Java Moss "tendrils"? Edit: Hair Algae, How Do I Get Rid Of

[bachina]

I've recently tied some java moss on to a piece of malaysian wood in my small tank, and it seems to be doing well, but it has these really thin thread-like lines growing up off of the wood. I've never actually grown moss before, so I was wondering if someone could just confirm for me that this is actually what it looks like when its growing....or if I have some sort of algae or fungus in my tank?

Thanks!

--Hans

 

[nero]

Hi Hans,
Im not entirely sure, but the hairs dont look like java moss to me. They could be some kind of hair algae, or maybe somthing thats fallen into the tank and got caught? My java moss grows more steadily, for example, see the little fern looking bits closer to the wood? My java moss just kind of extends them out slowly, it doesnt put out fine long hairs like that. Maybe stick your hand in the tank and try giving one of the hairs a little tug? If it comes off really easily I would suspect it isnt part of the java moss. My java moss is pretty tough and wont just pull cleanly away.

Hope this helps!

Nero

 

[bachina]

Hi Hans,
Im not entirely sure, but the hairs dont look like java moss to me. They could be some kind of hair algae, or maybe somthing thats fallen into the tank and got caught? My java moss grows more steadily, for example, see the little fern looking bits closer to the wood? My java moss just kind of extends them out slowly, it doesnt put out fine long hairs like that. Maybe stick your hand in the tank and try giving one of the hairs a little tug? If it comes off really easily I would suspect it isnt part of the java moss. My java moss is pretty tough and wont just pull cleanly away.

Hope this helps!

Nero

I just tried pulling it off, and its really hard to tell if they just pull off cleanly or not because its so thin. I don't have any of these hair like things anywhere else (i have two java ferns and one anubius nana in the same tank), and I have more java moss in a separate vase with water in it that also has these hair-like things coming from it (granted its filled with the tank water, and came from the same batch of moss).

Keep in mind that this is a newly cycled 4gal tank and nitrates were and still are under 10, so as far as i know, i shouldnt be having an algae problem....right?

--Hans

 

[cheesy feet]

...Its def hair algae to me

 

[cheesy feet]

...Its def hair algae to me

 

[nero]

Hi Hans,
Unfortunatly New tanks can be just as bad with a sudden algal boom as an old tank. Its not all about the nitrates. If you have just cycled and increased fish load phosphates can rise due to feeding. In fact, an algae outbreak after cycling is fairly common. Also, It could be showing only on the java moss because of the structure of the plant. With all the little fernlike bits on it, java moss catches particles and algae much easier than broad leafed plants. And yes, if you transfer water from one tank to another, the algal cells move with it!

According to George Booth:

"Thread algae

Grows in long, thin strands up to 30 cm or more. Tends toward a dull green color (hard to tell because it is so thin). Usually indicates an excess of iron (> 0.15 ppm). Easily removed with a toothbrush like hair algae."

from http/www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm .

Again, im not an expert, but thats not how my java moss grows, so I think it must be somthing else, and my first guess is algae.

Good Luck!
Nero

 

[bachina]

...Its def hair algae to me

Yeah, after a few hours of looking around, I think you're right. There's a ball of it in the pictures I took. Surprisingly, it's only on the java moss and nowhere else.

So, how does one get rid of it? Like i said earlier, I have a spherical 4 gal tank with 2 java ferns, 1 anubius nana, and a bed of java moss, and obviously it's not competing well enough with the algae. I am housing a male betta and 2 whitecloud minnows in there (they seem to be getting along fine, don't worry). The way I understand it from reading the algae thread is that I have planted too many slow-growers and not enough fast growers. Will planting fast growers solve my problem? Where does the algae go when it dies? Are there any "hair" algae eaters that would be compatible with the fish in this tank?

Thanks!

--Hans

 

[bachina]

Hi Hans,
Unfortunatly New tanks can be just as bad with a sudden algal boom as an old tank. Its not all about the nitrates. If you have just cycled and increased fish load phosphates can rise due to feeding. In fact, an algae outbreak after cycling is fairly common. Also, It could be showing only on the java moss because of the structure of the plant. With all the little fernlike bits on it, java moss catches particles and algae much easier than broad leafed plants. And yes, if you transfer water from one tank to another, the algal cells move with it!

According to George Booth:

"Thread algae

Grows in long, thin strands up to 30 cm or more. Tends toward a dull green color (hard to tell because it is so thin). Usually indicates an excess of iron (> 0.15 ppm). Easily removed with a toothbrush like hair algae."

from http/www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm .

Again, im not an expert, but thats not how my java moss grows, so I think it must be somthing else, and my first guess is algae.

Good Luck!
Nero

Yeah, I'm trying to get rid of the easily accessable algae growing up using a toothbrush as suggested, but isnt ripping parts off the algae and possibly spreading it around the tank worse?

thanks for the suggestions!

--Hans

 

[nero]

Yeah, i'm afraid all i can do is welcome you to the world of single celled plant life...

I think the toothbrush suggestion is more for the algae on glass, maybe try pulling it off and removing it from the tank with your fingers. I know its kinda tricky though. I think it would pretty much spread regardless, so you are probably better off pulling it off, even if you cant physically remove all of it from the tank.

As for other ways to combat the algae, read that link I posted, as well as;

-Keep up on your water changes to keep Nitrate/phosphat/iron levels controlled.
-Do try and remove visible algae or badly infested leaves
-Try and increase your plant load maybe
-Be careful with plant fertilisers, you need to balance enough to keep the plants growing strongly to out compete the algae without putting so much in that it makes matters worse.

Try reading up on some of the algae threads (no pun intended) in this forum, most of the suggestions will help.

Nero

 

[bachina]

Yeah, i'm afraid all i can do is welcome you to the world of single celled plant life...

I think the toothbrush suggestion is more for the algae on glass, maybe try pulling it off and removing it from the tank with your fingers. I know its kinda tricky though. I think it would pretty much spread regardless, so you are probably better off pulling it off, even if you cant physically remove all of it from the tank.

As for other ways to combat the algae, read that link I posted, as well as;

-Keep up on your water changes to keep Nitrate/phosphat/iron levels controlled.
-Do try and remove visible algae or badly infested leaves
-Try and increase your plant load maybe
-Be careful with plant fertilisers, you need to balance enough to keep the plants growing strongly to out compete the algae without putting so much in that it makes matters worse.

Try reading up on some of the algae threads (no pun intended) in this forum, most of the suggestions will help.

Nero

Well, i'll keep an eye on the algae growth and remove when possible. I've also added 2 of the fast-growers listed in the algae control thread to the tank (and as a side effect, the betta seems to be liking the foliage a lot!) so hopefully that will outcompete the algae for nutrients. Thanks!

--Hans

 

[three-fingers]

I have the same problem with my java moss, its impossible to pick it all off, so I'm going to buy a load of amano shrimp next time the lfs gets some in .
Those guys love thread/hair algae. They will eat any algae they can pick off.

 

[bachina]

It seems my algae problem is under control, but i do see some build up on the glass and some on the broader leafed plants. Is some amount of algae normal and nothing to be worried about?

--Hans

 

[cheesy feet]

I left my tank for about 1 months and it started to grow like 2 cm strands all over.Just had to spend hours distinguishing between moss and algae then picking it out

 

[bachina]

Update on this problem: Amano shrimp are awesome. I got 3 for my small tank and they just pick the algae off out of the java moss. After 2 days the moss looks so much more healthy and green, and seems to be growing a lot better!
the shrimp leave a lot of waste though....but the fact that their poo is easier to clean up than the algae, ill take the shrimp any day!