White “fluffs” on plant

[jessipanda]

Hello everyone! There seems to be some sort of tiny white fluffs attached to one of the leaves on my banana plant. I've had issues with this plant since day one...It's been in my tank for about 4 months now. Was one of the original plants I got when I setup the tank. Never had white fluffs before though, nor any algae or fungus. It's just had a hard time keeping leaves. Every time a new leave starts to form, an old leaf dies off. It's never had more than 4 leaves at a time. Once I started dosing with liquid co2 (about 1 month ago), it's been down to 2-3 leaves at a time. So about 2 weeks ago I switched to a diy co2 with 2 lt bottles, citric acid, and baking soda like this:
https://youtu.be/1JzvfHO31Ug

All my other plants have been doing magnificently since the new setup. Except the banana...it looks a bit healthier, but the leaves are doing the same thing. Now I noticed this white fluff and I assume it's fungus. Before I go doing an h2o2 dip with it, I was hoping someone could help me actually identify this stuff. Didn't see this stuff yesterday. It looks roundish, white, and fluffy. Only other issues have been the regular hair algae that's been slowly dying off the last month, but never appeared on this plant.

Tank:
- 55g
- Tetratec PF300 & Whisper 10-30i, as well as 5 jungle vals, 1 anubas nana, 2 crypts, 4 tiny dwarf sags, the banana, and a house plant in the top of the whisper filter.
- Lights are 2 - 18" T8 bulbs, but tank sits in front of a window with regular old blinds shut most of the time.
- DIY co2 & DIY root tabs with osmocote+

Water parameters:
- Temp 80°F, pH 7.6, amm 0, nitrite 0, nitrate under 5ppm.
Tank has been stable and cycled since prior to adding any plants or livestock. Weekly water changes of between 15-30% depending on tannins from large piece of driftwood and debris on gravel/eco comp bed. Last WC was 1 week ago, next one is today.

Livestock:
- Cardinal tetra x10
- Rummynose tetra x15
- Neon tetra x5
- Guppy x5
- EBR x1
- Farlowella x1
- Bristlenose pleco x1
- Assassin snail x4
- Mini ramshorn x30+ (assassin food!)

Haven't added anything new other than the whisper filter which is from my QT 10g and has been in this tank for about 2 weeks to keep it cycled, and the new co2 2 weeks ago. Did have a fish death within the last few weeks, but he died in a 2lt QT due to either dropsy or just organ failure (he had a rough year). All other fish/snails appear normal and healthy.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[jessipanda]

This white stuff has disappeared now... Maybe the fish ate it?

 

[Delapool]

That's odd! Did you work out what it was??

 

[jessipanda]

Nope, no clue! Never did the water change because I was trying to figure out what it was. Checked this morning and it hasn't returned...but I may still do an h2o2 dip with that plant just to be safe. In the process of a wc right now. This is the only plant in my tank not thriving...

 

[Delapool]

Weird! Was it attached to the plant like a fungas (that or aliens is all I can think of ). I've seen algae cleaned off filter pipes go white when it dies and lands on plants or wafers go white with time (family got confused between feeding flakes vs wafers while I was away) but that's it.

 

[jessipanda]

It was attached to the very edge of the plant leaf. The current made it sway a bit, but not enough the pry it free. That's why I think the fish may have eaten it. Not sure what else it could have been other than fungus...but it hasn't returned (yet, knock on wood) and I haven't found it elsewhere in the tank. Definitely didn't look like any sort of algae...it was fuzzy like fungus.

And alas, I still haven't managed to do my wc that was due yesterday...I may be up early tomorrow!

 

[Delapool]

Lol - water changes. If only the fish could be trained to do this.

Did you try a search at all out of interest? It rings a bell but can't remember.

 

[jessipanda]

Yeah, but nothing that looks like it. It was so small though so hard to really see what was going on... Looked like itty bitty fluffy cottonballs lol

 

[jessipanda]

Here's the plant. It was on the leaf to the farthest right. Also a close-up of the white stuff that was there. Should've posted this yesterday, but somehow forgot....been a busy week.

 

[Delapool]

Can't think of much besides fungus or algae unfortunately. See what you mean - not a happy plant

 

[jessipanda]

Finally did that overdue wc. Did 50%, even though it didn't really need that much. Gave this plant that h2o2 dip (even though the white stuff is gone) and removed the half dead leaf on the left. We'll see if it perks up! Lol

 

[jessipanda]

Appears to be doing better already lol. May do another dip on it in a week or two just to be sure.

 

[Delapool]

That sounds nice. Fingers crossed