Bubble nests

[Zepher03]

what is a bubble nest? i just bought my betta and there's a thin layer if slim on the top of his one gallon tank and someone told me that it was his bubble nest, but i'm still not quite sure.

[f1oored]

Male bettas make a nest of bubbles at the top of the tank when they want to breed. This looks like a cluster of bubbles (not just a slime on the surface of the water). Now bubbles don't last forever and once they are gone they can leave a slime like coat on the water. This is probably what you are seeing. Making bubble nests is natural behavior for bettas and nothing to be concerned with.

One question, how often are you changing his water? More frequent changes can keep the slime levels lower.

Enjoy your new fish and welcome to the forum.

[Zepher03]

i try to change his water every second day, it's seems to be working, i also had regular glass pebbles at the bottom of his tank and they seemed to accumulate more slime then without so i'm getting him actual fish bowl rocks. But thank you very much!

[f1oored]

Sounds like you are doing things right. As long as he is swiming around and appears content, he probably is.

[Zepher03]

the only thing that worries me is his scales seem to be falling off

[Incredulous_Ed]

I was right. It was a bubble nest. :)
Do you think you can get a pic of your betta up?

[f1oored]

Scales falling off isn't good. A picture would help us choose the next course of action.

[Full3R]

i put my female betta in a guppy breeding tank in a small heated tank with some floating plants last night and the male that was in the tank has already built a bubble nest

[Zepher03]

I took a picture but unfortunatley someone lost the cord for the camera. 16 year old sister did but VERY unlikley she'll admit it.

[Zepher03]

how much algea is ok in a betta tank? i don't have a filter but i do have an aerater but algae is growing at the bottom and his water is murky, although the cycle says it'll get murky, i change his water and add the cycle, then an hour later it's murky, maybe putting too much? he's in a one gallon bowl, and i added the right amount...SO confused :(

[f1oored]

If you are using a 1 gallon bowl I wouldn't worry about the cycle. When you do water changes just change all of the water, clean everything, and add some stress coat (dechlorinator). If you are using Cycle there are two things you need to know. 1. It is really designed for larger tanks with filters and 2. It doesn't work unless you get a very fresh bottle.

If you change your bettas water 2 times a week he is going to be a very happy little fish. Just clean everything in the bowl well and you shouldn't have to worry about murky water or algae.

[Zepher03]

ok so junk the cycle, it's a brand new bottle. but ok....and his bubble nest he built, it's a few days old now and a thick layer of slime or algae is forming where the bubbles were. should i worry about that or just change the water?
adn we have pretty hard water, but my mom won't let me use the cooler water because she thinks it's a waste, WE can handle the hard water ZEPHER can't....not a waste in my eyes! but if i use half and half and keep using Aqua Plus tap water conditioner it would be better then all tap water right?

[f1oored]

If the water is a few days old I would just change it. My water is pretty hard and my betta doesn't seem to mind it. I think using half and half would be great. Just make sure to condition the water every time and you should be OK.

[jeffs99dime]

do you test your water?

[Zepher03]

no i didn't, i do know my water is hard, but my neighbour has three bettas and has had them for years, she said she only tests her water when she changes it, and she gave us a test.....still not sure how to use it. zepher is at my boyfriends house and it's really hard to monitor him from afar.