# White Fungus



## CapnCaveman (Jan 2, 2013)

Hey everyone, I've been having a concern about my 29 gallon planted. For the past little while I've been finding white fuzzy stuff on anything that is a food source. The latest example would be a slice of cucumber I put in for my BN Pleco. Overnight it is now covered with about 3mm hair. If my frogs don't eat a one of their pellet foods it looks like a snowball the next day.

I also noticed that the same thing happened to 2 of my ADF's that died, they were covered in it where I believe they were missing slime coat. (1 I treated with Diluted peroxide and a Pedialyte bath to no avail) I think they were being damaged by the pleco though as he can get pushy when they are in his face.

My water parameters have been stable minus 0 ammo, 0 Nitrites and climbing Nitrates. I'm not overstocked although I may have been a couple days late on my weekly water change once.

Do you think it's harmful and if so is there a way to get rid of it without nuking the tank?

Thanks


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

something isn't right it seems


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

If it's only growing on food items, it probably isn't going to harm the fish, but it's odd that it shows up so quickly. Just out of curiosity, what's the pH and temperature ? 

And is this tank relatively new or has it been running for some months or years ? New tanks sometimes have odd things happen that do go away eventually.

I know for a short time I had a patch or two on the substrate that looked as though it had some fungus on it.. but it wasn't all white. Lighter than the black eco complete, but not white, and a couple of rounds of gravel vacuuming made it vanish, never to return.


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## CapnCaveman (Jan 2, 2013)

It's an established tank, running since November. Temp is 78-80, I will check the pH later today but it's usually fairly high.

I should have taken pictures of the frog food, it was the strangest thing. They looked almost like a dandelion with the food at the exact center. 

I was worried about chytrid fungus since I have the frogs but from what I've read it sounds like a flat fungus (not wispy) and possibly more white.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That's a new one on me, for sure. I asked about the pH because with a lot of the terrestrial plants that are subject to fungal outbreaks, it is often possible to control the fungi using by spraying with a mix of baking soda and water.. essentially, a slightly alkaline spray.

It does not kill fungi, but it does knock down their fruiting bodies, which prevents reproduction and stops them spreading. As a theory, I realize it's quite a long shot, but I was just wondering, perhaps if your tank was on the acidic side, perhaps making it a bit alkaline would help. It wouldn't have to be an extremely high pH, just not an acidic one. But if your pH is already on the alkaline side, then that's not it. Like I said, it was a theoretical long shot.

Wish I knew more about fungi. I'm desperately allergic to them, so I avoid them like the plague. Don't want to have to break out the Epi pen !


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## CapnCaveman (Jan 2, 2013)

Thanks for all the analysis Fishfur. From looking online I'm almost positive it's saprolegnia. I need to treat one of my female betta's, she has a nick on her side that's turning fuzzy. I think upping the filtration might be a good idea too, along with a real good cleanup of the tank and raising the temp for a little bit.

Oops, forgot how the pH scale works (must be why I dropped my chemistry major oh so long ago). My water tested basic at 7.8. I've read baking soda will only buffer to about 8.2. 

thanks for all the help


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Well, removing as much of the fungus as you can is bound to help, the less reproduction it can manage, the better. 

Do you have any snails in the tank ? Most are very cosmopolitan consumers, I've had them eat white fungi that grew on driftwood, and another type that showed up for awhile on my gravel. 

Might be worth a try along with the other measures you're planning, and not that expensive if you only get one or two. Nerites in particular might be good, and won't reproduce in FW.. though they will lay single eggs on wood, which some don't care to see. Eventually they mostly disappear.

Mystery snails would be another possibility. Since they lay eggs above water, if they do that, it's easily managed by removing the egg mass before it hatches, which takes quite awhile anyway.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

*Hey*

That Temp is really hot that's why the food is turning so fast ,bring it down , hot temps can also cause stress in fish which leads to all kinds of problems . Most freshwater fish do better at 68 to 72. 80 is too hot also fungus grows faster in high temps


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That's one thing to consider.. temperature does affect the growth of many organisms. I'm always fighting to keep temperatures down because the apartment I'm in has heating issues.. for the folks on the north side to be warm, we on the south side tend to cook.. so it's been like, 90 or more here all winter. Hell, in fact.

I don't keep any species that need very warm water, so I aim for around 72 or so. Fans run often, on timers. So far as I know, Plec's don't need temperatures that high, but I know next to nothing about those little frogs. Is it the frog who needs the warmth ?


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