What is this? and what do I do?

[Nothingness]

I have a 55g NPT setup for 2 days now and noticed this white film on my driftwood pieces that seems to be spreading across the sand floor. What is it? and what do I do to control it? Is this something I should leave be and let it run its course? I added 6 amano shrimp today hoping they may decide to feast on it and they are the only livestock in there ATM.

[sandybottom]

slime mold. it will run its course.the shrimp should help. your wood needs to age underwater, the sap is seeping out of the wood and molding. you can manually remove it. it may come back, but will eventually disappear.

[Nothingness]

ok thats good to know....thanks for the knowledge

[Gryphon]

+1 to sandybottom.

I've never had much luck manually removing it from the wood, but it does run its course and go away eventually.

[alunjai]

This happened to my driftwood after soaking it in boiling hot water. Sandy is right.. it's just sap seeping out of the wood. It should be harmless. I used a clean toothbrush to scrub it off.

[emeraldmaster]

My betta ate it, no bad effects so you need not worry.