# What, is this?!



## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

In all my years of having tanks ( a whapping 6 years lol  ) I have not encountered or seen this, ever. Not in my tanks, not in anyone else's tanks not anywhere. Maybe I have just had an easy streak my whole life with FW tanks? 

Anyways, Last night my water was still a bit cloudy when I turned the lights off. I figure it has only been cycling 3 days, give my tank time, it will clear up. At about 4:30am last night I noticed that my water looked really clear. I turn on my lights and I see this stuff on my Manzinita. It was too late at night to do anything about it so I just went to bed. It is only growing where there is bark on the wood. I boiled this wood for a good 4 hours + while I was setting this tank up. It is only on the wood, and only on the parts that have bark. Also, since the appearance of this Fungi / Algae (?) my water has become perfectly clear. 

So, what is this new devilry? Should I take the wood out, clean it off? Get new wood? Just leave it? ( it doesn't look bad it actually looks pretty cool. )


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

The only thing I can find on this is that is it some kind of fungus. I can't find a species name to save my life. Some people take it out, and boil their wood. That doesn't always work. The most success I have seen is people putting in a clean up crew of snails and shrimp. I'm still unsure as to exactly what to do with this stuff, hopefully someone has experience with it.


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## silent069 (Jul 4, 2011)

I had this very same problem in my aquarium when I added my first piece of drift wood. Lasted for well over a month but it either died off or was eaten by my shrimp. ( I don't think my neons ate it)

Its not pretty to look at so I used the tube I syphon out water with to suck off the excess growth with water changes.

You could try taking it out and boiling it or just stick it out as I did. Either way I think you are safe.


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## mpfsr (Jun 22, 2011)

its nothing to worry about.. You can remove it and clean it off but it will come back until it runs its course. Some wood takes long to stop then others I have had pieces last up to 4 months most 1-2 just rub it off and rinse it.


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

I'd say fungus...looks like it to me..


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Fungus or algae. I have had algae that looked like that.


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

happened to me its a fungus that grows on bark especially manzanita or malaysian woods


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Ok, thanks for the reassurance haha. I will stick it out, let it run it's course and also suck off some extra when I do a water change. I'm sure a few shrimp or placo would help me out as well.. I have 3 snails in there, and they are going to town on it! 3 snails, quickly turns into 300 snails, so I am going to take the patient road. Also adding more plants should help some. Thanks guys !


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

Throw a wood eating pleco in there. They will destroy that stuff.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

grogan said:


> Throw a wood eating pleco in there. They will destroy that stuff.


I will get one tomorrow... The closest LFS is 30 minutes away. There is a petco 5 minutes away... *sigh* I might sacrifice my morals... Just this once... I put a small goldfish in there, I just watched him pick a good section clean! :fish:


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I wouldn't throw another fish in there if I was you since your tank is only 3 days into cycling. Add the pleco in a week but no sooner or else you might poison your fish with an amonia spike since goldfish are huge pooping machines. If you do decide to add the pleco now stay on top of your water changes untill the bacteria had enough time to build up in the filter. People do this different ways but I would change 25% every second day.


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

BettaGuy said:


> I wouldn't throw another fish in there if I was you since your tank is only 3 days into cycling. Add the pleco in a week but no sooner or else you might poison your fish with an amonia spike since goldfish are huge pooping machines. If you do decide to add the pleco now stay on top of your water changes untill the bacteria had enough time to build up in the filter. People do this different ways but I would change 25% every second day.


You can't cycle a tank without an ammonia source. What better way than a iron tuff bushy nose pleco? The fish will clean the driftwood and aid in the cycle. Two birds, with one stone.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

grogan said:


> You can't cycle a tank without an ammonia source. What better way than a iron tuff bushy nose pleco? The fish will clean the driftwood and aid in the cycle. Two birds, with one stone.


But he already has a goldfish in there which is providing nutrients for the bacteria. If he adds a pleco now there might be too much nutrients, and not enough bacteria to handle them. I would wait a week before adding the pleco. Otherwise there might be an amonia spike.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

BettaGuy said:


> I wouldn't throw another fish in there if I was you since your tank is only 3 days into cycling. Add the pleco in a week but no sooner or else you might poison your fish with an amonia spike since goldfish are huge pooping machines. If you do decide to add the pleco now stay on top of your water changes untill the bacteria had enough time to build up in the filter. People do this different ways but I would change 25% every second day.


Ohh yes. I was going to switch em. I don't like gold fish, not that don't have their own personalities and what not.. They really are "huge pooping machines" and make a mess. And I don't want Goldfish in my tank... Then again, I don't really want a normal looking placo in there either. Going to call some places tomorrow and see if they have any "rarer" ones. Preferably: 

Leopard frog Pleco L-134
L-48 Gold Spot Pleco
Gold Nugget Pleco L-81
Leopardus Pleco L-114

I don't really want any fish in there right now period. But I guess one wont hurt. I think one Placo vs. one goldfish is better, and would eat lots, poo less.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

That sounds like a good plan to me.


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

Most of the rare plecos are not as efficient workers. In fact I would bet that the entire list you just posted would not be as one bristle nose. Their are rare strains of bristle nose also. Starry night, lemon drop, blue eye albino, ect. They're not as rare as the list above, but efficient cleaners. 

(rare plecos are my favorite fish)


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

grogan said:


> Most of the rare plecos are not as efficient workers. In fact I would bet that the entire list you just posted would not be as one bristle nose. Their are rare strains of bristle nose also. Starry night, lemon drop, blue eye albino, ect. They're not as rare as the list above, but efficient cleaners.
> 
> (rare plecos are my favorite fish)



Word. I could get down with a starry night, or starlight pleco. I like the white tips of the starlight a lot. I'll see what I can find tomorrow


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Look up:
Rocksnot.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

keep in mind that out of about 600 species of loricaridae probably 1/2 or better are meat eaters...they are all omnivorous ; but some lean more towards meats and others towards vegetables..most all need some wood to aid in digestion...
no fish should ever be treated as a clean up crew...research your intended purchase thoroughly and make sur e you can meet it's needs...


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## Mystery snail (Mar 26, 2010)

Check out the "Super Red" Bristlenose Pleco too. It's kind of on the rarer side, but wont break your bank. IMO the coolest of the Bristlenose Plecos.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

I will. I talked to LFS owner, she is going to call me back with ( or email / fax ) me a large species list that I can choose from, and she will have what I want in on Tuesday, so I can pick a species I like, and one that will work. I sucked a bunch out today in a small water change, it doesn't seem to be comming back.

Didymosphenia geminata ( rock snot ) is not likely to be what I have. Didymosphenia geminata thrives in cold water, my water right now is at 80-82*F. But I'm sure that it is some species of Didymosphenia. There are so many kinds of fungi, I would need an encyclopedia of fungi and their relatives to I.D. It, but it looks to be in the same family, maybe even the genus Didymosphenia.

What I do know is the gold fish LOVES it. He grazes on it 24/7. So I'm not going to change a good thing. I will let him have his fill, and eat the majority. When I get my placo, I already have a tank set up as a " quarantine tank ", and the placo will go in there, until the gold fish is ready to go in my pond outside.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Thanks too for all the suggestions.. There are so many plecos lol, so if you have anymore you like, that are more on the veggie side, I like to hear 'em. I can look at species all day, but that doesn't mean I will be able to acquire it. So I am going to have to consider a lot of kinds. I don't care how much they cost, I only want one pleco in this tank, so I have to really like it haha.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Good for eating algae are the bristelnose plecos and the rubberlip plecos but those have already been suggested. A really neat looking one is the zebra pleco L 46. But this thing is really expensive and eats more meat than algae I think (might be half and half)


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

A pleco will poop really almost as much to as much as a goldfish. 

The goldfish wants cooler waters so lower the temperature. Weather you really like him or not, while you have him try to keep him happy. 

In terms of the cycle I am pretty sure that a goldie will handle it better than a pleco. I wouldn't swear to this. 

My rubberlipped pleco's adored that stuff off of my Manzanita. Before I got them I just vac'ed it off, then they took care of the rest. I don't remember how long it was a problem for.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Yeah I feel bad for the lonely goldfish I named Smegol. I know they are relatives of carp, and like colder water. I can not get the water in the tank to go below 80. It use to be at 82, I got it to 80 and it seems to stay at exactly 80. I don't have a water cooler ( I have all the water heaters in the world, and no water coolers), but I trust that he will adapt okay, being that they are hardy fish. In the early morning hours, I can get the temps to drop mid - upper 70s. I am going to see what I can do in the meantime to get the temp lower in the day. 

I honestly could not handle that fungi anymore, so I took the wood out, stripped the bark ( It would have rotted off anyways, and I believe that was the fungi's preferred food source ), and cleaned the wood thoroughly. The fungi was growing on some of my plant's stems, and that is where I draw the line. That was yesterday afternoon. The fungi re appeared again today, not as fast or as quickly growing this time. Still more then that little goldfish can handle. I am going to vacuum off as much as draining 5g of water will remove, and add some cold water to the tank. 2 birds, one stone.


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2012)

Do you have a heater in your tank? If so, take out the heater and your water will get cold.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Angelclown said:


> Do you have a heater in your tank? If so, take out the heater and your water will get cold.



ohh gosh no! Not in the summer time. What I meant in that I OWN many many tank heaters, but I don't OWN a water chiller to put in there. It is just, really hot here in the summer time, it is hard to keep the house below 80 let alone my tank.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

One way to cool the water is to put a few bottles of ice cold water into the aquarium. The bottles will just float on top of the water and cool it. My preferred method is to turn on a fan and point it towards the waters surface. This way more water evaporates which causes the water to cool down. I use this method in the summer time as well.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

BettaGuy said:


> One way to cool the water is to put a few bottles of ice cold water into the aquarium. The bottles will just float on top of the water and cool it. My preferred method is to turn on a fan and point it towards the waters surface. This way more water evaporates which causes the water to cool down. I use this method in the summer time as well.


Thanks! I will freeze some bottles tonight. I use to make GIANT ice cubes for a colony of 68 newts that I had and bred for a while. They needed it to remain cold in their cages, so I would add these " newt glaciers " to their cages and they loved it. I was thinking of adding those ice cubes again, but I don't want to add water, and I guess I was just over thinking the matter. I guess the best answers are usually right in front of your face. I got the water down to 75 today, and I believe the frozen water bottles will help me keep it there from now on. Thanks again!


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Your welcome, but I am just sharing information I read somewhere on this forum before.


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