Can anyone tell me what this is?
- Thread starter jcmcn5
- Start date
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Plecolover18
Aquarium Advice Freak
Can u post a picture?
Plecolover18
Aquarium Advice Freak
It worked u can use a aquarium tool or ur hands to skim around the sand to take it off then the filter will take control, and you pleco will eat if it was on a rock or plant not on sand with some speiese.
It looks like the start of cyanobacteria. It's not algae. You need to get a 5 day treatment of Erythromycin. Many people use Maracyn but any Erythromycin for fish will work. Just be sure to do the entire 5 day treatment and vacuuming up as much of it as you can before you start your treatment.
Erythromycin does not harm beneficial bacteria at all. The only thing it can cause is an ammonia spike due to dying cyano if there is a lot of it.
I've been in this hobby since the 70's and that is the beginning of cyano. If you want you can let it alone and watch it thicken and spread until it looks like this... go to this link and scroll down to the second picture which is listed as blue-green algae, which is cyanobacteria.
James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide
I've been in this hobby since the 70's and that is the beginning of cyano. If you want you can let it alone and watch it thicken and spread until it looks like this... go to this link and scroll down to the second picture which is listed as blue-green algae, which is cyanobacteria.
James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1 on what she said.
I had a chronic case of Cyanobacteria for quite some time. I would remove it with the siphon during PWCs but it would come back. I just finished a five day dose of API Erythromycin from PetsMart yesterday and the cyano is disappearing. Before treating I removed as much as I could.
I had a chronic case of Cyanobacteria for quite some time. I would remove it with the siphon during PWCs but it would come back. I just finished a five day dose of API Erythromycin from PetsMart yesterday and the cyano is disappearing. Before treating I removed as much as I could.
Yeah, sure, letting it alone sounds swell. (s/k off) No thanks. the second picture on that link did it. That's exactly what it's starting to look like. I think I'll go look for the antibiotic, turn the lights off for a few days and change the water a whole bunch of time.
Thanks for the input. One question though. What causes it?
Thanks for the input. One question though. What causes it?
How about my plants? Will killing the lights, adding a/b, and if I follow the advice on the link you sent me, cover the tank to shut off light completely, also kill my plants?
I admit, I'd rather lose the plants than the fish to some bacterial infestation, I just want to know what consequences I can expect from the treatment.
I admit, I'd rather lose the plants than the fish to some bacterial infestation, I just want to know what consequences I can expect from the treatment.
I already told you the only thing you can possibly get from treating the tank with Erythromycin is a possible ammonia spike if you have a lot of dying cyano. Treating the tank with it is no big deal and beats having to deal with cyano if it advances as you saw what it can end up looking like. Thick sheets of cyano that will cover everything in your tank except the fish. Doing a blackout usually don't work in the long run as often the cyano will return. If you use Erythro you don't need to turn off lights and do a black out also. Do one or the other. IMO the Erythro is the way to go, it's going to kill it so it doesn't come back. But hey, it's your tank so do what you feel comfortable.
Fishlover3578
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I have the brow algae diatom stuff maybe I will buy an Octo... Forgot how to spell it to speed it up goin away my tank is still newish thogh snail seems to eat it
Diatoms are self limiting and will go away on their own once the excess silicates in the water are used up. Only running lights 6 hours will help keep diatom grow down some. I also wouldn't suggest getting an Oto as they don't do well in new unmatured tanks.
"But hey, it's your tank"
What's with the exasperated tone? I didn't write that I was only going to blackout. I wrote that I would turn off the lights and apply a/b (antibiotics.) I also thanked you for your input. Not sure I get the "do what you want" tone
What's with the exasperated tone? I didn't write that I was only going to blackout. I wrote that I would turn off the lights and apply a/b (antibiotics.) I also thanked you for your input. Not sure I get the "do what you want" tone
"But hey, it's your tank"
What's with the exasperated tone? I didn't write that I was only going to blackout. I wrote that I would turn off the lights and apply a/b (antibiotics.) I also thanked you for your input. Not sure I get the "do what you want" tone
Finish the sentence... but hey, it's your tank so do what you feel comfortable. Meaning you want to do a black out, water changes, and antibiotics after I told you all you need to do is use the Erythro more than once so the statement is just that "do what you feel comfortable with doing". If you want to do a black out and Erythro and that makes you feel comfortable doing both then do it. That's not tone but a simple statement.
mrvincent
Aquarium Advice Addict
That blue look like cyanos...
