Whispy white Stuff??!!

[meowey]

Preface to the question.

About two weeks ago, I gave 4 white skirt tetras to the ten year old daughter of a friend. They set up an old 10G that they had turtles in before. The tank had been stored for about a year before this setup. I gave them a small zip bag of gravel from one of my established tanks as a bacterial jump start. She says that the fish all look good. The ten year old asked today about whispy white strings that are hanging from the plastic plants, and appear to be also concentrated on the gravel from my tank.

I think they are using a HOB for filtration. I don't know any water parameters except that the PH of our tap water is about 6.4.

I'm going to suggest a good gravel vacuuming and a 30% water change. I don't know where the tank is in it's cycle.

Question

Any ideas what the whispy white stuff might be?

 

[krap101]

if its stringy i dnot know but if its cottony its probally fungus.

 

[Bearfan]

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The plants are artificial, and I am assuming it is not the frayed edges of the plastic plant.

I would say to vacuum it out, but minimize the water removed. You don't want to remove any of the beneficial bacteria that is attempting to cycle the tank.

 

[poikilotherm]

Hey meowey.

Do they look (and wiggle) like little worms? If so, they could be nematodes or other threadworms. They are generally harmless, but are potentially an indicator of high nutrient load- this could be due to overfeeding, but it could also just be due to the cycling dynamics of the tank. Unless the fish exhibit any symptoms, I'd just see what happens as the tank matures at this point.

Do what Bearfan said, and suggest they cut down on the feeding a bit.

Could this be it?

 

[Moe36]

I have the same thing, and ive read its from my driftwood. (fungus). It looks like white stringy clouds or ghosts moving with the current.

M.N

 

[madasafish]

What you're dealing with may well be staghorn algae. Does this picture resemble it?

http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae/staghorn1.jpg

If so, soak the affected plants in a bleach solution and rinse them thoroughly afterwards.

Most types of algae thrive on high light and high nutrient levels. Try doing frequent water changes to reduce Nitrate and Phosphate levels in the water. Once every 2-3 days for a couple of weeks should do it. If you are not changing your water once a week, you may re-experience the problem. I strongly recommend weekly water changes for oh so many good reasons.

 

[krap101]

wow that algea looks cool .

and after you bleech your plants dont forget to dechlorinate

 

[meowey]

Thanks all,

I will be seeing them today. Will print pic of staghorn, and go over all suggesstions with them.

Meowey

 

[dhs9831]

I get these "whispies" occasionaly, but mine is cause from food accumulated on the substrate and leaves when i overfeed... oops

 

[dhs9831]

I guess mine are more fuzzy balls than whispy strands