[jewelqueen17]

It's a 25w Hydor Theo that has been in my tank for quite a while w/ no problems and maintains my tank temperature beautifully. I am literally doing my weekly 100% water change on my tank as usual right now and I was taking out my heater from its suction cups a few mins ago, my betta is safely in his plastic 1g bowl of old tank water where he goes during 100% wc's. Anyway the rest of the heater is fine, but I felt the heater cord and it was like... wet and kind of slimy? I didn't see any visual indicative of this slime, it was just dripping and wet as aforementioned from the water. I'm pretty sure you guys have your Hydor Theos with the cord at least partly in the water, some of you with the heater horizontal near the gravel where the cord really has to be in the water. Well, mine rests vertical underneath the filter, it is an Aqueon Minibow 2.5 and a good four inches of heater cord at least touches the water before it goes out of the slot in the back of the tank. I think that I've encountered this slime before sometime after my first weekly WC with the heater (long time ago), but I never felt it again and never really gave a second thought about it until now where I am more knowledgable/careful aka paranoid about my betta and his health. What I need to know is if it is of any harm to my fish or my tank or even me, and if I should keep either my fish or my heater out of my tank for now. All opinions and facts welcome and anything you need to help I will try to supply. If this should be in the Disease/Emergency section by all means please move.

Edit-
By now it's dried up, heater is resting with filter in a rag on my shelf. Feels normal, if a little drier and cooler than the rest of the plastic of the cord. I am going to go through my water change as usual and watch for any advice. Still open to suggestions.

 

[explicitlyperfect]

That slime, from what I know isn't harmful, my bettas are perfectly fine, and I've a suspicion that the slime comes from the water conditioner...

 

[kr1st3n]

Should just be good bacteria settling in and keeping things fresh. That's usually what the slime in a tank is.

 

[Ilovebettasbk11]

I feel slime in mine too i just wipe it off ad food to put back on again

 

[jewelqueen17]

Also just noticed some other things.

1. The tank smells like wet latex paint sick when I stick my head inside it. My décor no doubt. By top fin, it's this thing: http://www.petsmart.com/fish/orname...rium-ornament-zid36-17503/cat-36-catid-300071 But the thing itself doesn't smell like paint???
2. There is a reddish brown stain about an inch long and a cm wide (spread out) of what looks and feels like (rubbed a finger across it and it rubbed off) mud at the bottom of my tank. Is not mud for sure. Worst case could be my décor leaking paint?! don't think he pooped that big. It's in the general area and size of one of the cave's legs. :shake:

 

[jewelqueen17]

Glad to hear the slime is no problem Thx so much for the replies guys!

 

[TerriGtoo]

Also just noticed some other things.

1. The tank smells like wet latex paint sick when I stick my head inside it. Hereby vow to remove my cave decoration from the tank. By top fin, it's this thing: http://www.petsmart.com/fish/orname...rium-ornament-zid36-17503/cat-36-catid-300071
2. There is a reddish brown stain about an inch long and a cm wide (spread out) of what looks and feels like (rubbed a finger across it and it rubbed off) mud at the bottom of my tank. Is not mud for sure. Worst case could be my décor leaking paint?! don't think he pooped that big. It's in the general area and size of one of the cave's legs. :shake:

Top Fin ornaments are not the best for your tank. Their ornaments messed wilth my water and made my fish sick. I highly suspect the paint they use is not fish friendly being made In other countries which do not have high standards on safety.. I won't go near a TF ornament with a ten foot pole.

I would remove any TF ornaments from your tank immediately and do a good sized water change

The brown coating sounds like diatoms. Ugly but harmless, eventually you shoud see this go away.

 

[jewelqueen17]

Diatoms? Is that a kind of bacteria?