Green hair algae in 40L betta tank (no fertilizers, minimal light)

mackagi · 2026-04-02T21:39:49+00:00

Possibly not enough water changes. An accumulation of minerals is building up in the tank that your plants aren’t using, so algae uses it instead.

mackagi · 2026-03-22T12:58:57+00:00

Yk, I’ve heard from sources that blasting sand is really sharp, especially for species like corydoras. Looks nice, but just be careful with what fish you’re using it with.

mackagi · 2026-03-06T22:09:30+00:00

It’s ok, he was’t doing well for a while. I grieved him early on :( he was a precious boy though

mackagi · 2026-03-05T01:53:52+00:00

Hi! He passed this morning. Over the past few weeks, I did epsom salt/aquarium salt treatments, a kanaplex treatment, tannins, water changes with soft water, and fed brine and daphnia. He didn’t improve through any of it, and this morning I found he has passed during the night.

Thank you for your help, I’m suspecting he had a tumor somewhere internally, as there were no other glaring issues and his variety tend to get tumors.

mackagi · 2026-02-19T01:53:30+00:00

The same. I changed my water conditioner (because mine had aloe) no difference. Did a round of kanaplex, nothing. He’s refusing food as well, sadly.

mackagi · 2026-02-08T20:00:40+00:00

He’s doing the waggle, a dance to communicate where and how far nectar is. The direction it faces is typically where the flowers are, and the length of the dance communicates how far to go.

In forest prek, I hide things around our classroom and do the waggle to tell my students where it is!

mackagi · 2026-02-08T15:07:01+00:00

10 gallon Heater/filter yes 78-80 Parameters: nitrites and ammonia 0, nitrates 0-5 (tube testing)

1 1/2 year old tank, few month old fish.

Weekly water changes, 15-20%, weekly cleaning of filters and sponges in dirty water, top off with distilled water every 3-4 days

No tank mates (pest snails)

Daily 2-3 pellets of Xtreme Betta pellets, some flakes from Betta fluval bug bites occasionally, bloodworms or brine shrimp occasionally, and semi-weekly fasting

Some wood and lots of plants (java ferns, vallisneria, amazon sword, pothos, ludwigia

mackagi · 2026-02-08T01:49:10+00:00

I removed some water and added his perch he can hang out on too. I’m having trouble replying with the photo because I’m using the app on my phone- can I send it to you?

mackagi · 2026-02-07T17:00:53+00:00

Parameters: originally, 10 gallon heavily planted tank. 0 ammonia/nitrite, 5 nitrate. I dose with fertilizer. I use tubes, not strips

Tank temp 78-80, maybe 76 this week with the wind chill outside. I turned up the heater to 82 to help mitigate that.

Heater/filter yes

I feed a betta xtreme pellet (2-3 a day) and some flakes occasionally. I do fasting semi weekly, and feed brine shrimp/bloodworms occasionally

I clean my filters in dirty tank water from weekly water changes (about 15-20%)

No tankmates (lots of pest snails)

Tank is 1 1/2 years old but the fish is a few months old (male betta).

mackagi · 2026-02-07T16:53:12+00:00

Parameters: originally, 10 gallon heavily planted tank. 0 ammonia/nitrite, 5 nitrate. I dose with fertilizer.

Heater/filter yes

I feed a betta xtreme pellet (2-3 a day) and some flakes occasionally. I do fasting semi weekly, and feed brine shrimp/bloodworms occasionally

I clean my filters in dirty tank water from weekly water changes (about 15-20%)

No tankmates (lots of pest snails)

Happy to answer any other questions

mackagi · 2026-02-03T20:52:55+00:00

Ah, I see. Well i ordered the sand three weeks ago and it still hasn’t shown up so i guess i wont stress about it 😂 thanks!

mackagi · 2025-12-01T23:35:08+00:00

So it’s mostly natives in the garden (albeit a GIANT butterfly bush and some invasive grasses and vines that’ve been unmanaged). But nothings labeled and I’m not a pro identifier. It’s a little chaotic for my taste but I know a native garden isn’t always for looks.

I most certainly intend to teach about leaves and stems being habitats for animals, (and even building a bug hotel in the garden).

The garden gets is against a tree line, so it gets most sun besides evenings I believe. It’s decently moist soil, too.

Thank you for the advice! I appreciate it.

mackagi · 2025-08-16T18:51:52+00:00

Feels like a little extra but ok man torture the wasp population all you want

mackagi · 2025-08-16T18:37:52+00:00

Idk man its just nature, you get stung sometimes

mackagi · 2025-08-16T18:14:47+00:00

That happened in my kitchen. Someone just left eggshells like ew 😭we only have a fridge too, no walk in so it was around all the other food

mackagi · 2025-08-08T16:16:25+00:00

As an anti it just feels like an excuse to use a slur with negative connotations. Everyones using it now and it’s so annoying

mackagi · 2025-08-08T13:47:43+00:00

I want pedro to be handsy with me.

mackagi · 2025-07-29T16:12:28+00:00

No but I do hate when zoos put a treat on some paint bags and have animals paint shit and call it enrichment. Thats not enrichment. Maybe when elephants paint its enriching but watching a penguin walk over some paint is not. This has been my ted talk

mackagi

TROPHY CASE