What is the green slimy stuff in the fish tank?

Question

I clean the tank and it seams like only 2 or 3 days and there is green slimy stuff on the big rock and some of the plants. What is it and how do I get rid of it?

Answer 1

It is hard to say what type of algae it is without a picture. Some algae is normal, but if you have a lot you may want to reduce the time the lights are on or reduce the amount that you feed your fish. Change about 20% of the water every day for a week or two - vacuuming all of the fish waste out with a gravel vacuum siphon, then go back to your normal cleaning schedule.

It also might help to get some live plants which remove fish wastes from the water - one that is really simple for beginners is a type called java moss.

My tank once had a real problem with a type of algae called blue green algae, it was like a green carpet smothering everything and even growing on top of the gravel, and after trying all of the tips above the only solution was chemical treatment.

Now I have a small amount of the hard green spot algae that is tough to scrape off the glass and a little bit of brown algae (diatoms) in the UGF tubes. I don't worry about it.

Answer 2

That would be algae..and it is probably from leaving your lights on too long or having the tank in direct sunlight. If it's green it's not a horrible thing..red or brown would be bad in most cases. You didn't mention what size tank or what was in it. Smaller tanks tend to have bigger algae problems as well as water quality problems just because they're..well..small. If the tank is 10 gallons or over and has a heater you can add an algae eating fish..they're typically called "pleco's" at petsmart..short for plecostamus. They're not terribly attractive but they do help. The most cost efficient way to keep the algae down though would be to just keep the lights on for only 4-6 hours a day/night and also, just as a rule of thumb, keep the fish in your tank on average of one inch of fish per gallon of water. So for a 5 gallon tank you'd want no more than 2 small fish, 3 at most...not including goldfish which are HORRIBLY dirty. One in a 5 gallon would be best. Good luck! Feel free to shout if you have more questions!

Answer 3

That's green algae! It happens to the best of us :)
Plecos and algae eaters actually won't really eat this algae. Well, they'll eat some of it, but many plecos also eat fish food and driftwood, and Chinese Algae Eaters - though small, innocent babies, grow up to be big aggressive carnivorous 6" fish.

If you have enough room, the follow fish are good choices to help reduce the amount of algae:
a school of oto cats
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/oto_cat.jpg
Get at least 4, and you need a minimum tank: 30 gallons.

A bristlenose pleco
http://www.tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/templates/BMan1Blue/images/profile_pics/fish_profiles_triradiatus1.jpg
Unlike their "common pleco" bretheren, bushy/bristle nose plecos only grow to 4-5". Their diet must be supplemented with driftwood and algae pellets, and they require a minimum tank size of 40 gallons.

corydoras
http://cyberaqua.free.fr/reportages/co2/31_corydoras_julii.jpg
Get a school of 5-6. They don't really eat algae but they keep the bottom agitated which will help inhibit algae growth. Minimum tank size is 30 gallons for small species like sterbai and julii, and 40 gallons for larger types like spotted and panda.

However, you need to address the cause of the algae, which is a) too much light and b) too much nutrients in the water. So, reduce your lighting to 8-9 hours per day. If you tank is near a window, move it, or cover the side of the tank which faces the window. Sunlight = algae explosion. Also, reduce the amount of food your feed your fish. Excess nutrients from uneaten food goes into the water and the algae will happily grow and consume it. Only feed once per day, at most twice, only what the fish can eat in 2-3 minutes.

To get the algae off, just wipe it off with an aquarium sponge of your fingers, and suck it out with a gravel vacuum. Be sure to do weekly water changes of 30%.

Above all, do NOT use algae-killing chemicals in your tank.

Answer 4

Hello. Algae is a thriving type of plant. It thrives of of sunlight or your aquarium light. Algae is a good indication of decent to good water quality, as it is living and must have proper water levels to live or thrive in. I would NOT suggest to you Chinese Algae eaters as they are territorial and can be aggressive. I would suggest to you a plecostomus.Pleco is a friendly but yet odd looking little fella that eats algae to live. They do grow to good sizes. With the type of algae problem you are having 2-3 small ones would be nice. I would NOT suggest algaecide because it can also harm other plants, plus it is NOT a natural way of ridding the problem. Also, try reducing the amount of light into the aquarium-Good Luck

Answer 5

algae its good for back of tank keeps pH and nitrates down

Answer 6

OK LISTEN CLOSELY THAT IS CALLED ALGEA IT GROWS IN WATER IF YOU LEAVE A LITTLE IN THE TANK IT WILL NOT HURT THE FISH

Answer 7

that stuff is algae. you can get either sucker fish, snails, or a filter to keep it under control

Answer 8

algae...you can buy fish that feed on algae and that would help keep it under control.

Answer 9

thats algea.. keep the tank lites off as much as you can i find it reduces algea and it keeps the water cleaner , longer.

Answer 10

you get rid of it bye getting a sucker fish they will feed on it and it is mold or algea