Weird puffy stuff.

[Garrett]

So, the ammonia level's dropped and stayed down in the tank, which is good. On the other hand, over the last night a weird puffy stuff has developed in spots of the tank, enveloping some individual pieces of gravel. I need to emphasize this wasn't in the tank last night when I went to bed. It's not on any of the plants, and the fish don't seem terribly bothered by it, but it's there and, well, wasn't yesterday. It's almost like really thinly spun cotton or something of that nature. What am I looking at, some sort of bacteria, or a mold?

[rich311k]

Sounds like gunk growing on left over peices of food. Just suck them out.

[Northernguy]

It sounds like an algae!
What color?
Have you any pics?
Do you see it here.[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[bushwhacker]

sounds more like a fungus to me try vacuming the gravel more often and feeding less

[Goodbye]

It sounds like an algae!
What color?
Have you any pics?
Do you see it here.[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

I agree. Sounds like algae to me! When was the tank set up?

[Garrett]

Tank's been running a little under a month now, about two weeks with fish. It looks a bit like the staghorn algae, but it's more puffball and less branching. They only get fed twice a day, although I do probably spinkle a little more than strictly neccesary to ensure the frog's getting fed, as the fish gun for his pellets immediately after I sprinkle them in. I'll clean it out and dial back on feeding 'em a bit, see what happens. It's in a couple of isolated spots I can actually pretty much net it all up.

[Northernguy]

If its that easy to clean up it must be fungus covered pellets. It doesn't take long to grow.You may be overfeeding.Its very common.I am guilty too! lol
I do make make up for it with water changes twice a week.
If you are cycling still your ammonia is going to run very high from this.
Until your cycle is complete feed less.I fed every other day until my first tank was fully cycled.

[Garrett]

Yeah, upon inspection it was the frog pellets. I think I got all of 'em, if not they'll become rather more noticeable in the next day or so. My wife thought the frog was cute, so when I noticed that most of the pellets were getting nailed by the tetras on the way down I must've overreacted in some sort of 'Spouse likes one thing in tank, must save at all costs, rargh!' reaction. :shappy: