Green ooze?

[mitche8359]

Didn't have a better term to describe what I'm seeing on the side of my tank. The green ooze is just right above the substrate. It's not really 'growing'. Not sure what it is. It's a darker green color though not quite forest green. Translucent.

I'm familiar with most algaes and it doesn't look like one to me. Without a picture I'm sure it's hard to identify but any ideas?

 

[lmw80]

Is it like a green blanket? Does it have an odor to it? If you touch it, does it feel slimy?

If so, you have cyanobacteria aka blue-green algae. It's treatable with either a total blackout for about 5 days or treatment with a medication whose main ingrediant is erythromycin (sp). Either way, make sure you remove as much of it as possible before any treatment. It grows quickly and most people have an extremely hard time getting rid of it.

 

[mitche8359]

I don't think its cyanobacteria. As far as I can tell, and I left this out, it's only on the glass. I would call it slimy. It's been around for about a week. Pretty much on the front of the aquarium which sorta seems strange.

 

[TankGirl]

I think this is cyano, too. It tends to grow on rocks and objects low in the tank and also right on the substrate next to the glass. Does it grow in sheets or as a film, and can you pick it out of there by hand? If so, does it have a rank smell?

I have never had any luck with blackout and cyano, as it is not like your typical photosynthesizing algae, though many people have eradicated it this way - I have always used Maracyn at half-dose and it works every time, and no mini-cycle in the process.

 

[mitche8359]

It's more of a film. From the pictures that I've seen, cyano looks more like a stringy algea that covers everything. This is only growing on the glass, and I use the term growing loosely as it looks more like a chemical than anything. I can't really pick the stuff out of the tank. I'll have to try to wipe some out and smell it to see if it ranks.

 

[mitche8359]

Ok, now it's starting to look like cyano. I let it go to see what it would turn into. I'll try the smell test before making a final decision and will look for Maracyn.