White Filmy "Floaty Stuff"

[BelueTopaz]

We have this stuff floating around and catching on "faux" plants; what is it?!? It almost looks like filmy white spider webs or lint.

We recently treated the tank with Maracide Antibiotic powder after learning several of the fish were sick (they seem to be doing well, now). A few days after the treatment we did a 25% water change and that's when this stuff was knocked off of plants and started floating about. (We didn't notice on the plants before.)

Does anyone know what it is and/or if we need to worry about it?

This is as hard as having a new baby; we worry about everything!

[fort384]

Did you have a bga problem prior to treating with antibiotics? My guess would be it is dead cyanobacteria killed during treatment. Without a photo is is hard to tell. If that is what it is, you will just need to continue to vac it out. Another partial water change or 2 probably wouldn't hurt. You want to remove it or it will cause a nutrient spike which could lead to further infection.

[BelueTopaz]

Thank you for your quick response! What is a "bga problem?"

[fort384]

"blue green algae" is the common name. It is actually not algae at all, but cyanobacteria, and it comes in several colors so the blue green part is also a bit of a misnomer. Because it is bacteria, using the antibiotic treatment you used would kill it (if that is what we are dealing with). It is kind of slimy in appearance.