If it is not brown algae what is it? (Another "what is

[captainGregor]

I have my driftwood covered with brown spots that seem to be transferring to near-by plastic plant and lava rock. the spots are round in nature and flat, you can clean it with a finder, so they are very soft, but very very flat, no upper growth. I do not have a digital cam, sorry. What do you guys think it is?

 

[Allivymar]

Freckles?

Heh sorry; couldn't resist. Could be diatoms; I don't think they HAVE to be fluffy. Not sure what else it might be.

 

[madasafish]

Who says it's not brown algae? Most algae starts in radiating circles. Also, it's usually very flat...

 

[captainGregor]

The question is now why my oto cats are not expressing any interest in it.

 

[madasafish]

Prob. aren't enough of them in the tank... How many in the 55? I have 2 in my 10 and that's about right.

 

[AtodaJ]

I have 4 Otos in my 55 and that is just barely enough imho. Looks like you only have 2. I'd pick up another 3 if you really want them to go to town on your Diatom problem. Oh.. and don't feed them anything else. If you've been putting Algae wafers or such in the tank then your Otos won't have an incentive to clean as hard.

 

[captainGregor]

Thank you guys and I think those brown things are diatoms. According to the "spec" the diatom blooms in the tank with high nitrates. Amazingly my nitrates are not high at all - about 7 to 10 ppm. This morning I looked at my driftwood and otos cleaned it up like they are going out of town. There are still some diatoms on rocks and plants, but if I keep otos on "no soup for you" diet without algae wafers, they will probably clean it all.