Foam in goldfish tank?

[Jayjangle]

Hey all, a question about one of my goldfish tanks.

Just a rundown, I have two tanks, both 10 gal (looking for an affordable 30+ gal at the moment). I have one fancy in one of them (8 months old) and two very small goldfish in the other (one black moor, about 3 months old, and one oranda, about a month going on two). I alternate the filter because it is all I have right now, about once a day, but I keep an airstone in the tank that is unfiltered during the switch to improve oxygen flow. I do 50% water changes once every week usually, but lately it has been once every 2 days or so in each tank due to the older fancy acting strangely.

For the most part, everyone is acting happy and healthy besides some lethargy in the mornings (usually everyone perks up and gets to normal behavior after breakfast). However, I am lamenting the clear albeit sort of strange looking water in the tanks.

In the tank with the two baby goldfish, there has been a strange white foam collecting along the water edges. I wipe it away with a damp paper towel a couple of times a day...it doesn't seem to be causing many problems, as the two fish are acting healthy mostly, but I am noticing that occasionally the smaller oranda stops to chill at the bottom early in the days but perks up fairly easily when I feed or water change. I have noticed the foam since I siphoned both tanks' gravel on sunday.

I am aware that the living conditions need to be upgraded, but I literally have no money because I'm looking for work. So, I'm doing what I can for the fish until I can get that bigger tank. Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[jlk]

Hi! Keep up the good work with lots of water changes in the meantime! What type of water conditioner are you using? Have you added anything else recently (diff condit, stress coat, melafix, cycle product etc)? Is there any chance of a contaminant getting into the tank or was febreeze or carpet powder or another aerosol used in the same room/vicinity or anywhere near the tanks? Just trying to figure what may be causing the foaming.

 

[butterfly_koi]

Goldfish can create a huge amount of waste it could be possible its caused from the waste bacteria

 

[Jayjangle]

Hi! Keep up the good work with lots of water changes in the meantime! What type of water conditioner are you using? Have you added anything else recently (diff condit, stress coat, melafix, cycle product etc)? Is there any chance of a contaminant getting into the tank or was febreeze or carpet powder or another aerosol used in the same room/vicinity or anywhere near the tanks? Just trying to figure what may be causing the foaming.

Hey there. No contaminants; I have never washed the bucket with soap that I used to do water changes; I just spray it with fresh water, and that's all that goes in the tank besides clean hands. I tested the water for amonia and the levels were fine, so I'm a bit puzzled. Still, the fish today are not acting strange.

 

[Autumnsky]

When I use API stress coat I have seen bubbliness at the waterline, and I know the water is clean and testing good.

But also can be a sign of too much waste in water.

Keep your eyes open for free tank on CL, or post and ask is anyone has one they want to get rid of, it would be so much easier on you and better for the fish. Or post for a trade for something you don't need anymore. I regularly see tanks for free, especially 55gal since they are so big people have a hard time fitting them in smaller places. Also Petsmart had a sale on some of their filters I saw yesterday.