The Puffer Forum

two small reddish patches seemed to have formed on the side of my tank
As well as a coating on an airline tube leading to a venturi
I have recently introduced java moss to the tank
My ammonia and nitrite levels are 0

Could this be red algae?

If it is, what should i do? (Baring in mind that i don't give a crap what my tank looks like, I only care that it functions well.)

Yep--Cynobacteria. Sounds like just a little, wipe off or use a toothbrush.

I understand it consumes nitrates. Could it be beneficial to let it grow and maintain it like any other plant?

No

Why do you think that?

Cyanobacteria can be toxic, particularly when it dies off. NTM it takes away from a tanks aesthetic appeal. Wildlife, and even peoples dogs have died after ingesting cyanobacteria that have washed up at the beach. Also if given opportunity it would starve tanks of oxygen if it overgrows (possibly, idk it's small-scaled applications, it does happen in large bodies of water however, causing massive fish die-offs).

It will take over every inch of your tank.

Nice one, thanks!
I will definitely get rid of it for now and at least until I find some good studies and papers about it.
The aesthetic appeal isn't an issue to me

Definately worth getting rid of before it takes hold and becomes a nuisance

Cyanobacteria are not always a death sentence, but I would not want it well established in my tank(s). There are biofilm and there are other biofilms. This is one that is generally tossed in "other" category and eradicated for safety's sake. It is biologically one of the "better" biofilms - meaning not better for your tank, but more effective and much harder to get rid of when it has established. Getting rid of it while it is small scale is many times easier than after it has tanen over the tank. Part of being biologically "better" is that it commonly incorporates multiple species (not all cyanobacteria) which complement eash other in function and once well-eatablished can be very difficult to eradicate. Water within the biofilm may no longer exchange with the tank water beyond it, which means it is effectively operating independently of the tank water - which is a scary situation. Get rid of it as carefully and as well as possible. Try to get all that you can see out of the tank. If left-overs appear, get them out on a priority basis. Like PP and others, I have learned the bad lessons with this stuff - it can wipe ot a tank. Then it can sit there indefinitely w/o feeding or water changess. Potentially scary stuff - wipe-outs are not fun for anybody.

What you have may be relatively harmless, but it also may not be. For me this a snap-to-it alarm bell. These multi-species biofilms are the stuff of sci-fi, right in own fishtank.

FYI, many cases of this stuff start in near-static water conditions. Check out the current/circulation in the set-up. If there are dead spots they are ideal homes for cynobacteria.

HTH

Thanks RTR!!

I've had a cyanobacteria explosion that I couldn't control wipe out my entire tank. Hit it now and hit it hard.

Sorry to hear that, man. Thanks for the heads up!

Just out of curiosity, did you find out what it was about the bacteria that wiped out your tank? E.g. ammonia? Lack of oxygen? pH?

Lack of oxygen; combined with inadequate water movement.

BedScien wrote:Sorry to hear that, man. Thanks for the heads up!

Just out of curiosity, did you find out what it was about the bacteria that wiped out your tank? E.g. ammonia? Lack of oxygen? pH?