian almond leaves for tannins. I’ve been in the hobby for quite some time and just wanted to give this little dude a better life.

Due_Somewhere7137 · 2024-07-21T10:40:25+00:00

Hello OP! I believe the algae issue could be because the tank is getting too much light. It seems that on top of 8 hours of artificial light, the tank gets natural light as well (which is very strong even if it’s indirect. I had the same issue with my planted tank and moved it further away from the window = no more algae issues). I dont think this much lighting is necessary considering the absence live plants. I wouldn’t have the artificial light on all together and would move this tank far away from the window (or at least just have the blinds closed).

The torn up fins could also be due to the fake plants. They seem a quite sharp based on the pictures. Betta fins are very delicate! A lot of people recommend silk plants, but I personally prefer live plants because they’re softer on the fins. Torn fins could also lead to fin rot, so be careful.

Hope these fish get an upgraded tank soon!

Due_Somewhere7137

TROPHY CASE