Fish Pecking Something White Off The Glass.

I've read about so many different possibilities of what it could be, but I'm still not sure.
Are they algae? Worms? Calcium deposits?
My red swordtail loves them and I suspect that's why the catfish is running his nose over the walls like that as well. Where the fish have been with their mouths, the glass seems clean.
This has been over the aquarium for about two weeks but I don't know if I should scrape it or leave it. It's slimy to the touch too and I presume it's all over the aquarium including the filter, as everything's slimy.

Also, the same swordtail poos somewhat white when eating that stuff while making black poop when eating bloodworms.

Can you get a decent photo and post it? Are you saying that you've seen worms?

Prime Ordeal said:

Can you get a decent photo and post it? Are you saying that you've seen worms?

Click to expand...

The photo won't show it, it's so hard to spot as it's very transparent, only when the light goes through it appears like a very faint film.

I haven't seen any worms, that's what other people suppose that white stuff is, but I don't have a microscope to check. I can only describe it as a very faint white slime covering the walls and it's not obvious on filter, but the filter is slimy to touch and the same fish and the catfish often eat it off the filter's case as well.

Do you find it 'moves' in the current of your filter outlet? i only ask as i suffer with something similiar in the days leading upto my weekly water changes, i can only presume the build of NitrAtes are feeding whatever it/they are. My little issue doesn't do any harm, i verify this by regular water tests, then i simply use my extended sponge and arm scraper and get rid of it into the tank.

Terry.

The Taffy Apple said:

Do you find it 'moves' in the current of your filter outlet? i only ask as i suffer with something similiar in the days leading upto my weekly water changes, i can only presume the build of NitrAtes are feeding whatever it/they are. My little issue doesn't do any harm, i verify this by regular water tests, then i simply use my extended sponge and arm scraper and get rid of it into the tank.

Terry.

Click to expand...

Nope, imagine algae on glass, only that it's all white and barely noticeable. It can be seen the best when sun shines through the glass. It's like the glass is foggy but only when you are not looking from the same wall. The water seems clear so the white stuff isn't floating in the water, it's just sticking to my walls and it's not mobile.
On the filter I cannot see it, but I can feel it and my fish certainly know it's there, as they keep eating it.

My tank is most likely still uncycled as I haven't got a declorinator or a test kit yet and I only leave water overnight and used to do water changes daily but now I can't (will have to wait for like 2 days due to my mom telling me to stop doing it so frequent). Even with the water changes, the thing was still on the wall. It's been at least 2 weeks since this thing was there, but now 2 of my 3 fish are frantically eating that stuff.

In all seriousness, if your mom is stopping you from doing water changes on a frequent basis, maybe tropical fishkeeping is not the hobby for you. Gerbils are nice, from what i hear.

Terry.

The Taffy Apple said:

In all seriousness, if your mom is stopping you from doing water changes on a frequent basis, maybe tropical fishkeeping is not the hobby for you. Gerbils are nice, from what i hear.

Terry.

Click to expand...

She hates any rodents. She won't let me keep cats anymore either. I'd have to give up keeping pets altogether for many years.
I hope I can get a bigger aquarium soon. I had no idea it would be like this after so many years. I used to change water once a week before but now that I've read about what to do and started doing as told, she's like "Those fish don't need daily water changes." "I left them for months without food and didn't change the water and had no filter." and other such things that she says.

FishBlast said:

The Taffy Apple said:

In all seriousness, if your mom is stopping you from doing water changes on a frequent basis, maybe tropical fishkeeping is not the hobby for you. Gerbils are nice, from what i hear.

Terry.

Click to expand...

She hates any rodents. She won't let me keep cats anymore either. I'd have to give up keeping pets altogether for many years.
I hope I can get a bigger aquarium soon. I had no idea it would be like this after so many years. I used to change water once a week before but now that I've read about what to do and started doing as told, she's like "Those fish don't need daily water changes." "I left them for months without food and didn't change the water and had no filter." and other such things that she says.

Click to expand...

LOL! She reminds me of my old gran (she's gone now bless her). She used to regale us with stories from the war years and she always used to come out with lines like "if you couldn't survive on a mouldy cabbage leaf, some pig tail and a bit of sawdust, you weren't fit to be called British". Ah those were the days.

Prime Ordeal said:

FishBlast said:

The Taffy Apple said:

In all seriousness, if your mom is stopping you from doing water changes on a frequent basis, maybe tropical fishkeeping is not the hobby for you. Gerbils are nice, from what i hear.

Terry.

Click to expand...

She hates any rodents. She won't let me keep cats anymore either. I'd have to give up keeping pets altogether for many years.
I hope I can get a bigger aquarium soon. I had no idea it would be like this after so many years. I used to change water once a week before but now that I've read about what to do and started doing as told, she's like "Those fish don't need daily water changes." "I left them for months without food and didn't change the water and had no filter." and other such things that she says.

Click to expand...

LOL! She reminds me of my old gran (she's gone now bless her). She used to regale us with stories from the war years and she always used to come out with lines like "if you couldn't survive on a mouldy cabbage leaf, some pig tail and a bit of sawdust, you weren't fit to be called British". Ah those were the days.

Click to expand...

Yeah, my mom and my grandma are the same. They tell me about their past and how they do things the old way. But mom makes me want to cry sometimes T_T unlike grandma who believes most of the stuff as she's intrigued by technology.
My mother would prefer the broom to the vacuum cleaner.

Another thing that annoys me: my mother asks me why did I get the filter for as it's wasting electricity and not stopping me from water changing (I did 80% water changes daily but I skipped one day so far and fed way less, might even reduce feeding to once before water change until I upgrade the tank).
I told her about the nitrogen cycle and she was looking at me like I was speaking Chinese. Then she said I'm crazy. I even offered to show her a page that she can understand... failed, she used the argument with "Water bill will be too high." -.- I will pay that when I get paid, but I keep asking myself WHEN. I've fixed some computers and I'm still waiting for payment for most of them. I'm beginning to think that I'll get tricked big time, but it's the only job I can take.

I'm even pondering on giving away my newt, as at least that one might have a chance at getting a slightly bigger home. But to who? That is the question.

Now my other swordtail started eating off the walls as well. This is really odd. They're crazy about what ever that thing is.

FishBlast said:

Now my other swordtail started eating off the walls as well. This is really odd. They're crazy about what ever that thing is.

Click to expand...

Consider it free food, like an automatic feeder of sorts.

How big is your tank and why is it taking so long to cycle?

Ruskull said:

FishBlast said:

Now my other swordtail started eating off the walls as well. This is really odd. They're crazy about what ever that thing is.

Click to expand...

Consider it free food, like an automatic feeder of sorts.

How big is your tank and why is it taking so long to cycle?

Click to expand...

Not very big (23L), this is why I am saying it may never cycle nor is it worth cycling and without a dechlorinator I'm not sure if I have even the slightest chance of accidentally doing that. I'm more like trying to keep the fish alive till I get a bigger (at least 52L) one soon (hoping next week I get the money). I'd go for a 64L if funds will be enough (aquariums here are expensive, even without anything in them).
I've had a bigger tank before, but due to a crack in it, I cannot put the fish in that one with the risk of it spilling water. I don't even know its exact capacity since it's in the attic, but I'd say it was a 50L or so, maybe bigger.

And they're probably going for it because I'm feeding them much less than before due to the aforementioned problem and to keep ammonia as low as I can till next water change (though I hate having to do this, but with mom saying she'd love to see them die so that she can get rid of them... I guess that's what she's aiming for. She takes no part in ANYTHING besides allowing them in the house, doesn't feed them, doesn't maintain their tank.)

I managed to take a few snapshots when the light passed through. It's that white stuff on the wall and floor. Swordtails pecking it and the catfish sucking it off the walls in last pic.

Please don't think this is as a personal attack in any way, shape or form, but those poor little fish must be stressed out beyond belief..no substrate, no plant/cover, no filter, constantly taking them out to change the water... is there anyway you can re-home them until you have the time/funds/availability to look after even the most basic of tanks in the correct manner?

Terry.

The Taffy Apple said:

Please don't think this is as a personal attack in any way, shape or form, but those poor little fish must be stressed out beyond belief..no substrate, no plant/cover, no filter, constantly taking them out to change the water... is there anyway you can re-home them until you have the time/funds/availability to look after even the most basic of tanks in the correct manner?

Terry.

Click to expand...

I didn't take them out to change it, lately I've been doing partial (80%) water changes daily until now when it's been 2 days since I've done the change.
Filter is there but I doubt that it has cycled. It's only been 3 weeks or so.

If it were that easy, but nobody that I know has big aquariums around my area. There's no one I can trust that will even bother to take proper care of them, sure there would be many who would just give them the same thing, as this is how things are around here, some don't even use filters. And if there would be a pet hotel, I'd still need to pay something so they'd take care of them.

What I'm hoping to get is a 64L with some Elodea plants, a black rocky substrate that I could pick easily out of there if I need to wash them without having to take the fish out, dechlorinator and a kit to test the water. Should be around 30 dollars for the conditioner/kit and probably 40 dollars for a 64L tank (at least online that's what they sell for, I hope the shop sells for less...)
In worst case, I'll have to spend all money on just new tank and dechlorinator and worry about substrate / plants later.

I'm gonna back out of this thread now.. but i sincerely wish you all the very best in keeping your fish alive.

Terry.