# Why is there hairy algae growing on my betta???



## create_art (Feb 27, 2007)

I have a [info]crowntail Betta[/info] with curled tips and for some reason the algae in the tank (snail has it too, i clean him periodically) has started growing on the tips of my Betta's fins!!! What can I do to get the algae off of him/prevent it from coming back? Him and the snail are in a little 1 gallon tank and with no plants or anything... I know the algae isn't just caught on his fins because its on ALL the tips...

Would upgrading to a bigger tank and adding an aquatic frog or tetras maybe help...?


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## Sleepy (Feb 5, 2007)

Well, at first, I think 1 gallon is a little bit too small for the fish. :?

The other thing are the waterchanges. How often do you do those. How high is the nitrate/phosphate level in this 1 gallon thing and in the water youÃ‚Â´re useing for the changes ?


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

what color is this "algae" it could be fungus if the fins had previously been ripped or something


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Sleepy said:


> Well, at first, I think 1 gallon is a little bit too small for the fish. :?


Bettas are the exception to the rule. 

Sounds like fungus to me. Can you pls post a picture? No treatment will be recommended in the meantime until we know the exact situation.


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## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

What is it about bettas that makes it ok to keep them in small tanks? Is it that they prefer small confined areas or is it that they don't produce much waste?
Also what about the oxygen in small tanks/bowls wont it run out real fast with such a small amount of water?...


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

magic_marty said:


> What is it about bettas that makes it ok to keep them in small tanks? Is it that they prefer small confined areas or is it that they don't produce much waste?
> Also what about the oxygen in small tanks/bowls wont it run out real fast with such a small amount of water?...


The like shallow spaces and arent picky about confined spaces. They are labyrinth fish so they can breath air, thats why they can be in bowls, also in the wild there territory is small and shallow, normally stagnant. Still need a filter in the bowl for a long survival rate though.


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## Rue (Jan 28, 2007)

Not quite...while bettas can survive in small amounts of water, because of their ability to breathe air...it doesn't mean they should live their entire, relatively long lives (4-8 years with good care) in a small amount of water...

Bettas can survive the dry season in left-over puddles, but during the rainy season they have HUGE amounts of water to move in...it's true that they prefer to live close to shore, in the shallows, partially because they will often build their bubble nests in the plants lining the shore...

I advocate at least a 5g aquarium for a single male betta...planted of course...others recommend at least 10g...

Think about it...if humans can survive a brutal arctic winter in an igloo...does that mean humans should spend their entire lives in an igloo-sized space?

Bettas can also survive colder water temperatures...but it makes them lethargic...in the wild the temperatures in their habitat is somewhere in the range of 75-85 F...so even an average room temp. of 71 isn't quite right...they need a tank with a heater just like any tropical fish does...

I'd really like to see some advocacy groups educating on behalf of the poor betta...


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

Rue said:


> Not quite...while bettas can survive in small amounts of water, because of their ability to breathe air...it doesn't mean they should live their entire, relatively long lives (4-8 years with good care) in a small amount of water...
> 
> Bettas can survive the dry season in left-over puddles, but during the rainy season they have HUGE amounts of water to move in...it's true that they prefer to live close to shore, in the shallows, partially because they will often build their bubble nests in the plants lining the shore...
> 
> ...


good point but im no betta expert, all i know is that they are the most common bowl fish (second being the goldfish :evil: ) If you are getting an aquarium for them it needs to be long and short as the rice paddies they live in are very shallow but very long, they do bad in deep aquariums.


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## Rue (Jan 28, 2007)

...I don't think I'd be too worried about tank depth...as long as they have some floating plants to hang around in I think they do just fine...

...they are surface fish/feeders after all...

I'll have to see if I can find the average depth of a rice paddy during the rainy season...

...btw...week 4 of my betta experiment (releasing 1 male and 3 females into the the 25g community tank)...everyone is doing fine...the females aren't showing any signs of aggression towards each other...and the male is happily cruising the front of the tank...

...waiting for me to feed him no doubt...typical male in this household... :roll: :wink:


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

reminds me of my rams, nips my fingers when i go near them, begging for food since i hand feed them. They also swim to the top waiting for me when i go near the tank and kind of swims up and down very fast when i have food ready for them, danios dont care, they just eat when needed and steals the rams food when they can.


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## scottysgirl (Jan 10, 2007)

I agree Rue--bettas live in large bodies of water except during the dry season. The bigger the betta tank the better. They are, however, light waste producers and I believe they could safely be kept in a 2.5 gallon with a heater (this will make the betta much more active too). In my experience with frequent water changes they do not need a filter.


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## scottysgirl (Jan 10, 2007)

I'm sorry though, I digress--could you post pictures, it sounds like a fungus (as everyone else has said) but a picture and more description will help


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## create_art (Feb 27, 2007)

musho3210 said:


> what color is this "algae" it could be fungus if the fins had previously been ripped or something


Well, the stuff is green just like the algae growing on the snail... green and wispy...

I'm afraid the only camera I have right now is my cell phone's camera which takes kinda crappy pictures...  

He is very active and all of his fins are fine...

If I upgraded to a 2.5 gallon tank with a heater and filter, would that make a difference? I actually want to get a 5 gallon and get a divider and have the two males in there like that but I'm afraid they'll get hurt when they try and go after each other. *SIGH*


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## Sleepy (Feb 5, 2007)

Blue said:


> Sleepy said:
> 
> 
> > Well, at first, I think 1 gallon is a little bit too small for the fish. :?
> ...


There is a difference between vegetating and living. Everybody who means a betta feels well in a 1 gallon tank hasnÃ‚Â´t seen how well it feels in a 10, 20, 30, ... gallon tank. :?


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

create_art said:


> musho3210 said:
> 
> 
> > what color is this "algae" it could be fungus if the fins had previously been ripped or something
> ...


get a 5 gallon but dont separate them just keep one betta there, ive never liked the idea of two males next to each other just to entertain the viewer, the betta might be stressed from constantly being next to its enemy.


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## create_art (Feb 27, 2007)

[/quote]get a 5 gallon but dont separate them just keep one betta there, ive never liked the idea of two males next to each other just to entertain the viewer, the betta might be stressed from constantly being next to its enemy.[/quote]

I was actually thinking that if I did get a bigger tank and got a divider that I would put some sort of film or something waterproof on the divider that would prohibit them from seeing each other  even a frosted divider would work I think. Just a thought though...


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## scottysgirl (Jan 10, 2007)

agreed musho, I feel almost certain that stresses the fish a lot


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

no, just buy two separate 5 gallons and buy two bettas, they'll get more room that way and wont have to worry about the other one jumping over the divider


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