# What is this growing on my plant.



## Dana and Jay (Dec 27, 2005)

I noticed this stuff about two days ago. It was white then but today............it turned black? It only grows on the Dwarf Sagitaria, my Brazil Sword and everything else ar clean as a whistle.Please help!



















Is this (or can it become ) a mojor problem?


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

looks like some sorta mould or fungus. If so could be a problem.


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## Dana and Jay (Dec 27, 2005)

Should I quarentine the plant? Then treat the water?


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

Black brush algae or Beard algae. Its really hard to get rid of. Remove effected plant leaves.

Its not mold or fungus.

Brush algae
This grows in feathery black tufts 2-3 mm long and tends to collect on slower growing leaves like Anubias, some Echinodorus and other wide leaf plants. Also tends to collect on mechanical equipment. This is actually a red alga in the genus Audouinella (other names: Acrochaetium, Rhodochorton, Chantransia).

It cannot easily be removed mechanically. Remove and discard the affected leaves. Equipment can be soaked in a 25% bleach solution, then scrubbed to remove the dead algae. Siamese Algae Eaters (Crossocheilus siamensis) are known to eat this algae and can keep it in check. A more drastic measure is treatment with copper.


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## DavidDoyle (Jan 18, 2005)

That is not bba, it is hair algae. BBA looks more like a miniature shaving brush.


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## Dana and Jay (Dec 27, 2005)

So am algea eater should cure the problem?


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

DavidDoyle said:


> That is not bba, it is hair algae. BBA looks more like a miniature shaving brush.


 Dang! I thougt I had it :mrgreen: . Now I've got them straight.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

That is BBA. It just hasn't grown in fully yet. Co2 issues are the reason this algae comes.
Here's another pic of bba that has not filled in.









Stuff infests my echinodorous tenellus.


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

> Now I've got them straight.


:-| OK maybe not.

Does this do any good to help?
http://faq.thekrib.com/algae.html#hair


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## Dana and Jay (Dec 27, 2005)

I believe it is hair algae. The guy at the local pet store recommended I not get an algae eater yet, it's too soon. Instead he told me to put Algae Control in the tank and I also clipped the bad leaves. My test kit didn't come with a Co2 test. And I don't know what that is. Please breaf me so I can understand the problem. Thank you.


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## Cosmic Charlie (Jun 14, 2005)

I've got this, as well. It's growing on my java fern. If I begin CO2 injection, what do I need to do in order to keep the PH where it is?


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