# Mystery Nuisance Organism!



## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

I dont know what it is. Please help me! It regrows so fast when scrape it off the glass!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Jim you don't need to make new threads on the same subject, Please keep it in one thread, very hard to keep up with.

And all I see is algae on the plants.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

susankat said:


> Jim you don't need to make new threads on the same subject, Please keep it in one thread, very hard to keep up with.
> 
> And all I see is algae on the plants.


srry about that. But its not algae, algae needs pigment for photosynthesis.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Jim Dombrowski said:


> srry about that. But its not algae, algae needs pigment for photosynthesis.


That stuff on the plants is algae....you should look up the types that are out there.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> That stuff on the plants is algae....you should look up the types that are out there.


-_- ITS NOT ALGAE!! Algae was the first thing i looked up, then i went to fungus, then i went to protists, then rotifers. the closes thing i can think of is rotifers. Nothing looks like it!

also a guy wants a sample of this in st. louis. He thinks its some type of sponge. That would explain the fast regeneration.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Like I said...if it is the stuff that is on your plants you refer to, then that IS ALGAE!! If it is something else you refer to, then you need to point it out.

Do I need to post a pic of the algae type you have?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Sure not rotifers as you wouldn't be able to see them with the naked eye.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Like I said...if it is the stuff that is on your plants you refer to, then that IS ALGAE!! If it is something else you refer to, then you need to point it out.
> 
> Do I need to post a pic of the algae type you have?


Please show me a pic of it. This isnt algae i have treated my tank with algaecide many times to kill it and it wont die. I used several dif products.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

susankat said:


> Sure not rotifers as you wouldn't be able to see them with the naked eye.


There are large rotifers but its the only thing that remotely resembles it. It looks like mini transparent tree thats hydra LIKE! I have studied hydra in my college classes and that is not it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Not sure why you think that what you have in any of your aquariums is so far off from what anyone else could have ever possibly seen. You have such a closed mind to be so young. And it doesn't surprise me that you have used a product so dangerous to your fish, not only once, but several times.

I will not post pics for you, but you can look up pics of fuzz algae. Just because it is something that an algaecide couldn't take care of, doesn't mean it's not algae. Algaecides are useless against a number of algaes seen in aqauriums. If you would do some research or ask advice and listen to that advice, you would know this.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Not sure why you think that what you have in any of your aquariums is so far off from what anyone else could have ever possibly seen.
> 
> I will not post pics for you, but you can look up pics of fuzz algae. Just because it is something that an algaecide couldn't take care of, doesn't mean it's not algae. Algaecides are useless against a number of algaes seen in aqauriums. If you would do some research or ask advice and listen to that advice, you would know this.


Only several people have had this before that posted it on the web. They either left it, killed it or didnt post if they were successful. I have literally gone through hundreds of websites for months trying to figure out what this is. I have been listening to advice but none of it is helpful its just suggestions that lead to a dead end. What ever it is its clear and transparent and no algae is clear with no color. It wouldnt be able to live without pigment.

I can officially say that this is NOT an algae. If it is Then i have discovered a new species. 
I can officially concluded that this is NOT algae. It maybe a fungus


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## Kev1jm2 (Oct 18, 2011)

Have you ruled out algae yet? Looks like a fuzz algae to me.


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## Rob72 (Apr 2, 2011)

looks like algea to me


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Jim Dombrowski said:


> Only several people have had this before that posted it on the web. They either left it, killed it or didnt post if they were successful. I have literally gone through hundreds of websites for months trying to figure out what this is. I have been listening to advice but none of it is helpful its just suggestions that lead to a dead end. What ever it is its clear and transparent and no algae is clear with no color. It wouldnt be able to live without pigment.
> 
> I can officially say that this is NOT an algae. If it is Then i have discovered a new species.
> I can officially concluded that this is NOT algae. It maybe a fungus


You really should learn how to use the internet better. I know you want it to be something nobody or only a few have seen, but that is just not the case. Not sure who you sent pics to, but they shot their credentials to hell.

I don't think you have enough knowledge about algae, to officially say one way or the other. I gaurantee you it is not a new species.

Pull the plant out, pour some peroxide on it or add Seachem Excel to your water. Problem and alien lifeform destroyed.



















Freshwater Algae Types: An Illustrated Guide - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

For the millionth time its not algae. It's cnidarian Like.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*r2


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## Kev1jm2 (Oct 18, 2011)

Maybe it's an underwater spider web.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

?


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

Nope its not hair algae, its clear/transparent white.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Jim people are showing you pics of the exact same thing in your pic, I don't know what your problem is with understanding. It's fuzz algae, if you don't want to believe what your being told. Don't go asking for advice then.


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## Kev1jm2 (Oct 18, 2011)

I think it looks like a new species of super rotilhydralgae. I'm with you Jim!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Jim Dombrowski said:


> Nope its not hair algae, its clear/transparent white.


Not hair algae, that I'd agree. Don't let whatever color you see fool you. I don't see a whole lot of it, but if it were in more of abundance you'd probably see some type of pigment...if that is why you are not believing what you're being told. Go to plantedtank.net and post your pic there. They have a section devoted to nothing but algae and I am sure they will be glad to help you out....if nothing else, to eliminate that as a possibility.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

It spreads like crazy But It only gets !bout 2 mm Long. Its not algae because i loved at It unedr a microscope and Its defentaly a multicellular animal. Laast week i put a jar with a dead leaf tht was coveredin With It. I went to go look at Ittuoday the class was covered. The tempout síde is 32.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Post a pic of the jar.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Post a pic of the jar.


Will do tommorrow.


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## Kev1jm2 (Oct 18, 2011)

Pod people?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

This the same?


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## Kev1jm2 (Oct 18, 2011)

jccaclimber said:


> Waiting.


With bated breath!


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Ok

let's call it cyano then. 


Kill you lights and see if it dies off.

my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

LOL, that is not cyano and you know it!! It comes in big green sheets. Like this:


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## joevw007 (Jul 6, 2011)

to completely rule out the chance of it being algae do not use algaecides, cover your tank with a thick blanket and do not turn the lights on for a week and a half. if you do this and the "organism" is still there than it wont be algae. It looks like algae to me so before you go sending samples off you should just try blacking out the tank for a while.

Also the people in this forum (neglecting myself) are very knowledgeable about fish. if your fish and plants didn't die than it probably isn't some "mystery organism." it is probably a bad case of algae from the tank light being left on for more than 8 hrs a day.

IMO


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

jrman83 said:


> LOL, that is not cyano and you know it!! It comes in big green sheets. Like this:


yep that's one form.*old dude


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Thats the ONLY form in freshwater.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Ok I'll sit corrected. *old dude

Still kill the lights and see if it dies off.


my still .02


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

Ok guys sorry was gone up north. No internet. Ok i read through all the new posts and it looks nothing like the algae in those pics. It seriously looks like hydra but instead of tentacles its like a mini tree. The tentacles look like they were replaced by bush. But ever since i added all the lil african cichlids its completely gone from the live plants. but its still on the rocks and glass. I assume the africans have been eating them.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

beaslbob said:


> Ok I'll sit corrected. *old dude
> 
> Still kill the lights and see if it dies off.
> 
> ...


But if i killed the lights wouldnt my plants die too?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Jim Dombrowski said:


> But if i killed the lights wouldnt my plants die too?


Yep

Just not as fast.

my .02


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

beaslbob said:


> Yep
> 
> Just not as fast.
> 
> my .02


omg its beaslbob! haha i tried your method had an amazing african planted tank. but sadly i had to downsize 

But anyway i dont know about me blacking out the lights. My plants are finally showing growth! If its gonna come down to blacking out i guess i can just live with it i really dont want to restart my plants.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If you killed the lights and it went away, it would just confirm it is algae.


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## zephspacer (Jul 29, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> If you killed the lights and it went away, it would just confirm it is algae.


But i dont want to do that at the expense of my plants. Plants are not cheap by me.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Jim Dombrowski said:


> omg its beaslbob! haha i tried your method had an amazing african planted tank. but sadly i had to downsize
> 
> But anyway i dont know about me blacking out the lights. My plants are finally showing growth! If its gonna come down to blacking out i guess i can just live with it i really dont want to restart my plants.


*r2*r2

the plants will take weeks to die off algae/cyano only days.

the idea is to turn the lights back on after the other has died but the plants are still alive.

the resume with less lighting so the plants will thrive but not the algae/cyano.

Glad you plants are showing growth. 

my .02


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

You know, "algae" is not a clear category, and many non-algae micro-organisms can be killed by no light (like velvet). Cyano isn't algae, but half the hobby will swear it is. I think the debate here is over words, not over the organism in the tank. We've all seen it (or things like it), but I personally haven't put it under a microscope for a look. 
I have eliminated it without harming my "higher" plants by killing the lights for a week. So it does respond somewhat like an algae, even if it is another type of organism.
I've also had it vanish on its own, just as strangely as it settled in. It seems to like Vallisneria here (or Sagittaria - hey, what's a name...).
I have always seen it a creature of overfeeding, rather than as a lighting problem thing. I always assumed it was an algae, but maybe it was feeding on micro-organsms from too much food rather than directly on the nutrients. 
If it makes another appearance here, I'll stick it under a microscope. I'll probably still call it "fuzz algae", but it might be interesting to try to see what "fuzz algae" really is. "Blue-Green algae" is a bacteria, so I see no reason not to explore what this might be. I don't have any to look at now, and please, no one offer to send me some!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

What he has definitely is not cyano and blackouts are hit and miss for working to kill it. I have gotten it twice. A blackout helped once.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I didn't mean to suggest it was cyano - sloppy writing. I meant to say it was not necessarily an algae, biologically,even if we hobbyists call it that.
I only tried to kill it once and a blackout did the job. When I've seen it, cutting back on feedings and just neglecting it usually did it in. My old house had medium hard tapwater, and it showed up in tanks from time to time, while where I live now has very soft tap, and I've only seen it once in five years.

So I killed it with luck and thought I had a system - that's our hobby!


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## piklmike (Jul 14, 2011)

I think your yankin' our chain!


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I had something very similar when I was cycling my 20g: [url=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8934&ppuser=8981][/URL]

Mine's not as close up, but up close, it was the same thing as yours.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

bump

just found this thread as i seem to have grown this fuzz algea stuff in two tanks. look exsactly like the first pic. 

thing is, both those tanks the fish get starved 2 days a week so it couldnt be over feeding could it? they have direct sunlight on them all day (untill i get lights for the plants) so could it be too much light?

the mollies seem to be eating it in one of the tanks! but i guess ill try the black out thing and if that doesnt work cutting down on feeding to once every other day?


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## Chandavi (Jun 12, 2012)

I had the same type of growth. I managed to kill it off with a combination of two things. First, I dosed Flourish (regular, not Excel) to provide better nutrition to the plants, which proceeded to out-compete the algae. Second, my cherry shrimp seemed to find the stuff delicious. I could see them devouring it 24/7. Supposedly Amanos are also great for algae control, but I can only personally attest to my experience with cherry shrimp. They did the job, combined with ferts for the plants. I still always worry when dosing it though, because it does contain trace amounts of copper, which is toxic to the shrimp. It seems that as long as the concentrations are kept under control, everything is fine.

*tl;dr *- Dose Flourish (not Excel) and introduce Cherry Shrimp. Worked for me.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

i only have one live plant in there, will that be enought?
also will any of my fish eat the shrimp:
gourami
betta
danios
mollies
BN plecos
apple snail


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## Chandavi (Jun 12, 2012)

It depends on the size of the plant, but unless it is massive then one will probably not be enough. I'm a big fan of live plants, but even setting that aside they seem to be one of the best ways to keep algae in check. It only makes sense, adding a stronger competing organism will drive out the nuisance organism. Perhaps consider an easy to care for surface plant like hornwort or duckweed? Warning though, these can spread like wildfire...

As for the shrimp, most of those should not be a problem. The only two possible problem-fish could be the two anabantoids (the betta and gourami). Bettas seem to be a very mixed bag with shrimp, but I think more people seem to be fine than not. It will simply be something to watch - keep an eye out for aggression from the betta. The gouarmi could be a deal-breaker depending on its size/species. What type is it? If it is a dwarf or sparkling gourami then it should be fine. If it is a larger species, then it will actively hunt and kill small shrimp. Either way, you would potentially need a good hiding spot for the shrimp (especially crucial at molting time) and moss (java or marimo ball) for shrimplets to hide in. If you can manage to set up proper habitat conditions, you can set up a self-sustaining colony without too much further input. Please do note that shrimp don't work for every community, though. Again, the big deciding point here will be the gourami species.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

No its just a snall amazon sword. My plan was to replace the fakeones with live wheni get paid in a few weeks because of the betta. Sorry should of said, its an opaline gourami, about 3inches. I was thinking to get a marimo, more swards (the one I have is growing well) and some water hyasynth? Any other suggestions? Thanks for your help  oh I have a fake tree log thing that is hidden at the back of the tank, no one goes in it so would thatbe a good place for them to hide?


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

I found this on ebay 300733729282 is it worth it for them?


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## Chandavi (Jun 12, 2012)

zero said:


> No its just a snall amazon sword. My plan was to replace the fakeones with live wheni get paid in a few weeks because of the betta. Sorry should of said, its an opaline gourami, about 3inches. I was thinking to get a marimo, more swards (the one I have is growing well) and some water hyasynth? Any other suggestions? Thanks for your help  oh I have a fake tree log thing that is hidden at the back of the tank, no one goes in it so would thatbe a good place for them to hide?


Whatever plants you like will work out fine. Just get as many as you are comfortable with and pay attention to planting instructions for each plant. Some can (and should) be planted with their roots down in the substrate. Some must not have their roots covered or they will die. I would encourage you to start up a separate discussion about it in the planted tank forum for specific advice on the plants. It really does become a whole discussion in itself when lighting, fertilization, and (maybe) CO2 come into play. You would have to get a handle on these three factors to knock out algae anyway - it all goes hand-in-hand.

As for the log thing, it depends on the size. If nobody goes into it then that is a good start. Ideally, you want a shelter that is large enough for the shrimp to enter but small enough to keep other fish out. I have seen some people in the past actually using 1" PVC pipe as a cheap (if unsightly) alternative. The shrimp could just hide inside the pipe, and you could make it look better by gluing a layer of gravel onto the outside to match the rest of your substrate using silicone that you would normally use to repair a burst aquarium seam. Stacking up rocks (especially porous volcano rocks) so that there are spaces wide enough between them to enter is another popular option. This one also requires a lot less work!



zero said:


> I found this on ebay 300733729282 is it worth it for them?


That would work, but is overpriced for what you get, honestly. An ideal DIY version would probably be to make "mesh tubes" using the types of plastic mesh you see used around here for moss walls. Cut the mesh into a rectangle roughly 3" x 4" or so, then roll them into tubes and secure the opposite ends together to make a tube. Then grow moss on it. This would take a lot of time however. To jump past that process you could buy a pre-grown moss pad and just curl it into a cylinder. Or you could just place four small rocks in a square and sit the moss "roof" on top. There are plenty of options! Keep in mind whatever combination of stuff you use should serve two purposes: First, it should provide a small enough space that the shrimp can hide inside after molting without fear of other fish entering the area. Second, it should provide cover for young shrimplets to hide in and grow in. Again, a planted surface is ideal for this as it also provides a great place for them to graze as well.

Good luck!


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Lol, it's fuzz algae. I have it all over my Dwarf Red Lily plants. Was hoping the Amanos would eat it. I'm using Flourish Excel to spot treat some BBA and then it will be onto battling the Fuzz Algae. (Um.... has Jim come to the conclusion that what he has is algae yet?)


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

Chandavi said:


> Whatever plants you like will work out fine. Just get as many as you are comfortable with and pay attention to planting instructions for each plant. Some can (and should) be planted with their roots down in the substrate. Some must not have their roots covered or they will die. I would encourage you to start up a separate discussion about it in the planted tank forum for specific advice on the plants. It really does become a whole discussion in itself when lighting, fertilization, and (maybe) CO2 come into play. You would have to get a handle on these three factors to knock out algae anyway - it all goes hand-in-hand.
> 
> As for the log thing, it depends on the size. If nobody goes into it then that is a good start. Ideally, you want a shelter that is large enough for the shrimp to enter but small enough to keep other fish out. I have seen some people in the past actually using 1" PVC pipe as a cheap (if unsightly) alternative. The shrimp could just hide inside the pipe, and you could make it look better by gluing a layer of gravel onto the outside to match the rest of your substrate using silicone that you would normally use to repair a burst aquarium seam. Stacking up rocks (especially porous volcano rocks) so that there are spaces wide enough between them to enter is another popular option. This one also requires a lot less work!
> 
> ...


im really not too bothered about this tanks plants as, after a troubled start, im back on to breeding livebearers in it now, so i was hoping to just add poted, low light, no co2 plants. the ones sold at a lfs come with fertalizer tabs under the roots and ones ive brought already for another tank are growing really well. plus if there potted i can move them about to hunt for fry! 

i love the idea of the lava rock stack, would look really nice. i could hide some small tubes in it too! thanks for all the other ideas too, the fish cant fit in the tree log thing so what i might do is make a little shirmp corner type thing behind the log so theve got somewhere out the way for the molting and babies etc plus dot other hides for them around the tank. ill update once ive put a few things togeather.

ive also found an amazing deal on shrimp on the net. ususally the shrimp are really expensive in the shop but ive found 20 shrimp plus 2 long fin plecos for £20! so im saving around £55!


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