There is black fuzz growing on my fish aquarium plants, what is it and what gets rid of it?

Question

aquarium plants are plastic
the light is on at night from 9pm-7pm
it is very hard to scrub off each leaf
stays clean for about 20 days

Answer 1

Get a Siamese (not Chinese) algae eater - they will eat this stuff, when no other algae eaters or snails will.

Also, be sure you are doing enough partial water chanes (25% each week) to remove the nutrients in your tank thatit needs for growth. A phosphate removal pad in your filter will also help control this.

Since black beard algae is classified as a red algae, it doesn't need that much light to survive, but keeping the light totally off, or on for a shorter period may help some (unless you have other live plants).

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/algae/tonealg.shtml

Answer 2

Why is your light on at night? Your tank needs to have a night cycle and keeping the light on during the night eliminates this. Unless you have real plants, the ambient room light should be enough for you fish during the day. Never leave the light on when your sleeping at night.

As has already been stated, it is most likely a brush or red algae. In addition to removing the nutrients it is using to grow (excess nitrates, phosphates, and light - Do water changes and turn that light off) you will need to continue to get it off your plastic plants and other equipment if it shows up there. Unfortunately, the best way to do this, and kill the spores, is with a bleach wash. Just make extra sure that you have rinsed this stuff with water repeatedly until there is no more bleach. The good thing is that bleach is easy to smell so you can keep rinsing until you can't smell it anymore then rinse it a few more times to be safe. Then rinse again with declorinated water before putting back in the tank. Putting it in a bucket of water and adding dechlorinator would be even better.

Of course, this process will kill all beneficial bacteria built up on the surface of whatever you clean in this fashion, so if you need to clean the filter in this manner (I hope it's just the plants and not the filter), then do that first and wait a few days before doing major water changes. Hopefully the filter is fine and you only need to do the water changes and the plastic plants.

Answer 3

Fish Tank Plants

Answer 4

If it is a red algae i would try Chemi Clean. It is some sort of proprietary antibiotic. The company wont tell you what is in it. It is not an herbicide. Follow instructions. the stuff has worked wonders for me. It kills blue green and red algae. it also causes the stuff to melt away and dissapear. (in most cases) It seems to kill the black fuzz but does not disolve it. you still have to remove the affected plants. My 37 gallon tank is heavily planted and has 4 bags of natures ocean exploded clay substrate. It has a high output led bar that runs for 7.5 hours a day and it is across the room from 2 big windows that i have to keep open for my house plants. I just had another bloom of black fuzz, and the pleco has no interest in it. Im going to dose with chemi clean, remove affected leaves and do a 48 hour black out.

Answer 5

wow what great advice from everyone. my only comment is get rid of those plastic plants as they will harbour bacteria and that creates huge problems if your fish get sick. try fresh plants, more expensive better for tank better for fish. try starting over keeping only 1/3 of your tank water, as suggested wipe the tank out with a clean chux never used on anything before, the fish will be fine in the bottom of the tank . add water ager, add plants, turn the light off and check weekly.if your tank is near a window i would move it

Answer 6

Its black beard algae! The best cure for this problem is buying an alge eating fish such as a pleco or a few Siamese algae eaters who will have the tank spotless in no time. Hope this helps x x x x x

Answer 7

This happened to mine too. The guys at the fish shop said it came from too much light - natural or artificial. They were right. I was getting sunlight almost all day in that area. New curtains cured the problem.

Answer 8

It could be a form of mold there are more than one kind of mold. Are it could be a form of Algea in which case you can by an Algea eater.It's a fish that can rid the tank of this fuzz.

Answer 9

We went to our local Fish Store (Not Pet Smart) and the guy said get a sucker fish...OMG My tank is clean.

Answer 10

dude this just happened to me about 7 weeks ago its called black fuzz algea

IT SUCKSS!!! only way to get rid of it is to get rid of everything it has infected or just starting ur tank over by throwing everything out

ITS NEARLY in possible to get rid of

TRUST MEE

i reserched called people and everything