Ever notice an oil slick in your tank? You probably were baffled about where it could possibly have come from, fretted over if whether it was harmful and most importantly, wondered how to get rid of it.First, be aware that it only takes a small quantity of oil to make a slick. A drop or two will create an impressive oil slick. Many sources can introduce a tiny amount of oil, including: Now that you know where oil comes from you probably wonder why all aquariums don't have oil slicks. Many would if they didn't have filters and pumps circulating the water. The constant water movement keeps the minute quantities of oil mixed in with the water so they never rise to the top and create an oil slick. For that reason, aquariums that have little water movement are more prone to formation of oil slicks.The oil itself may not be dangerous, but it reduces the normal gas exchange that occurs at the surface of the water. That, in turn, will reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, which is not good for your fish.

Furthermore, the underlying cause for the oil may be pointing to a larger problem, such as overfeeding, insufficient maintenance, or even faulty equipment.A quick way of removing the oil slick is to turn off the filters and pumps and wait a bit for the water to become still. The oil can then be removed by laying a paper towel lightly on the surface for a few moments, then removing it. It may be necessary to repeat the process a couple of times.To keep the oil slick from coming back, make sure you have good surface agitation, perform regular maintenance (including water changes) and make sure your hands are free of lotions. Using gloves when working inside the aquarium will ensure nothing is transferred from your skin. If the oil slick continues to appear, check your filters and pumps carefully for the presence of oil. Faulty equipment has been known to release oil into the water.Film across top of Betta tank... There is a weird film across the top of my betta tanks. I have 2 tanks, one is a 2.5 gallon with one male betta.

The other is a 10 gallon which i divided into 3 sections, with only the middle section having a male betta at this time. Both have a filter and a heater. I set up my 10 gallon 2 whole days before bringing home a new fish to add. With in 30 mins of him being in the water, there became a film over the top of the water. It is very thin and clear-light milky in color. It produces a rainbow effect the way oil does. If i touch it it breaks up the way a sheet of glass would when shattered. My 2.5 gallon also ALWAYS has this and i figured the tank was too small. What is this caused by and can i fix it? ALSO, my new fish has what i believe to be fin rot(some of the ends of his fins are curled with a tiny white spot on their ends) How can i fix fin rot? Is a contagious if i added another fish to another section of the tank? Pictures: 1st-my new fish Chauncey and his section of the tank. 2nd-close up as i could get of his fins. 3rd- the 10 gallon how its set up right now(only one fish in the middle section)

Posted on Tropical Fish Aquarium shops do not always tell customers about the nitrogen cycle, but it's vital to fish health. The oil slick on the water surface is probably not harmful. A clean paper towel should remove it.fish tank light bulbs for plantsI had no idea. fish tank rock calculatorNo one at the pet store said anything like that.fish tank stand bangalore I thought i was crazy even waiting 2 days.cheapest aquarium fish in india Is there something i could do if i've already added the fish to the tank to get the level correct?fish tank water cloudy and green

Or would i need to house him in a different tank for a few weeks while this one runs? Two good corrective measures are to feed the fish no more than they actually eat in a couple of minutes, and change about 20 or 25 percent of the water every two or three days. juwel fish tanks south africaAdjust replacement water temperature to roughly that of the aquarium, and treat it with a good tap water conditioner like Stress Coat Plus. This and several other water conditioners temporarily neutralise toxic nitrogen compounds and thus allow more time between partial water changes. After a week or two of partial water changes, measure the concentration of toxic nitrogen compounds. The nitrogen cycle is working only when ammonia and nitrite remain at zero and nitrate is below 40 ppm. At this time, partial water change frequency can be reduced to once a week. If you ask the pet shop to check water parameters, ask them for numerical values and not just OK.

Some standards allow potentially harmful concentrations of toxic nitrogen compounds. Just recently I read that the nitrogen cycle became fairly common knowledge to aquarists in the 1980s. Before that the scientific community must have been keeping it a secret. Just from experience on this website, I would guess that more than 90 percent of new aquarists are not aware of the nitrogen cycle or issues like compatibility, over feeding, over crowding, water parameters , etc. The situation probably sells lots of aquarium fish and discourages many new aquarists. My betta tank has film. Some people have attributed this to feeding bloodworm that the film comes from food. I thought it was the result of making bubble nests as it didn't seem to start until my betta made nests. I changed my water last night by morning there was a film again. There are bubbles at the edge of the tank but no nest. So at this point since the water is fresh I believe it's either the result of food (I have not been feeding bloodworms) or water conditioning additive I put in.

I use one with aloe slime coat. Either way it seems to be harmless and it must be an issue for other tanks because I saw a filter specifically made to get rid of the film last night. My tank is not filtered at moment I am waiting for a new one. One other thing I would not put three in a 10 gallon tank only two. While it may work it's a little crowded. 5 gallons per betta is much better and will keep a healthier fish and tank. You can always look for more tanks if you want more fish by looking on craigslist. I saw a complete 20g tank in my area with stand for $50.00 today. You just have to keep looking. Your fish is really pretty BTW. For your fin rot I would put him the 2.5 gallon and use it like a hospital tank. You can get something like Jungle cure or other preparation to treat doing water changes as reccomended. By using a smaller tank temporarily water changes will be easier and the chemicals you use will not absorb into your gravel or decor which you don't want. Some people like to do a teaspoon of dissolved aquarium salt(mix before putting into tank) with daily water changes.

You can put betta safe plant in the tank you don't care about in the hospital tank (and throw it out once he's well) but no gravel. This method is conservative and takes a long time to get results. If that's fin rot then all of my bettas have it! >.< As long as the fins stay the same, you're fine. and The best way to get rid of the film is to add an air stone that will agitate the surface. That film is partly made of protein.. it's very common to see it on tank surfaces and it's quite harmless. It's not pretty,but it does no harm. The paper towel swipe takes a lot of it off. Having a lot of floating plants can reduce it, and having a filter that breaks the water surface.. splashes, IOW, can make it vanish. Bettas blow bubbles even when they aren't building a bubble nest. The bubbles are covered in a type of slime, and that's much of the film you see on the surface of water in a Betta tank. What's the BEST fin rot medication for bettas? My halfmoons betta has been going on for a while... it stopped, didnt grow back, then continued getting worse...