# Floating fuzzy stuff



## LexiBadger (Oct 19, 2010)

I bought some java moss from Big Al's a little while ago and after I put it in my tank I started getting these white fuzzy floating puffballs. I _thought_ I rinsed the moss really well and removed the dead bits (granted it was half dead so there was a LOT of dead bits to remove) but apparently I didn't do a good enough job. Is it possible that the moss I bought introduced fungus to my tank?

I ended up taking the moss out and getting rid of it and I've been trying to siphon out the fuzzy crap. My filter isn't getting rid of it and siphoning it out isn't really working as well as I'd like, thought it is better than before. I'm kind of afraid to medicate because I don't really know what I'm dealing with here and my last remaining swordtail just crapped out a bunch of babies while I was at work this morning.

I'm not sure if this is related but I'm assuming it is, during this time my male swordtail ended up with a big fuzzy ball of fluff stuck to the base of his tail. I didn't notice right away because we've been dealing with a family emergency and spent the better part of two full days with no sleep running back and forth to the hospital. Shortly after we noticed the fuzz it had fallen off but left behind a lumpy spot at the base of his tail. I removed him to a make-shift hospital tank (5 gallon rectangular bucket with a heater and filter) so I could keep an eye on him and try to figure out wtf was wrong but after a couple days he died and his tail was pretty much gone.

I feel like such a horrible fish mom right now. Just a few moments ago I noticed one of my corycats flash a couple times against the sand. 

If this helps:
Amonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 5
Ph - around 7.6 or 7.8

-29 gal tank
-Tetra Whisper Ex 30 filter (I don't like it but it came with the tank)
-My last water change was 30% on Sunday and I do water changes once a week


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## PanzerFodder (Oct 15, 2010)

A large WC may help with the fuzzy stuff!, I would try doing a couple of 50% WC's over the next week to see if that help a bit?.

I have a few corys and use this site a lot to find out stuff about them http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6&sid=e85f04922eb037675ab7dc3ef02b8368 join the forum and ask a few Questions, I am sure you will get a some usefull answers there.

Cheer's...PanzerFodder...


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

I suspect these floating fuzz things are rotting food -- be very careful not to feed more than the fish will eat in a few minutes. As for the fungus infection on the swordtail, this and various finrots are usually due to bad water quality (dirty water).


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

Edit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## PanzerFodder (Oct 15, 2010)

Do you ever feed frozen foods?

If you melt it in a cup with some hot water first, then take it out with your fingers to drop in the tank, it will stop some of the other crap that is frozen with the food from getting in to the tank.


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## LexiBadger (Oct 19, 2010)

K, I did a big 50-60% water change and I think I'm going to start doing two smaller changes per week to see if that helps. My female swordtail is a huge poop machine, could it be hidden poop not being sucked up during WCs causing the fuzzies? 

I had no idea that tail rot could look fuzzy like that. One of my coworkers suggested that it was tail rot too. I wish I had taken pictures of it when I had the chance.

About the cories flashing, turns out I'm just a spaz. I've been watching them like a hawk and haven't seen anymore scratching at all. No one has any clamped fins or missing barbels or anything else weird like that, soooo... I think I'll just go ahead and calm down now. 

I haven't fed these guys any frozen foods so far but that's the way I did it when I had bloodworms for my betta.  Hmmm, though now that I think about it the shrimp pellets that I have disintegrate pretty fast and the bits get knocked around the tank, I bet that's what it is. Erg.

Thank you for the link, PanzerFodder! The cories are the main reason I wanted a tank to begin with so that'll probably be handy.


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