Is Hair Algae Deadly

[bivalvelover]

Title is my question. I had a sudden boom of hair algae- I believe due to lighting changes. Will my tank be okay until tomorrow to get some kind of clean up crew? I completely forgot about that >_>
I have 5 young Cory’s and a handful of freshwater mussels. I’m just getting back into the hobby and I’ve never experienced this before. When I came home I was quite panicked that there was somehow mold everywhere.

 

[Byron]

First thing I consider worth knowing is that there are basically two types of "algae," one being the common green that occurs on all surfaces in the biofilm and which we often do not even see, and includes diatoms. The other type is what I term "problem algae." Two quite different things, and different methods are needed to resolve the latter.

Problem algae is not likely to be eaten by any fish. Snails may (but slowly), shrimp sometimes. But any fish that might eat problem algae is usually not suited to most home aquariums.

The other thing is live plants. In planted tanks, it is crucial to keep problem algae under control. It can smother plant leaves, killing the plant in time. It is not particularly harmful to fish, though the situation may be due to deteriorating water quality and this obviously will be in time. In a tank without live plants, you are best to let it be. It is doing what all plants do, using nutrients in the presence of light, and oxygen is produced as a result. Not harmful in itself.

Assuming this is a planted tank, you need to establish or re-establish the light/nutrient balance. Which brings me to your new light...what you have seen is common when light is changed. I have noticed just changing the tube will affect things, usually increased plant growth which obviously starves problem algae more. I have seen algae begin to increase when I neglect to change the tube within 12 months. Sometimes the balance can be pernikity.

If you do have plants, I can take a look at what might be out if you provide some data. Light type, spectrum, duration; any plant fertilizers/additives. Also a photo of the tank so I can see the plants will help.

 

[bivalvelover]

First thing I consider worth knowing is that there are basically two types of "algae," one being the common green that occurs on all surfaces in the biofilm and which we often do not even see, and includes diatoms. The other type is what I term "problem algae." Two quite different things, and different methods are needed to resolve the latter.

Problem algae is not likely to be eaten by any fish. Snails may (but slowly), shrimp sometimes. But any fish that might eat problem algae is usually not suited to most home aquariums.

The other thing is live plants. In planted tanks, it is crucial to keep problem algae under control. It can smother plant leaves, killing the plant in time. It is not particularly harmful to fish, though the situation may be due to deteriorating water quality and this obviously will be in time. In a tank without live plants, you are best to let it be. It is doing what all plants do, using nutrients in the presence of light, and oxygen is produced as a result. Not harmful in itself.

Assuming this is a planted tank, you need to establish or re-establish the light/nutrient balance. Which brings me to your new light...what you have seen is common when light is changed. I have noticed just changing the tube will affect things, usually increased plant growth which obviously starves problem algae more. I have seen algae begin to increase when I neglect to change the tube within 12 months. Sometimes the balance can be pernikity.

If you do have plants, I can take a look at what might be out if you provide some data. Light type, spectrum, duration; any plant fertilizers/additives. Also a photo of the tank so I can see the plants will help.

Thanks!. Unfortunately it is not green, it’s white.

Irs mainly on the substrate, but there is some on the plants (hornwort) and on my mussels! I’m so worried it’ll start killing them or my hornwort before I can tackle this problem.
Please note my tank is not filthy I just have terrible (sun based) lighting. The tank is fairly barren as I’m working on getting this bit of driftwood to waterlog. And I do have a snail!

 

[bivalvelover]

I’ve seen people mention scrubbing with toothbrushes or doing water changes. Should I? It’s a very new tank (set up on Saturday) and I’ve been agonizing about stressing out the animals.

Is this “problem” algae? If so are there abt Swanee that could be viable? I’m willing to get shrimp, or more snails- really anything! I like having the overhead light on the tank but to try and slow the bloom I’ve shut it off

 

[Byron]

Algae is not white, and I cannot see much from the photos. This could be fungus from something, likely the wood maybe. It may be algae and seem to be white, but algae is photosynthetic.

 

[bivalvelover]

Algae is not white, and I cannot see much from the photos. This could be fungus from something, likely the wood maybe. It may be algae and seem to be white, but algae is photosynthetic.

Oh okay! Sorry, I was seeing a lot of conflicting things. It just suddenly bloomed up today- I didn’t notice it this morning when I left. I put the wood in on Saturday. The light was first turned on Sunday evening, and my father turned it on this morning as well. Is this threatening as a fungus, then? What should I be doing?

 

[Liam]

If you have just set up the tank it won’t be ready for animals yet. It may be fungus but some algae can look white, if it is very easily broken and soft it may be fungus if you can wrap it around a toothbrush and pull it out it is probably algae. You can limit your lighting period to 8 hours or less and do a water change removing as much of the ‘hair’ as possible. If it’s algae it won’t do any harm to fish. If the tank is new check out cycling a new tank.

 

[bivalvelover]

If you have just set up the tank it won’t be ready for animals yet. It may be fungus but some algae can look white, if it is very easily broken and soft it may be fungus if you can wrap it around a toothbrush and pull it out it is probably algae. You can limit your lighting period to 8 hours or less and do a water change removing as much of the ‘hair’ as possible. If it’s algae it won’t do any harm to fish. If the tank is new check out cycling a new tank.

Noted! I’ll pull some out and see. Your desc was really helpful! Unfortunately the ‘hair’ is really all e the bottom of the tank .

If it is algae will it be edible to things like shrimp?

 

[Endlersendlers]

I’ve read on here that shrimp will eat hair algae.

 

[Byron]

Oh okay! Sorry, I was seeing a lot of conflicting things. It just suddenly bloomed up today- I didn’t notice it this morning when I left. I put the wood in on Saturday. The light was first turned on Sunday evening, and my father turned it on this morning as well. Is this threatening as a fungus, then? What should I be doing?

If it appeared this rapidly, it is much more likely to be some sort of fungus. I really cannot tell from photos, but it is worth keeping in mind. Most fungus from wood is harmless, but not all. And there is no way to tell aside from a microbiologist examining it. Fish will react to the toxic fungus, in my experience showing lethargy, very increased respiration, sometimes remaining close to the surface for oxygen.

On the light, a timer is a good idea. If you have live plants, you need to keep the light/nutrient balance, and one way to achieve this is with a time so the light is on for the same period each day. It can be at any time, so have it on when you are normally there to enjoy the aquarium. I would not go over eight hours.

One of the real problems with this hobby is the plethora of inaccurate, misleading, questionable information. When I started out in this hobby we had books and a cople magazines, and what we read was factual or at least intelligent. Now any half-wit can set up a web page and become an "expert." I never accept anything online unless I have some knowledge either personally or by research in the knowledge of the individual himself/herself.

 

[bivalvelover]

If it appeared this rapidly, it is much more likely to be some sort of fungus. I really cannot tell from photos, but it is worth keeping in mind. Most fungus from wood is harmless, but not all. And there is no way to tell aside from a microbiologist examining it. Fish will react to the toxic fungus, in my experience showing lethargy, very increased respiration, sometimes remaining close to the surface for oxygen.

On the light, a timer is a good idea. If you have live plants, you need to keep the light/nutrient balance, and one way to achieve this is with a time so the light is on for the same period each day. It can be at any time, so have it on when you are normally there to enjoy the aquarium. I would not go over eight hours.

One of the real problems with this hobby is the plethora of inaccurate, misleading, questionable information. When I started out in this hobby we had books and a cople magazines, and what we read was factual or at least intelligent. Now any half-wit can set up a web page and become an "expert." I never accept anything online unless I have some knowledge either personally or by research in the knowledge of the individual himself/herself.

Thank you!! There’s just so much back and forth it’s overwhelming when I just want to make sure my new pets are okay

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I suspect you have "driftwood snot," a living, white goo that tends to appear on driftwood and sometimes spread to other parts of the tank. It is usually harmless and disappears over time. Remove as much as you can manually (I find a small bottle brush works well), and do a 50% water change every couple days or so. I would advise not adding any more animals until it clears up.

How big is your tank and what kind of filter are you using?