White fuzz

[Chris.d514]

I have this white fuzz looking stuff that appeared in my daughters tank right about the time that the ph and ammonia levels dropped. It keeps clogging the filter and multiplying. I have tried vacing it with a gravel vac, catching it with a net and changing the water but it keeps returning. Any body got an idea or fix?

[LooksLater]

Got any pictures of it?

[Chris.d514]

The pics aren't turning out well but it looks like cotton almost it has a solid white center and gets clear the further from the center you get.

[Ca Nguyen]

is it growing on driftwoods? if so, that's perfectly normal and harmless

[LooksLater]

Where is it located or coming from? Is it growing on the driftwood? Sometimes there is a bacterial/fungal growth that happens with wood. Or is it in clumps along the gravel, possibly rotting food?

[eklikewhoa]

or is it layered over the substrate?

cyanobacteria?

[Chris.d514]

No wood in the tank just gravel, moss ball and plastic plants. It kinda spots over everything in the tank not just the gravel but not a solid film anywhere. It doesn't seem to bother the fish at all as they have become more active lately but that could bethat I got a decent school size for them finally. I recently added 3 new fish to the tank but that happened maybe 5 mn after I first noticed the "fuzz". It is a 3.5 gallon tank with 3 zebra danios, 1 blue gourami, and a small algae eater. I know this should have the tank overloaded but it seems that it has made it work as I could not get fish to stay alive more than a couple of days before and even had the water tested to find it was good. But since adding the extra fish and the fuzz showing up my ph has gone from 8.2 to a 6.8 and the ammonia has gone from .2 to .05.

[mnemenoi]

Hmmm.... you have me stumped as to its origin. Not certain if its a bacterial slime bloom or even a planarian outbreak. Either way it should clear up with time and a completed cycle. As to your testing results, the ammonia level definitely is reducing. The next will certainly be a Nitrite spike, just keep up water changes and hope for the best. Until it finishes the tank will never fully cycle. The zebras will be ok in there for a bit, but I fear the blue gourami will shortly outgrow it. I have easily raised them to 6" and almost 1 1/2" wide. They get very aggressive and can be very troublesome with tank mates. The algae eater (possibly the Chinese algae eater?) is notorious for getting aggressive and sizey with age. Once your cycling has finished and all your levels calmed a bit hit me up and I'll try and assist you with stocking that small a tank. They can be tough, but with a correct mix can be terrific looking and surprisingly simple, just need some micro stuff that only a few stores and hobbyists stock.

[eklikewhoa]

kiko has an odd film growing from his substrate that I've never seen before and I've gotten him to do water changes, RO/DI water changes and spray the stuff with excel and nothing has changed.

He's using potting soil capped with sand though which is new to me and I'm assuming it's from the stuff leaching through.

[barrettsline]

No wood in the tank just gravel, moss ball and plastic plants. It kinda spots over everything in the tank not just the gravel but not a solid film anywhere. It doesn't seem to bother the fish at all as they have become more active lately but that could bethat I got a decent school size for them finally. I recently added 3 new fish to the tank but that happened maybe 5 mn after I first noticed the "fuzz". It is a 3.5 gallon tank with 3 zebra danios, 1 blue gourami, and a small algae eater. I know this should have the tank overloaded but it seems that it has made it work as I could not get fish to stay alive more than a couple of days before and even had the water tested to find it was good. But since adding the extra fish and the fuzz showing up my ph has gone from 8.2 to a 6.8 and the ammonia has gone from .2 to .05.

What type of water conditioner are you using?

[Totenkampf]

kiko has an odd film growing from his substrate that I've never seen before and I've gotten him to do water changes, RO/DI water changes and spray the stuff with excel and nothing has changed.

He's using potting soil capped with sand though which is new to me and I'm assuming it's from the stuff leaching through.

was it aged potting soil?

[Chris.d514]

I am using amquel plus for the water as that was recommended. And the gourami is a powder blue dwarf so hopefully it won't get too large.

[LooksLater]

Yay for the powder blue dwarf, good choice there. I was worried...hahah, but that's a much better choice.

Any chance that you daughter or someone (?) is feeding the tank when you're not looking? I have a wee one and I have seen it, trust me. Food sitting all over will put off a weird slimy, smooth looking white fungus that will freak you out if you don't know what it is. A good rule of thumb to avoid that, is...only feed enough so that it get eaten in 5 minutes, especially in that size tank. Nanos are tough, less forgiving on things like that...I have to really watch mine.

Pictures really would help, even if they are not great. I can PM you my and Mnemenoi's number, if you want to troubleshoot a little faster, but a visual is always easier.

[Chris.d514]

I think I may actually be under feeding as all the food is gone in 30-45 sec. I had an employee at lfs tell me only feed once a day and only an amount equal to the size of the fishes eyes. But the food is kept to where I can barely reach it and I'm 6'3" so I don't believe it to be that.

[LooksLater]

That's good. Just double checking. My kids are terrible...