some sort of growth/algae?

[etspam]

Hi all-

I've noticed in my son's tank that he has some sort of growth in the gravel. It kind of looks like brown cotton candy? Pictures attached. Is this algae or something else? I can suck it up when I do cleaning/water changes, but sometimes it clumps the gravel together into a mass, which makes it too heavy and prevents it from being sucked up. I end up having to pull it out by hand.

ET

 

[dougall]

It looks like a type of harmless fungus or biofilm to me.

It's not really a problem outside of being kind of unsightly.. and can be common with new setups or setups that have something new (especially organic) added to them.

Or it can be the result of overfeeding.

I would take care toward how much you are feeding fish, especially where they eat in the water vs the type of food (like I wouldn't use sinking pellets so much for a fish that eats more toward the top of the aquarium)

Depending on the size of the aquarium and what is currently stocked in there, you might be able to add a fish or invertebrate to help keep this clean too

 

[etspam]

Thanks for the reply. This is an old tank, been setup for 4 yrs? It has two angelfish in it. Might be a result of overfeeding, though this has only popped up in the last few months. I had to do a major cleaning to remove it previously, but it's slowly creeping back.

I have RCS, but the angelfish are aggressive, so can't keep them in there. I guess I'll have son cut back on amount of feeding. and try to clean more.

 

[dougall]

Feeding is going to be my best guess then.

Another thing to think about would be substrate, the surface of your gravel is kind of rough, maybe something smoother would not hold onto it so tightly, maybe like pea gravel or something like that?

And I would never put any sort of shrimp in with angels.. maybe a snail might work?

Good luck though!

 

[FishAddict74]

Hi all-

I've noticed in my son's tank that he has some sort of growth in the gravel. It kind of looks like brown cotton candy? Pictures attached. Is this algae or something else? I can suck it up when I do cleaning/water changes, but sometimes it clumps the gravel together into a mass, which makes it too heavy and prevents it from being sucked up. I end up having to pull it out by hand.

ET

View attachment 233587

View attachment 233588

Looks like cyano to me

 

[AQQA Aquarium]

That looks like classic brown diatom algae. Super common in tanks <3 months old from silicates in tap water/substrate. Harmless to fish but ugly.

You can:
- Vacuum gravel weekly during 25-50% water changes (sucks it out best).
- Add nerite snails or otos—they devour it.
- Fast plants like java moss/hornwort outcompete it long-term.

 

[FishAddict74]

That looks like classic brown diatom algae. Super common in tanks <3 months old from silicates in tap water/substrate. Harmless to fish but ugly.

You can:
- Vacuum gravel weekly during 25-50% water changes (sucks it out best).
- Add nerite snails or otos—they devour it.
- Fast plants like java moss/hornwort outcompete it long-term.

Water changes can make it worse if the silicates are in the tap, I think you’re spot on with out competing it with plants etc…
Or turn the lights out when not viewing, that’s what I do with my FOWLR.