46GFreshwater
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hello, we have a new 46 gallon curved front tank that was purchased and set up 1.5 weeks ago. About 5 days after filling and setting up the tank (no fish) a white fuzzy filamentous growth was noted on some of the artificial plants and decorations (not on the new decorations/plants). The plants and decorations were removed and rinsed/scrubbed in warm/hot water and replaced. The water also looked slightly cloudy. API Pimafix treatment was initiated, and continued for ~4-5 days with some improvement of cloudiness and unfortunately re-growth of the fuzzy white stuff.
I read on the internet varied reports that this white stuff was a fungus, algae, or bacteria. After some reading, I thought that this was maybe a "new tank syndrome" kind of problem and adding some hardy fish to start proper cycling may be in order. I watched a video on youtube with a tank that had similar looking growth all over plants, walls and the fish were not sick.
We did a 25% water change with declorination, and added a 'new tank' dose of Cycle, and replaced the carbon filter cartridges. A few hours later, we purchased a small 1.5" Clown Pleco, and 6 neon tetras. We acclimatized them by floating the opened bag on top for 5 min, then adding small amount of tank water to bag, wait 5 min, then add another small amount of water to bag, then wait another 5 minutes before netting the fish into the aquarium.
The tetras were schooling, the pleco was hiding under some driftwood, and it was near bedtime so we shut the light off and planned to feed them in the morning. The next morning all 6 neon tetras were dead and the pleco was alive but I am worried about him. He did eat at an algae wafer today but he is not moving around much.
Specs
46 Gallon freshwater tank with LED lights
Filter: Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel 350 Power Filter (350 GPH suitable up to 75 Gal tank)
Heater: Marineland Visi-Therm
Whisper Air Pump with 2 air stones
Tank Parameters
Heater set to 75 F and thermometer reads 76 F
Hagen pH test = 7.4 - 7.6
Tetra Easy Strips pH = 7.2
Ammonia = 0
Nitrate = 0 - 20
Nitrite = 0
Total Hardness = 150
Total Chlorine = 0
Total Alkalinity = 80
Decorations etc
Gravel substrate (new)
Mixture of new artificial plants, and some that used to be in our old tank and have been dry for 8 months
Old aftificial 'driftwood' decoration and pagoda (used to be in our old tank and have been dry for 8 months)
New dragon statue/bubbler
Fish
6 neon tetras (dead within 12 hours)
1 clown pleco (still alive)
Thoughts on what could be going on here? What is the fuzzy white funk? The water quality seems fine based on the Tetra Easy Strips testing but I don't know if the white funk is toxic or if there is some other issue - the tank when we bought it had glue on the inside of the glass where the fake background/advertisement was stuck to - and we couldn't remove it with just water so used a goo-gone substance followed by wiping with water. Petsmart told me that neon tetras are somewhat delicate so maybe could it have been a too-rapid change in pH when we were acclimatizing them? Should we return the pleco to the store before he dies too? How should I clean the white funk off of the decorations since rinsing and scrubbing in water did not seem to work?
Help please!
I read on the internet varied reports that this white stuff was a fungus, algae, or bacteria. After some reading, I thought that this was maybe a "new tank syndrome" kind of problem and adding some hardy fish to start proper cycling may be in order. I watched a video on youtube with a tank that had similar looking growth all over plants, walls and the fish were not sick.
We did a 25% water change with declorination, and added a 'new tank' dose of Cycle, and replaced the carbon filter cartridges. A few hours later, we purchased a small 1.5" Clown Pleco, and 6 neon tetras. We acclimatized them by floating the opened bag on top for 5 min, then adding small amount of tank water to bag, wait 5 min, then add another small amount of water to bag, then wait another 5 minutes before netting the fish into the aquarium.
The tetras were schooling, the pleco was hiding under some driftwood, and it was near bedtime so we shut the light off and planned to feed them in the morning. The next morning all 6 neon tetras were dead and the pleco was alive but I am worried about him. He did eat at an algae wafer today but he is not moving around much.
Specs
46 Gallon freshwater tank with LED lights
Filter: Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel 350 Power Filter (350 GPH suitable up to 75 Gal tank)
Heater: Marineland Visi-Therm
Whisper Air Pump with 2 air stones
Tank Parameters
Heater set to 75 F and thermometer reads 76 F
Hagen pH test = 7.4 - 7.6
Tetra Easy Strips pH = 7.2
Ammonia = 0
Nitrate = 0 - 20
Nitrite = 0
Total Hardness = 150
Total Chlorine = 0
Total Alkalinity = 80
Decorations etc
Gravel substrate (new)
Mixture of new artificial plants, and some that used to be in our old tank and have been dry for 8 months
Old aftificial 'driftwood' decoration and pagoda (used to be in our old tank and have been dry for 8 months)
New dragon statue/bubbler
Fish
6 neon tetras (dead within 12 hours)
1 clown pleco (still alive)
Thoughts on what could be going on here? What is the fuzzy white funk? The water quality seems fine based on the Tetra Easy Strips testing but I don't know if the white funk is toxic or if there is some other issue - the tank when we bought it had glue on the inside of the glass where the fake background/advertisement was stuck to - and we couldn't remove it with just water so used a goo-gone substance followed by wiping with water. Petsmart told me that neon tetras are somewhat delicate so maybe could it have been a too-rapid change in pH when we were acclimatizing them? Should we return the pleco to the store before he dies too? How should I clean the white funk off of the decorations since rinsing and scrubbing in water did not seem to work?
Help please!
