Is this algae?

[busymom23]

This is my 15 gallon betta tank. This green stuff started showing up a few days ago, any ideas what it is and how to get rid of it? I tried vacuuming it, but it seems to clump up and then is too heavy to go up the hose. Thanks for your help!

 

[SonicsDC25]

Looks like blue-green algae, I've had this problem in a platy tank a few years ago when I was a real newbie to the hobby. What are your water parameters and is your tank close to any sunlight?

 

[jwh0818]

Yes that's algae and its definetly a pain to remove. How long are you leaving your lights on?

 

[Rivers2k]

I hate this stuff its one of the hardest to remove. From what I understand It doesn't just grow like typical algae it has to be introduced to your tank. Did you introduce a new fish recently? Try keep lights off for a week. Feed your betta 1 time every other day. That may work.

After you get rid of the algea make sure you are only feeding your fish once a day and not over feeding.

 

[jwh0818]

I hate this stuff its one of the hardest to remove. From what I understand It doesn't just grow like typical algae it has to be introduced to your tank. Did you introduce a new fish recently? Try keep lights off for a week. Feed your betta 1 time every other day. That may work.

After you get rid of the algea make sure you are only feeding your fish once a day and not over feeding.

I've don't that too with no luck. I ended up just removing it manually

 

[Rivers2k]

I've don't that too with no luck. I ended up just removing it manually

I had it once to introduced by the LFS even though I didn't add the water from the bag. I had to tear the whole tank down to get rid of it.

 

[busymom23]

Lights are on about 12 hours a day. I added ghost shrimp about 2 weeks ago, however they didn't make it, today I added 2 dwarf frogs and a gold mystery snail, any time I add anything I always net them out as to not add lfs dirty water. So would frequent water changes clear it up? What about scooping out green sand?

 

[jwh0818]

Lights are on about 12 hours a day.

This is why you have algae. I would reduce lights on to about 6 hours a day max and if you wanna be able to see the fish then turn it on while your home. Do that with your weekly water changes and you will see it disappear

 

[busymom23]

Also tank is not near any sunlight, and I generally feed 1 pellet and 1 blood worm twice a day 12 hours apart..

 

[SonicsDC25]

Lights being on for 12 hours a day can be a factor in creating this type of algae, however it's not always a primary cause. My lights are on for 14 hours a day and has been growing the good algae. What are your current water parameters, one of the big factors in this type of algae is the water quality. When you tried turning our lights out, how long did you do it for?

 

[Rivers2k]

Lights are on about 12 hours a day. I added ghost shrimp about 2 weeks ago, however they didn't make it, today I added 2 dwarf frogs and a gold mystery snail, any time I add anything I always net them out as to not add lfs dirty water. So would frequent water changes clear it up? What about scooping out green sand?

This type of algea is different form the green algea others are referring to. Your water perimeters can be near perfect and it can still grow. Some people think you can starve it out that is why I suggested the lights off and reduced feedings.

You can scoop out the greens and but it will come back. All it takes is one little spore that was probably on your snails or shrimp and a week later you have a carpet. the only sure fire way I know is tear the tank down dry out the sand and scrub down everything in your tank including the filter. I had to do that with my 40 gallon that was a pain.

 

[John2.0]

Blue green algae isn't an aglae but bacteria....cyanobacteria.
It could be in your water supply or came with something else. No telling but it could have been on your tank awhile just waiting for the right conditions to come along to thrive. There are different ways to combat this stuff.

Water changes being one. Step them up and make sure to vacuum everything in the tank. Getting all the debris that you can out. Remove all that you can with the vacuum. Another thing you can do is add fast growing plants. They will use up the nutrients faster then cyanobacteria can. Water quality plays a big part with cyanobacteria. It will thrive off of nitrates and phosphates but so do plants. Which is why adding fast growing plants is recommended.

Lighting is a factor too. So you what kind of lights you have?

Another option is to increase the flow in the tank. Cyanobacteria likes to grow in slow to no moving waters. So you can added a powerhead, airstone, or different type of filter.

Last thing that Java fern that is buried in the sand needs to have the rhizome above the sand.

 

[busymom23]

Water parameters are:
Ammonia: 0
Ph: 8.0
Nitrite: 1.0
Nitrate: 20

I only turn lights off at night currently, guess I'll try keeping lights off for several days to try and rid my tank of the algae. But as for feeding less, my betta is pretty set on his food, he comes to the top of the tank every morning and every night waiting for food, I don't think he'd like it too much if I fed him less...

 

[John2.0]

Just leaving the lights off won't help with Blue green Algae. You can try a Blackout period for 3-5 days. The tank inside needs to be totally dark no ambient light in there. After that period of time you need to do a water change and vacuum/remove any debris in the tank. This method does work with some but not all.