# Fungus in my aquarium?



## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

Ever since I set up my 38 gallon, there seems to be some fungus growing on everything...



















it seems to be growing on everything except the fish and substrate


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Well fungus is often found in the first while after putting driftwood into an aquarium, that looks like it could also be black beard algae IMO.


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## missindifferent (Jun 25, 2010)

What kind of wood did you use? I've never seen 'wood intended for aquarium use' get fungus


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

I purchased this wood from aqua inspiration; they were very light and took a few days to fully sink.

I fully understand that new wood sometimes grows fungus on it; but this isnt just on the wood, it is all over the plants as well!


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## missindifferent (Jun 25, 2010)

"Fungus thrives in moist environments rich in organic matter. Aquariums, especially those with an abundance of fish and live plants, are a natural breeding ground. This is particularly the case with aquariums that are not properly cleaned or contain sick or dead fish."

and

"If you see white fungus growing on your aquarium plants, you should remove the infected plants immediately. This type of fungus can be very harmful and even fatal to your fish. It can quickly spread to the mucus membranes and other sensitive areas of a fish, so it is important to treat your water and your fish as soon as possible. Ask your local pet store to recommend the best treatment based on the types of plants and fish in your aquarium."

http://www.dailypuppy.com/articles/...t-fungus/442328c0-f5ee-219d-032f-ea3617f6d057


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

missindifferent said:


> "Fungus thrives in moist environments rich in organic matter. Aquariums, especially those with an abundance of fish and live plants, are a natural breeding ground. This is particularly the case with aquariums that are not properly cleaned or contain sick or dead fish."
> 
> and
> 
> ...


Ouch.. i spent so much time maintaining my tank too D;
i guess tomorrow i'll go to petsmart or my LFS and get some fungal medication then


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## missindifferent (Jun 25, 2010)

Maybe it's not that bad? Did it just appear recently?
I've never seen fungus though I've had a lot of problems with algae in the past. I remember someone saying they got rid of fungus on driftwood by using flourish excel.

If it's on all the plants, maybe you can try removing them, rinsing, and put them in a separate tank or bucket so you can try saving them? Plants can be so expensive...


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

missindifferent said:


> Maybe it's not that bad? Did it just appear recently?
> I've never seen fungus though I've had a lot of problems with algae in the past. I remember someone saying they got rid of fungus on driftwood by using flourish excel.
> 
> If it's on all the plants, maybe you can try removing them, rinsing, and put them in a separate tank or bucket so you can try saving them? Plants can be so expensive...


It's starting to die down, most of the fungus on the driftwood is gone (i did introduce 5 nerite snails to the tank)
The plants do seem to be doing better now, most of the fungus has come off. I'm going to do a 25% water change every 3 days for a few weeks to see if it helps


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Some API Pimafix may be all thats needed to safely get rid of what remains. I like to use it before using more advanced treatments.

Before doing a waterchange, gently shake the plants to loosen the fungus fluff. Use your hand to fan it loose from other surfaces.


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## chriscro (Dec 3, 2010)

frequent water changes and manual cleaning is your best bet at removal. Prevention on the other hand can come from a variety of ways..

id suggest checking your fert and lighting, reducing the amount your feeding, are you overstocked?, often if there is lots of dead plant matter fungus and algae can feed off it and grow.

good luck


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