Floating white stuff

[WRA7488]

Hello all!

My established 10 gal tank recently turned into a oddity with these tiny white floating particles. I searched the forums, and found one other similar topic from last year with no definitive answer. I just did a test and all the levels are fine. Currently theres a small pleco, 2 danios, 2 platy's, 2 cory's, and a buenos aries tetra. I also have some live plants. Up until about 2 weeks ago, everything in the tank had been fine for a few months. Nothing has died yet, but the white cloudiness is really bugging me. I thought it might be a bacterial bloom, so I gave it a few days, cut the lighting down, checked fish often for breathing problems due to low oxygen, etc. When that didn't work, I tried some Jungle Clear Water, which also did nothing. I thought that perhaps the specs were lime, but there are no built deposits anywhere in the tank.

So, in conclusion, it looks like a mini snow storm in there, and I have noticed some slightly odd behavior from only the cory's and the pleco. The pleco usually hides in a cave, but now stays out even when the light is on. One of the cory's also does this barrel roll thing at the bottom of the tank... He'll be acting normal, and then just sorta roll sharply to one side, about 90 degrees. Usually this happens 2 or 3 times, then hes fine. The tank is near my computer, so it us under constant observation. The fish seem a little out of breath, but don't stay near the top of the tank or anything, and act completely normal otherwise.

Thanks!!

In Bewilderment,
Bill

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA! First thing to do is a 50% water change. Now when you say established how long and what are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate numbers exactly? Your cory's behaviour may indicate a swim bladder issue which can be brought on by water conditions.

Unfortunately using products to clear your water never works, it may work as a temporary bandaid but until you discover the cause it is just temporary. How often do you do water changes? Quite often it is a bacterial bloom and it takes a few water changes to get rid of it.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hi Bill, welcome to AA.

I don't really have a definitive answer either, just a few questions.

Are the white particles moving, as in, bugs or worms? Or just white particles? Have you recently added any plants? I get a buildup of "mulm" on the bottom of my planted tank and with strong current it will cloud the water. It could still be a bacterial bloom that will just have to work itself out. Did you recently do a serious water change? Take the whole tank out and clean it? What about your filter? How long has it been in?

 

[WRA7488]

Hello again,

Ammonia, and nitrites are at zero, and theres always a trace amount of nitrates, but the highest i've ever read was 10 ppm, which hasn't occurred in months. The tank has been set up for about a year.

The little white floating things are tiny, and look like dust floating in the water. I usually do a 25% water change anywhere from 10-14 days apart, depending on when i get the time to do it.

I just did a 50% water change, and it is impossible to see any change in the concentration of the white stuff. I'm positive that its not worms or bugs. I'd put a picture in with the post, but the camera doesn't catch anything, just looks a bit cloudy.

I'll wait about 2 days, and see whats going on, and perhaps do another large water change, if that sounds OK.

Thanks again!