white stuff in tank

[ErinBBC]

Hello,
I noticed this white stuff growing on my aquarium decorations and even the bottom of the heater. I picked up a rock to clean it, thinking it was algae, and it all flew off the rock and clouded up the water, so I didn't move anything else. Eventually it all settled to the bottom and the water was clear again....it does not seem to be affecting Marley at all, none of it is growing on him or anything.

What could this be? The particulates are pretty large, not the type that I had when I experienced a bacterial bloom.
Thanks!!

[iamntbatman]

It could be some sort of algae or mold. I would try sucking it off of the decorations with a turkey baster.

[mritter]

Is the white stuff in the tank have a cottony appearance?

[ErinBBC]

Yes, it looks a bit like cotton...my husband described it as 'lots of white dust.' It still doesn't seem to be affecting Marley and the water parameters are normal.

I tried to suck it up with a turkey baster but it just broke up and clouded the water again.

[mritter]

I had a similar situation when I had my betta in an unfiltered, unheated vogue vase. It didn't seem to affect my fish until a few weeks later, no matter how many water changes I did, it continued to show up within days and eventually my betta started to lose colour and he just wasn't his normal self as well as developing fin rot. After much research and chats on forums, I moved him to a 10 gallon tank and purchased a fungus medication called Tank Buddies - Fungus Clear by Jungle fish products. I had to remove the filter cartridge from the filter and after 4 days, the white stuff disappeared, his colour returned and he was his usual self again. I don't know if you have a filter, if you don't I would advise purchasing one. I purchased a Whisper 10i, upon the recommendation of a member on this forum and it works like a charm and the white cotton stuff has not returned. The Fungus Clear is a tablet that fizzes when dropped in the tank and one tablet treats a 10 gallon tank for 4 days. I'm sure others on this forum may have other suggestions as to what will work, I just know that this product was easy to use and worked well.

Hope this helps.

Monica

[ErinBBC]

I have a sponge filter, of course it doesn't do mechanical filtration just biologic. My tank came with a bio wheel filter and it made too much current for him....does your whisper filter seem to create a current of any kind?

Also I think I will try an anti-fungal treatment.

[mritter]

My betta doesn't seem to have a problem with the flow from the filter. It tumbles down from a lip into the tank and as long as I keep the water just below the lip, about an 1/8 to a 1/4 inch, it seems fine, any lower and it does cause a bit more of current and he does struggle somewhat. In a 10 gallon tank though he has plenty of room to swim around without going near the filter, so he seems happy with no issues.

Just a note that the filter cartridge will neutrilize the mediation within a 24 hour period, defeating the purpose of clearing up the fungus, so I'm not sure what would be the best steps to take, first treat with the medicine then set the filter up, or filter the water first for a few days, then use the medicine. I'm sure others on this site may have suggestions.

My betta currently has fin rot and I removed the filter cartridge, but kept the filter running to aerate the water and the medicine is doing it's job. Hope this helps :D

Monica

[beetlebz]

the only reason filter cartridges eat up the medications you add is because of the carbon in them. with whisper filters you can unsnap the top of the cartridge, take the plastic frame out, dump out the carbon and use it as it is. Actually, if you do that, you can keep rinsing and reusing the same filter pad itself and save your carbon packets for when you DO need to remove medication or funky smells or what have you.

even with marineland style filter cartridges you can bust the back open and shake all the carbon out so they dont affect medications.

just as a side note, if the tank is already established and cycled, you can run the new whisper filter (if thats what you decide to get) along side your old sponge filter for a couple weeks to speed up the colonization of the new filter. if both filters makes too much flow you can make your own current diffuser. for my female betta tank I have a whisper 10 (hob, not the 10i) and I bought a cheap fluffy looking plastic plant and pulled all the stems off it. each stem is about 8" long and they float around in there to quell the current... then I float the lid from a petco betta take home container infront of the filter outflow held in place by a zip tie to keep the current directed down. the plants get a LITTLE water movement but the surface is almost perfectly still for the wee gals :)

hope that helps!