White fluffing like appers in tank

[masai_chadi]

I am new to Aquarium. Two weeks ago, I purchased a 20g Fresh Water Aquarium and set it up. One week later, I added 6 starter fishes - 3 Black Skirt and 3 Neons. I have been following adding Aqua-Cycle, Waste Control as New Setup instructions.

Two days ago, there is lot of white fluffy (cotton wool-like) stuff started appearing. Mostly on ornaments, plants and gravel.

Fishes appear to be healthy and eating well.

Any idea what is this stuff, and how I can remove or control it?

Thanks.

 

[theotheragentm]

It may be bacteria bloom, dealing with the bioload as it sounds like the tank wasn't cycled before you added fish. Although bacteria bloom normally looks less like strings of fabric and more like a film of cloudy white.

If it's on the fish, I would worry that it's fungus, but you said it's on ornaments.

Are you positive on the color? Fuzziness on decor and plants could be this. Check out that site and see if anything looks familiar.

 

[masai_chadi]

Thank you, theotheragentm.

I am sure that the colour is white and is fluffy. This evening it was more in the tank - carpeted over ornaments, plants, gravel and on glass.

This sort of worried me so I went to couple of local pet shop. They adviced me that it would be fungus and that I should replace atleast 50% of the water and clean plants lightly with finger (within aquarium water) and scrub the ornaments.

They also advised that I may be putting too much food and that food is being left uneaten; thereby generating fungus. I have been feeding twice a day about a pinch of flake-food at a time. They suggested that I feed a small pinch once a day.

So, I cleaned up the ornaments and plants, replaced 50% water. I hope that I have done the right thing. Also, added Waste Control solution.

I checked out the site suggested above; this is not the same in my tank.

(Boy, being new parents of fishes and encoutering something like this worries me! Just dont want to lose any fishes.)

 

[Devilishturtles]

Likely you have nothing to worry about, as it could very well be fungus from leftover food.

Sounds like you did the right thing for now. Good luck.

 

[masai_chadi]

I will keep a watchful eyes for a fews and report back.

 

[jersysman]

You mentioned that Waste Control solution a couple of times. What is that used for? The white fluffy like stuff sounds like a fungus that I had on some driftwood when I first set up my tank. I used an old toothbrush to get as much of the stuff out of the tank as possible. Eventually it went away. I'm still concerned about that waste solution because the more chemicals one puts in a tank, the worst off one usually becomes.

 

[masai_chadi]

The Waste Control solution that I am referring to is Nutrafin Waste Control solution http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/nutrafin/nutrafin.cfm.

I have been observing this 'white fluffy' stuff over the past few days. After the cleanup and scrubbing, the fluffy stuff is reduced - no new increase. The stuff that I could not get rid off is slowing turning brownish granuals like and string like.

The fishes seems to be healthy and eating well.

Again, as a newbee it is difficult for me to know what this is, why it appeared in the first place, and difficult to properly explain here.

 

[Atl300zx]

Looks like the waste control should help with the cycle too.

Once your tank is established, you shouldnt need to add Waste Control anymore...it may not be needed now, but i would do an ammonia test to make sure your cycle is complete. Cycle is complete when you have 0 ammonia - which means bacteria are converting it to Nitrites then to Nitrates. Nitrates are less harmful to fish than ammonia.

 

[masai_chadi]

Atl300zx, thank you for your post. This cleared my question of "when do I know my tank is fully cycled?" I was going to ask this question. I will have the water test this weekend.