# Odd white fungus



## Witchydesign (Apr 1, 2014)

I mostly troll this forum, finding most of my questions already answered so dont bring up my own topics but i recently ran into an issue i cant seem to resolve. I have a 20gal low tech tank, i would say its low to moderately planted in comparison to most on here. Recently i bought a pack of plant bulbs and unfortunately they brought a visitor. White fungus. Its very quickly infesting my tank. its growing across the substrate, up the plants, even on and inside the ramshorns shells. i had to remove all of the snails to a qt, which sounds hard but all had moved to the waterline. So far ive been doing a daily manual removal, the baby BN wont touch it either. All of my subwassertang from that tank turned into whitefluffy balls of gross, so it was removed. 

Now im sure your first idea is spoiled food? Never had it as a problem, i rarely overfeed and i -had- a healthy snail population that took care of what little did notget eaten. Also since the grossness started ive been cleaning daily, removing anything uneaten and removing any fungus i can. 

Water parameters have stayed on track, no ammonia, no nitrites and around 10-15 on nitrates. 

My concern is am i going to have to do a full breakdown? Nothing eats it and unfortunately some of my plants (amazon swords, apongetans,dwarf sag and even my java ferns) are starting to brown. my wistera is fine, except where the fungus is those leaves are just dropping. A few others are still fine, my banana plant for instance is darn near radioactive and never stops growing. 

Fish are fine. So far. 

Im going to attempt to take a picture and add it, my phone isnt very cooperative. before anything is said i left the dropped leaves in today so you can see how many Ive lost since yesterday morning.




















Sorry cheap phone, camera quality is lacking. Any ideas because most of what ive foubd says my Bn will eat it, which he wont, and the snails wouldnt touch it at all.


----------



## Witchydesign (Apr 1, 2014)

No ideas? um.. well i suppose a breakdown is in order.


----------



## Clear Water (Sep 20, 2014)

Could it be old leave that are starting to rot away? My sword leaves do that.


----------



## Joe Fish (Dec 12, 2013)

I've been battling something similar in a non planted tank with goldfish. It's kind of slimy and coats the substrate. I've been doing water changes every other day and haven't seen it come back in about a week. It vacuums up as a clump, so I haven't had a problem removing it.


----------



## Witchydesign (Apr 1, 2014)

No ive been pretty diligent about removing dead or melting leaves. My wisteria seems to be melting wherever this is touching. I removed about half the plants, rinsed and wiped off all the gunk on them which has helped a little. All the bulbs were taken out, two tossed completely. it was just starting to look pretty 😢 

Mine sticks to the substrate and wont siphon up. ive had to just get small cupsand pull it out. but i have the fine black activ flora not gravel.


----------



## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

Do this stuff look like clear snot? Or clear snot with white roots?


----------



## Witchydesign (Apr 1, 2014)

like white snot. milky white snot that slowly turns grey when left in the tank. when removed it feels rough like hair.


----------



## Witchydesign (Apr 1, 2014)

It doesnt matter anymore, i did a water change yesterday and tonight noticed a fish with white mouth fuzz. two started to saddle in front of me. so not caring about the snot anymore, im in full scale battle columnaris mode.


----------



## Witchydesign (Apr 1, 2014)

Soo lucky me, the fungus was actually a strain of columnaris!!! Yay!! Sigh. Wonderful right? Anyways my newest question would be since ive had to completely tear downthe tank, how would you handle the substrate? I was thinking of laying it out and letting it dry out completely for a few days then rinsing like mad and using it to cap the dirt im going to redo the substrate it. Would that be ok or should i just toss it?


----------

