If your turtle tank starts to look any type of odd, if you start to notice some foam in your turtle’s tank, then you may become worried and confused.
This is quite unusual and will undoubtedly leave you quite confused, this article looks into why this happens
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Why is my turtle tank foaming?
Frothy bubbles suddenly developing in what is usually a crystal clear turtle tank is likely very alarming to you, any change in your pet’s water will surely be quite alarming to you.
Here is why this may be happening with the water in your turtle’s tank:
Water agitation:
One reason why there may be foam in your pet’s tank may be that the water is agitated and is causing bubbles.
When water is moved rapidly, air gets into the water forming bubbles, these bubbles come up to the surface and cause foam, these bubbles are short-lived and pop quite soon after forming
These bubbles can form in the water as you top off the tank, fast-moving water running into the tank will cause the air to mix into the water.
This phenomenon isn’t bad at all, it’s good for gas exchange and oxygenates your pet’s water, but too much splashing in the tank isn’t helpful either.
What to do:
This isn’t something to worry about and isn’t something that will harm your pet in any way, in fact, the oxygenation of the water is a good thing.
It’s from cleaning products:
Another reason why the water in your turtle tank may be bubbling may be because of the soaps and detergents that were used when cleaning the tank.
These cleaning products may have been used to clean the surface of the tank, equipment, and decor, but, if some residue was left in the tank then it may cause bubbles and foaming when water is poured in and this may be what you are seeing.
What to do:
Aquarium-safe cleaning products won’t cause this bubbling so only use these products when cleaning your pet’s tank. Aquarium-safe products are free from fragrances, soaps, and dyes.
Even small sounds of regular soap and detergents will cause bubbling so avoid using them
You can clean off the soap residue from your pet’s tank using vinegar and water, you can also use this mixture to clean your filter and replace all your filter media.
Ammonia build-up:
Another reason why your pet turtle’s tank may be developing bubbles may be because there is ammonia buildup in the tank.
Turtles release their waste anywhere they see fit, the waste products that the turtles release contain proteins and urea. These proteins and urea in the waste break down further in the water and produce ammonia.
This ammonia, over time, turns into nitrites and nitrates, these compounds create a nutrient-rich environment for foam and algae blooms. The more ammonia in the water the more bubbles start to form.
You’ll know that this is what happening in your pet’s tank if it starts smelling like bleach or urine
What to do:
Changing your pet’s water on a regular basis will help keep ammonia in your pet’s tank at a safe level and this will keep the foam from forming in your pet’s tank.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle Yawning Underwater?, Why Are My Turtles Eyes Closed, Why Is My Turtle Red?, Why Is My Turtle Pink?, Why Is My Turtle Twitching, Why Is My Turtle Eating Sand?, Why Is My Turtle Restless?, Why Is My Turtle Yawning?, Why Is My Turtle Whistling