Strange algae stuff is it edible? or safe for fish to eat?

[Satsumas]

I have just witnessed my brother's rainbow shark eat a load of algae like stuff that looks kind of blue at times and grows underneath the substrate. You can see it through the glass and it is easily got hold of and doesn't break up when you move it.

Does anyone know what it is exactly and if it's safe for the fish to eat?
I have some in my tank and i think my BN pleco will relish it, especially if a rainbow shark did anyway.

TIA

 

[tropicalfish]

Fish can eat algae,...

 

[JDogg]

can you pull out a piece and smell it? if it smell really bad it is cyno-bacteria. never heard or of seen a fish eat cyno :?

 

[krap101]

heh, whats your definition of bad? i like the smell of gasoline

 

[joannde]

I had a betta that died of bloat which I believe was the result of accidentally eating BGA (cyano-bacteria). If the bluish stuff you're seeing grows in slimey sheets that what it is. It smells like a really polluted pond if you ask me

 

[Satsumas]

Is BGA the abbreviation for blue-green algae?
If so then all the fish or at least 90% of them in my local lake died from BGA poisoning and the lake was closed off for months.

Yeah it does grow in slimey sheets, i'll smell some later on!
Did the betta eat too much or was a little enough?
My brother's RS ate a fair amount to be honest!

 

[joannde]

Yes, BGA is an abbreviation for Blue Green Algae (sorry for leaving that out the first time).

The betta ate only a tiny little piece, and I can't be 100% sure that it was the cause of it getting bloat and later dying, but I do have my suspicions.

There are a couple of ways to get rid of BGA. I did a 3 day blackout at first, but the BGA came back. The second was a 5 day blackout. Lack of water flow is a cause of it, so you might want to dig deep when you do a gravel vac in the future. If the tank is planted then watch your nitrites; nitrites which bottom out (go to 0) is another cause.

Here's a link I found very helpful in solving various algae problems (incl BGA)
http://www.aquariaplants.com/alqaeproblems.htm