Question: Weird white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

[Elijah]

Hi,
I recently bought a one year old albino Axolotl from a pet store, and have had the aquarium going for 3 weeks now. Ive been doing 50% water changes every 3 days and only put food in a dish for my little guy so the food is contained and is easy to clean any left overs. The last water change I did I used warmish water from the tap at about 21 deg. C. (70 deg. F.)(the same temperature as the tank water) I then added the appropriate chlorine remover in the bucket before adding it to the aquarium. This week I have noticed this white algae looking stuff coating all of the river rocks and plastic plants in the aquarium. It seems to be taking over. Today I did a 50% water change and sucked out as much of it as possible with my substrate siphon and I could not believe how much was in the river rocks. Even with the amount that I sucked out it barely made a dent.
I was reading a different forum where a lady had the same situation but no body knew what it was exactly. There were a few suggestions, such as "fungus, bacteria, spore fungus" but no one really knew what it was.
does anyone know what this stuff is and how to get rid of it?

 

[Umber]

Re: Wierd white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

Any pics?

Any time I've heard of people having white fuzzy stuff covering their tank its typically uneaten food that is decaying. Is it possible he may be moving some food out of the container when he eats and its falling into the crevices of the river rocks?

 

[shazza]

Re: Wierd white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

I had that too for a while, had to pull the whole tank apart. It wasnt appearing in my gurami/pleco tank. i thought it might have been something to do with the cold water and my water ager. I started elimiating different things. And for me, anyway, it was i was heavy handed with my water ager. I measure it now with a siringe. problem is gone, i always just dumped it in. do the same for the other tanks never had a prob, changed my bad habit now.

I hope this may help u

 

[Elijah]

Re: Wierd white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

I had that too for a while, had to pull the whole tank apart. It wasnt appearing in my gurami/pleco tank. i thought it might have been something to do with the cold water and my water ager. I started elimiating different things. And for me, anyway, it was i was heavy handed with my water ager. I measure it now with a siringe. problem is gone, i always just dumped it in. do the same for the other tanks never had a prob, changed my bad habit now.

I hope this may help u

I may be slightly over on the water ager but nothing too crazy. I will try measuring it exactly next water change. Do you think taking the whole tank apart is necessary? I am still in the first month of building the tanks bacteria.

 

[Elijah]

Re: Wierd white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

Any pics?

Any time I've heard of people having white fuzzy stuff covering their tank its typically uneaten food that is decaying. Is it possible he may be moving some food out of the container when he eats and its falling into the crevices of the river rocks?

I have heard that theory before but he pretty much eats everything I give him right away and I'm not sure how the whole tank floor would be covered in decaying food? The first week I had him I was just putting frozen blood worms in a corner for him to eat but quickly realized that allot of them where just falling between the river rocks and he couldn't get at them so i put a dish in his tank and now i always feed him in his dish with a turkey baster and am careful to make sure it all gets in the dish.

 

[snuggly time]

Re: Wierd white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

Do you move each rock when you siphon? It's amazing how much mess bloodworms make, even if you have a feeding dish or jar. I have quite a few rocks in my tank and make sure I've cleaned around and moved each one to get as much dirt as possible.

 

[shazza]

Re: Wierd white stuff coating everything in the aquarium

I found it the only way to get rid of it. All my water paramt were ok after and axie was still a happy chappy. I have bare bottom tank slate pieces and fake plants ornaments so it wasnt a big deal time wize i just put my axie in a bucket stuck him in the fridge while i did the cleaning. I syphonmost days lift the slate up. Hope u sort it out mate

 

[Umber]

Is it a dish or jar? Jars tend to be less messy. Dishes can allow food to flow around when they snap at their meal.

 

[SuperSteve]

I had that. It's fungus. I recommend you empty the tank, clean it and fill with clean water.