Is cyanobacteria harmful to fish?

[gale]

My 10g has a minor outbreak of it, nothing like some of the pictures posted here. I have 4 pristella tetras in it and 2 in my 20 that I was planning to move to the 10g. I would like to get them moved over but didn't know if the cyanobacteria would be harmful to them since they aren't "used" to it.

 

[catfishfan]

I do know that when cyanobacteria breaks out in ponds, like the ones beside the highway, the ones that look greenish blue, fish can't inhabit the water. As far as an aquarium, the only thing blue green algae does is out compete EVERYTHING for oxygen. Probably ok in moderate amounts.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

If BGA was harmful to fish, my lot would have been dead long ago!

WK

 

[gale]

As far as an aquarium, the only thing blue green algae does is out compete EVERYTHING for oxygen. Probably ok in moderate amounts.

That's interesting. Should I add air to the tank? There's a HOB filter on it but no airstone or anything. I have an airstone and a pump but I turned it off because it was so loud. But I could run it at least part of the time.

eta: thanks to both of you. I'm going to go ahead and move them tomorrow-it's just that the 2 in the big tank look kind of lonely and I think they might be happier with the other 4.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Although cyano are bacterial in nature they photosynthesise. They PRODUCE oxygen. A few hours after lights on my BGA is covered in oxygen bubbles. Treat it like a plant and you wont go far wrong.

WK

P.S.
I think the reason that it kills fish in the wild is that it forms a barrier on the surface of the water preventing gaseous exchange. It's this that suffocates the fish, not BGA removing oxygen.

 

[iggy01]

It's always been my understanding that certain species of cyanobacteria are poisonous and so I treat it as such. It's always good policy to give your hands a good wash after touching it Cyanobacteria Poisoning

 

[catfishfan]

I had a lab on photosythetic bacteria in college, but hmmm I dont know, they sound harmless enough. but i always wash up after handling any kind of bacteria

 

[catfishfan]

very interesting article. I dont know how life sustained this long on earth. cyanobacteria was one of the first prokaryotic organisms dating to hmmm 3.5 billions years??? Wonder what makes some forms toxic and some not

 

[iggy01]

very interesting article. I dont know how life sustained this long on earth. cyanobacteria was one of the first prokaryotic organisms dating to hmmm 3.5 billions years??? Wonder what makes some forms toxic and some not

I don't know Catfishfan I wasn't much of a scientist at school. I'm just going off several articles I have read in the past. But for now, I will bow to your greater knowledge of the subject.

 

[catfishfan]

I just remember vague details on the subject

I am an aspiring molecular biologist, but we didnt do alot on algae, so Im pretty new to the subject .........still very interesting though

 

[Great Lakes]

I am an aspiring molecular biologist

What a small field of interest...

GL

 

[gale]

It's always been my understanding that certain species of cyanobacteria are poisonous and so I treat it as such. It's always good policy to give your hands a good wash after touching it Cyanobacteria Poisoning

I wash my hands every time I put them in the tank or touch anything that's been in there. However water splashes and germs get spread but so far we're ok so I guess in tiny amounts it's probably safe enough. Plus the bacteria probably die when they're dry. Interesting read though.

 

[chrissaysyes]

It's always been my understanding that certain species of cyanobacteria are poisonous and so I treat it as such. It's always good policy to give your hands a good wash after touching it Cyanobacteria Poisoning

I wash my hands every time I put them in the tank or touch anything that's been in there. However water splashes and germs get spread but so far we're ok so I guess in tiny amounts it's probably safe enough. Plus the bacteria probably die when they're dry. Interesting read though.

One of those reads that spooks me out of working on my tank for a couple of days