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Large white spot on head

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Pennyangus

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Hi all

Fairly new to fish keeping. Had a little hobby tank for a year and ender up getting a bigger one about 6 months ago and my 2 platy fish had babies. The babies are growing up but noticed one of them has got a large white spot it's head. We had white spot a few months ago but they were small white spots this is a large spot? Does anyone know what it is and how I can treat it. Really worried as it's quite big but never noticed it 🤷 so must be fairly new.


In addition to this anyone know what I can do with the babies once fully grown asked at pet shops and they said they won't take them.
 
VideoCapture_20230806-192701.jpg
 
Just to get things started… please post a picture of the spot in question and provide your water parameters. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, etc…
 
Hi I tried to add a video but don't think it loaded I've tried to attach the picture. I don't have my water levels but aim to do them soon as possible
 
After doing research it looks like fungus this is due to poor water quality. The tank gets a good clean weekly, substrate clear, and around 40% water is removed. We have a fluval filter and the filter sponges get renewed when recommend to do so. I admin to missing a week due to a busy household about 3 weeks ago but everything has been fine since. I currently do not have a water kit to check as have not replaced it since but where am I going wrong here please
 
Pennyangus said:
After doing research it looks like fungus this is due to poor water quality. The tank gets a good clean weekly, substrate clear, and around 40% water is removed. We have a fluval filter and the filter sponges get renewed when recommend to do so. I admin to missing a week due to a busy household about 3 weeks ago but everything has been fine since. I currently do not have a water kit to check as have not replaced it since but where am I going wrong here please
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How often do you clean the filter sponge and media? Also, how do you clean it?
 
I have a fluval and I replace the poly carbon cartridges and foam pads before it recommends on the Box. We have biomass that says change 6 months. I've changed it twice probably in 8 months but just took it out of the filter and the filter is flowing so much faster so I think it's caused a blockage somewhere snd possibly not filtering rhe water enough
 
Pennyangus said:
I have a fluval and I replace the poly carbon cartridges and foam pads before it recommends on the Box. We have biomass that says change 6 months. I've changed it twice probably in 8 months but just took it out of the filter and the filter is flowing so much faster so I think it's caused a blockage somewhere snd possibly not filtering rhe water enough
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I would recommend taking the carbon out and having 2 foam and 1 bio layer, or if the flow is bad, 2 bio one foam. It’s debated that having carbon running non stop in the filter is more than beneficial in the long run except for when removing medication. Is the tank planted? Also, I typically clean out my filter by using the last bucket of water from my tank (which should be the cleanest, and rinsing out the bio and foam layers, making sure to use treated, I.e not tap or non dechlorinatd water.
 
Stefan3289 said:
I would recommend taking the carbon out and having 2 foam and 1 bio layer, or if the flow is bad, 2 bio one foam. It’s debated that having carbon running non stop in the filter is more than beneficial in the long run except for when removing medication, but that is just what I was told. Is the tank planted? Also, Do you clean the filter and components or just replace them every few months I typically clean out my filter by using the last bucket of water from my tank (which should be the cleanest, and rinsing out the bio and foam layers, making sure to use treated, I.e not tap or non dechlorinatd water.
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Thank you that's really helpful we've had it running a year but are still learning so much. It is planed yes. But have often found that some some of our plants are going brown do you have advice on this also please
 
Pennyangus said:
Thank you that's really helpful we've had it running a year but are still learning so much. It is planed yes. But have often found that some some of our plants are going brown do you have advice on this also please
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Funny enough I just asked if anyone has recommendations for cleaners for brown algae. From what I know, brown algae accumulation is a natural process in planted tanks as a “phase” If its been going on for a while, I would check the Calcium levels in your tank as if it is high, it will cause a lot of brown algae. As for how to get rid of it, it would clean the glass as much as possible and for the plants get something that would eat the brown algae (that I cannot tell you exactly what to get as I am not sure). If you don’t have any brown algae but rather parts of plants floating around, browning just means that it is dead because it’s detached, and there could be several reasons. What kind of plant do you have? What kind of fish do you have? Also what is the GH of your water?
 
Don't change the media like the instructions say or you'll throw away a lot of the good bacteria. The only exception in the poly carbon pads, but I'd replace those with plain filter wool (aka filter floss) This can be bought on a roll and cut to shape. Filter wool falls apart after a couple of washes and if you chnage it regularly it won't have time to grow many bacteria. Filter wool is good for trapping fine particles.

Sponges can be squeezed in tank water removed at a water change. They need to be replaced in several years when they start to go into holes.

The ceramic biomass is also a good home for the bacteria. I know you've removed it, but if you ever put it back it just needs swooshing in old tank water. It should also last for years and needs changing when it starts to crumble.
It may be that it was the poly carbon cartridge which was the main factor in reducing the flow as they get clogged fast - as does filter wool, another reason to change it frequently.


As for the white patch, it's hard to see clearly. For videos, they need to be uploaded to YouTube or similar and the link posted on here. If you use a phone for the video, hold it so the video is landscape rather than portrait, you'll get more of the tank in that way.
 
Thanks for your comment. These are my plants does this look like brown algae as I'm unsure as to why they are going brown
 

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Does it brush off easily or is it stuck on tight?
 
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