# Newbie, found gross pink stuff



## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Newbie here, first post, first fish. I got a betta on the 8th, and hastily set everything up. Tetra Water Wonders 1.5G tank kit, Whisper filter, LED lamp, couple fake plants, and pieces of Java fern and beach glass that I added. Didn't let the tank cycle properly before putting the fish in, but did daily water changes. Using room temp Brita filtered water, Nutrafin Betta Plus tap water conditioner and bowl cleaner. There are probably a lot of other things I have done incorrectly here. So I have a problem. Today I noticed my fish having some trouble in the back corner where he likes to chill. I thought maybe there were too many things crowding him in, and I moved a piece of Java fern so that he had more room. After moving the piece of fern, I noticed what looks like pink fiberglass insulation growing on a piece of gravel. 









I tried not to disturb the junk too much while I removed it, but I noticed it floating around other parts of the tank, so it might have been growing throughout all the gravel. So I freaked out and removed my fish and emptied the tank, and I plan on really scouring all the gravel, and unattaching my piece of Java fern from the piece of beach glass I tied it to. I'm afraid maybe the glass is the culprit here. I'm absolutely terrified. I really love my fish and I don't want him to be in any danger. What do I do? I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Milq said:


> Didn't let the tank cycle properly before putting the fish in, but did daily water changes.


I assume you are still doing daily water changes, as an ammonia spike could kill your Betta rather quickly.



Milq said:


> So I freaked out and removed my fish and emptied the tank, and I plan on really scouring all the gravel, and unattaching my piece of Java fern from the piece of beach glass I tied it to.


I assume you scrubbed everything (including the beach glass) you found prior to putting it into the aquarium.



Milq said:


> I'm afraid maybe the glass is the culprit here. I'm absolutely terrified. I really love my fish and I don't want him to be in any danger. What do I do? I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place.


The glass is likely not the culprit. However, it would help if you could provide us with the temperature of the water and/or any water parameters (ammonia/nitrite, etc). I suspect the latter to be the problem.


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## sollie7 (Jul 19, 2009)

Darkblade48 said:


> I assume you are still doing daily water changes, as an ammonia spike could kill your Betta rather quickly.
> 
> 
> I assume you scrubbed everything (including the beach glass) you found prior to putting it into the aquarium.
> ...


you dont need to cycle such a small tank

what kind of fake plants because some with get caught on the bettas fins and rip them

and actually bettas are very tolerant of amonia but still do WCS


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

sollie7 said:


> you dont need to cycle such a small tank


:icon_eek: Dare I ask why you would not need to?


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Darkblade: 
I am still doing daily 10-ish% water changes. 
I put my rock and beach glass in boiling water before adding them to the tank. I rinsed all the gravel, and the filter. 
Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment for checking water temperature or ammonia/etc levels. I am going to purchase these items hopefully on Monday, as well as some Java moss to help regulate things naturally. 
Sollie: 
I don't know what kind they are, exactly. The box just says 2 decorative plants. They have been removed. 
_________ 
After my post, I promptly removed and washed everything, except for the fake plants and beach glass, which were not returned to the tank. I only used water, no soap. The fish is in slightly warmer water and is much more active. 
I'm very new to this and basically have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm trying to learn as I go along.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Just a word regarding the test kits; I would recommend the liquid type (as opposed to the test strips), as they are less prone to poor storage conditions and are in general, more accurate.


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## Morainy (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi Milq

What are you feeding your betta? Maybe the pink stuff is just food that the betta hasn't eaten, swollen and hanging around? I have some sinking tablets that look like that if they don't get eaten.

I think that if you vacuum the pink stuff out (using a hose or siphon) and do a partial water change, your betta will be fine. 

I feed my betta Hikari betta food. The pellets float and he eats them all immediately. Nothing falls to the bottom. 

By the way, I don't think that you need to run your water through the Brita filter first. I just get mine straight from the tap and add water conditioner to remove the chlorine.

I recommend using an inexpensive floating glass thermometer to check the temperature of the water that you are adding to your tank, and to check the temp of the water that your fish is in. 

Good luck!


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Darkblade: If I could afford like six different test kits I would definitely go for the drops, but the economic option was a set of strips that test ammonia, and a six-in-one that measures nitrate, nitrite, chlorine and chloramine, hardness, alkalinity and pH. I'm not too bad at matching the colors, except for alkalinity and pH.

So far I am at the ammonia level marked "stressed" just after "ideal". Everything else seems to be fine, but I am having trouble balancing general pH.

Morainy: I bought a kit with bowl cleaner and water treater, and it came with a thing of Nutrafin Max betta color enhancing flakes, with pieces of blood worm in it. He doesn't care much for the flakes or the worm pieces, so I got some Top Fin color yadda yadda betta pellets and he likes those pretty well. So far I think his favorite thing is peas.

I took the pink weird stuff out with a ladle. Yeah, I guess it could have been a monstrously reconstituted piece of flake that didn't get eaten. I have a gravel vacuum now, so I can clean that junk out without disturbing the whole tank. That is definitely going to become part of my water change routine.

I've heard Hikari is the best, but I couldn't afford the higher quality stuff on this trip.

Keep hearing I don't need to filter the water, but our water has a ton of junk in it from inside the pipes, you know? The water is so iffy around here that I won't drink it straight-up after it has been filtered. We live pretty close to the local water treatment plant, so everything's kinda funky up in here. Brita is a must.

I got me a thermometer that makes no sense to read, but it has a handy safe for tropical fish zone marked on it, between around 70-80F, and I'm generally able to stay between it. I have no sense for temperature, so I accidentally go from low to high 70s in a blink when I change the water. I'm really lucky my fish is such a trooper.

Thanks for the luck, I really need it.


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

Hikari changed their formula so it isn't the best anymore. Also you can order a master test kit from Walmart.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/3635493

Don't give betta peas too often, once a week. Only more if he is constipated.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Milq said:


> Darkblade: If I could afford like six different test kits I would definitely go for the drops, but the economic option was a set of strips that test ammonia, and a six-in-one that measures nitrate, nitrite, chlorine and chloramine, hardness, alkalinity and pH. I'm not too bad at matching the colors, except for alkalinity and pH.
> 
> So far I am at the ammonia level marked "stressed" just after "ideal". Everything else seems to be fine, but I am having trouble balancing general pH.


Test kits are not that much; you can usually order them online for much cheaper than you get them at the local retail store.

You really only need ammonia and nitrite for the time being. pH, kH, gH are nice to "know" once, and then, I really would only check them if something went wrong. Nitrates and phosphates are nice to check once in a while, especially if you have a planted tank, but are not necessary in your situation.

However, as you can already see from the strip type test kits, they do not actually give levels, and just ranges. What is defined as "stressed"? 2 ppm of ammonia? 5 ppm? Of course, anything more than 0 would be considered "non-ideal". However, for your test strip, what is considered "ideal"? And so forth...Also, be careful with how you handle the strips and also how you store them, as poor storage conditions can render the entire box of test strips useless.



Milq said:


> I got me a thermometer that makes no sense to read, but it has a handy safe for tropical fish zone marked on it, between around 70-80F, and I'm generally able to stay between it. I have no sense for temperature, so I accidentally go from low to high 70s in a blink when I change the water. I'm really lucky my fish is such a trooper.


Try to keep your water temperature similar to the tank water when adding it back in (make note of your tank temperature, and then use the thermometer to measure the temperature of the new water you are adding. Adjust as necessary).


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

I'll get a proper test kit when I have more money.

My fish has fin rot now, so ...? I guess he's just going to die?


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## Etcetera (Mar 10, 2009)

No, he will not die of fin rot unless you leave him in cold dirty water. Bettas are tropical fish that need temperatures of 78-83 degrees to be comfortable, healthy, and active. Room temp just doesn't cut it in the long term. As far as the comment that bettas are tolerant of ammonia--I disagree. They may not die from a spike as quickly as other species, but no matter who or what you are, no one likes swimming through and constantly having to drink and breathe in their own waste. You need to get a heater and change the water 100% more often. If you change 10% at a time, you don't get rid of all the ammonia, even if you do it every day, traces will still be there and continue to build up. If it were me, I'd ditch the whole 1.5G tank idea and get a larger tank with a filter that can be cycled. 1.5G would be very difficult to maintain a cycle in. I recommend getting a kit such as the Eclipse 3G from marineland, it comes with a filter, a good light for growing low light plants, and it can be safely heated. It's only about $45, but it is well worth the investment since the betta will be a fixture in your life for the next 3-5 years. You would kill yourself doing water changes in that little dinky tank. As for the fin rot, keep his water clean--I would change it 100% every other day at least. And get the poor guy a heater. I recommend hydor theos.


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Thank you, Etcetera. I would absolutely love to get my boy a larger tank, but I have a ridiculously small budget. I'm going to have to wait until next month and convince people that I absolutely cannot carry on with something smaller than a toilet tank. I haven't even been keeping it full, due to a suspected swim bladder issue. Don't want him struggling to reach the top of the tank. I need something shorter and longer.

I am going to do the 100% water changes, get a heater when I get my bigger tank, cycle it, and... hopefully my fish will live!

Thanks for being here for me, everybody.


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## Etcetera (Mar 10, 2009)

When my betta boys get sick I keep them in rubbermaid bins, the two gallon ones are about $2, they are long and rectangular and serve this purpose well. As long as they are new/have never seen soap they are safe for fish. They also can be safely heated. Whenever I had tank emergencies the fish go into the bins, lol. I also use them to hold water for water changes. One to empty the old water into before I pour it out, and one to hold new water--I have an extra heater for the new-water-bin so I don't have to worry about matching temperatures. Good luck with your fish. A slightly larger tank would be safer and less work, tell your parents that you're less likely to spill tons of fishwater all over their prized possessions since you can maintain a cycle in a 3G.


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Haha! Parents aren't an issue here. It's my landlady and housemate that I have to convince. They're concerned about my financial situation more than they're worried about me having an accident. I'm going to look into getting a couple of those bins, if I can find them. Thanks again!


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## Etcetera (Mar 10, 2009)

Rofl, sorry, it's just that all too often parents give a kid a betta and a little bowl and then assume no responsibility for what happens next. >____> Excuse the assumption.


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

No problem at all, mate. I might be completely clueless about all this, but I'm 21 rather than 12. nda i dnt typ lyk dis


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## Morainy (Feb 8, 2010)

Hey, Milq. Sorry to hear that your fish has fin rot. I see that you're on a small budget. If you PM me your mailing address, I will mail you some meds for it. Fin rot is often easy to cure if it doesn't go farther. I live in Canada, too, so it won't have to be held up at Customs.

In your PM, describe all your fish's symptoms and I'll send the best med.

If your fish is all puffed up with his scales sticking out like a pineapple, then it might be too late for me to send meds. Sorry.

I hope that you don't let this discourage you from keeping a betta. Some bettas seem prone to disease (maybe from shipping -- I have seen many on display in fish stores where meds have been put in their cups), while others, once at home in their tank, do well for a very long time. 

My son had 2 bettas (at different times) in a tank with a filter on it, and both of them died despite our best efforts. Now we don't use filtration in the betta's tank (5 gallons) and we just do frequent water changes. It's a planted tank, quite pretty, and easy to look after. We think that the long-finned fish is just less stressed in water without a current.

By the way, I did not mean to suggest that the Hikari pellets were the best food for your fish. I don't know anything about the food that you are feeding your fish. I only mentioned them because they float and so they don't fall to the bottom and rot. My male betta likes them and eats them right away. I give him 2 to 4, 2 or 3 times a day, and he eats them all right then. I like to watch him chew. Because of that, none of his food falls to the bottom. My female betta, who is in a community tank with a filtration system, does not eat the Hikari food and so I don't give them to her. She eats flake food or even the pellets that I put in for bottom feeders. 

I was just thinking that if the red gunk in your tank is simply rotting food, that switching to a food that doesn't sink might be the easiest thing for you. Rotting food creates ammonia, which is probably the underlying cause of the ammonia build up in your tank, and the ammonia buildup can also contribute to your fish becoming sick. So, the gunk and the sick fish might be an easy fix -- just put less food in the tank.

Anyway, I hope that your fish is on the mend.


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Thank you kindly Morainy! I will PM you my address right away, I am already terribly grateful. 

I couldn't find Hikari pellets anyway, and their brand is out of my price range. What I have now is the floating Top Fin pellets, and my betta loves them. No more sinking food, this is becoming a hard and fast rule for me. My fishy friend doesn't seem to mind the gentle current from the filter, in fact, he built a bubble nest around it just a few days ago.

I am very worried for the health of my betta, but I am not discouraged. I am going to get him a bigger home that I can properly cycle, and hopefully he will flourish in the more ideal environment. There's no way I'm giving up on him. I did a 100% water change today, and the replacement water seems to be exactly optimal for him, aside from the temperature which I am unable to regulate for now. Going to keep up with the water changes to reduce the chance for ammonia build-up.
On to that PM!


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## AshleySix (Dec 18, 2009)

Milq said:


> No problem at all, mate. I might be completely clueless about all this, but I'm 21 rather than 12. nda i dnt typ lyk dis



Come now, I'm not much older and I dnt typ lyk dis. 

It does look like a piece of food to me. Your bettas fins will heal with very clear water, and possibly some Jungle bacteria/finrot cure(I cant remember just what the heck you call it). I personally does my betta in his 1 gallon hospital with melafix(less then 1/8th of a teaspoon...because I am extremely paranoid) only a week ago and his fins are almost completely healed.


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

Haha, only jokes. 

It's good to know it was probably a piece of food, and not some disgusting monster fungus (from space?). 

Going to keep on with 100% water changes, and hopefully some lovely fish meds from the other side of the country!

Up until a couple days ago, I didn't know fish fins could heal or grow back at all, so I am relieved to hear some firsthand testimony.


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## AshleySix (Dec 18, 2009)

*"Breaking News: Alien fungus invades betta tank. Whole country under lockdown"
*
I thought my betta fins would be raggedy forever too, but gladly they healed some. His fins are still really....messy looking, you could say, but they have certainly gotten longer.


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## waterfall (Jan 9, 2010)

Would you like to try Indian Almond leaves in the water? It turns the water slightly yellow. Some Betta people swear by them. They claim the tannins strengthen the Betta's delicate fins. 

I use Almond Leaves in my Betta's tank and his tail just keeps growing and growing.

It would be easy for me to send you a leaf in the mail. I have plenty and would be more than willing to share. PM me if you are interested.


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## Milq (Feb 11, 2010)

AshleySix said:


> *"Breaking News: Alien fungus invades betta tank. Whole country under lockdown"
> *
> I thought my betta fins would be raggedy forever too, but gladly they healed some. His fins are still really....messy looking, you could say, but they have certainly gotten longer.


 HA! That's fantastic. I hope my boy's fins heal up nicely.


waterfall said:


> Would you like to try Indian Almond leaves in the water? It turns the water slightly yellow. Some Betta people swear by them. They claim the tannins strengthen the Betta's delicate fins.
> 
> I use Almond Leaves in my Betta's tank and his tail just keeps growing and growing.
> 
> It would be easy for me to send you a leaf in the mail. I have plenty and would be more than willing to share. PM me if you are interested.


 I've seen a lot of good things said about almond leaves around here, so that would be wonderful. All of you here are really lovely. I'll get on to that PM immediately.


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