# Algae on floater roots?



## charms (Jan 8, 2012)

I have what I think are little frogbit floater in my 10g tank. They reproduce like crazy!! I'm noticing the roots are getting this brownish gummy looking stuff om them. Is it algae? What can I do to stop it? I like the floaters but their kinda looking gross.
Tank inhabitants are an apple snail, 2 otos and a betta fish. Hopefully you can see what I'm talking about in the pics. 
Full tank shot. 








Floater roots 

























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## chomper149 (Dec 16, 2011)

im thinking possibly snail eggs. My pennworts at time get them and i just throw them out. Im not 100% sure what they are, but i always assume sail egg sacs.


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Eww! 

Ha. I feel like the roots grew, put out smaller, finer roots, and they collected garbage floating in the water column.


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## charms (Jan 8, 2012)

There is only 1 huge apple snail in there and he's never laid any eggs. If he did (he is a boy in my head, lol) lay eggs the sack would be above the water. 

They don't seem to have really long roots. These are as big as they get. 
Picking up garbage from the water column is a valid point. Could I do anything to 'clean it up'? I like the floaters but not if their gonna constantly have dirty roots. Lol 

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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Well if I'm right (which is just an assumption, but mine did the same thing after being in a tank for a while) you could try cleaning them,? Does it get better if you touch them? Does debris scatter if you make contact with the roots


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## charms (Jan 8, 2012)

Nope. Its almost like a fuzz that's on the roots. That's why I thought maybe it was some type of algae... I just cleared almost the whole lot of them last week cause I couldn't stand looking at them anymore. Pissed my betta off too.. I kept the cleanest few and now all the new is starting to grow the fuzz.. I did try cleaning a few off but the roots broke off before anything actually came off the root. 

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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Well shoot; I don't know then. Maybe it's just the finer subroots. I don't know!


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## charms (Jan 8, 2012)

Well that's not helpful!! Thanks for trying tho!! Maybe someone else will have some ideas. 

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## CytoEric (Apr 14, 2012)

I always assumed it was just floating debris getting caught in the roots too. Mine get it and it is unsightly, but I just ignore it lol. I haven't noticed it affecting the growth of the plants so far...

I just tried gently swishing some of my frogbit back and forth and up and down in the water, and some of it came falling out, so I bet that is what it is...


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## jennesque (May 10, 2012)

Is it diatoms? How mature is the tank?


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## charms (Jan 8, 2012)

Tank has been set up for about 8m now. I did a major redecoration about 3 months ago. 

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