Fish that eat mould/algae

[Oli]

After the first week of battling this new white mould/algae on my driftwood in a new 200 litre, it seems to have calmed down a lot. After the first few days I could barely see a thing in the tank; it was so cloudy. After regular water changes, combined with removing the wood and power hosing/boiling, as well as regular scrubbing with a toothbrush to free the white substance from the wood, it seems to be staying a lot clearer. However the driftwood is still producing this white substance in much smaller amounts, and clouding the tank (all be it a lot less). I was wandering if it was worth adding some kind of catfish/pleco etc. Something that seems to feast on algae, and bits of decor in the tank. I have never owned a fish like this, I wouldn’t know what to summarise it as, but I hope you know what I’m on about.

Does anyone think it would be worth introducing a fish like that to clear the wood and munch on what it is producing in order to help cleans it up??

Thanks!

Pictures are as follows…

1.) day driftwood was added
2.) a few days after
3.) current; after scrubbing and water changes

 

[Colin_T]

There are no fish that eat it. Just take the wood out and put it in a bucket of water for a month or so. Every few days you should remove the wood and hose it off, and replace the water in the bucket. Eventually the wood will stop releasing the fungus and then you can put it back in the tank.

 

[Oli]

I don’t own a bucket I could put a 4ft piece of wood in. I also live in a tiny one bed apartment. I’ve read a lot about plecos and things that will happily munch on white discharge from driftwood. Is this not the case? If not I will continue to scrub and let the filter take care of the waste, it is rapidly getting better, just wanted to speed things up

 

[Oli]

5 Aquarium Fish that Eat Fungus - Aquarium Sphere

Aquarium owners often have to deal with pesky white fungus growing on their aquarium plants and driftwood.

aquariumsphere.com

 

[Byron]

My first suggestion is to forget any information from the linked article. I spotted several inaccuracies about the fish species being suggested, and on the fungus itself.

I made the point in the earlier thread on the cloudy water that white fungus on wood can be any one of several different species. Some of these are harmless, but some are deadly toxic; I had the latter, and knew others who lost fish, Corydoras are especially sensitive. There are no fish in the tank yet, so there is nothing to use as an indicator. Examination by a marine microbiologist would identify the species and whether or not it is toxic. Without this, it is a case of wait and see.

Most of us here do not advocate the acquisition of any fish to solve problems. If one likes fish "x" and it happens to be useful with algae, fine; but these fish have their respective requirements. For example, that article recommends a Siamese Algae Eater...it claims they get two inches and are peaceful. No. This is a shoaling species, it should have a group, and it attains 5-6 inches in lengthy. It needs a spacious tank, and without these needs being met it can be anything but peaceful.

Colin's suggestion is the most practical given the circumstances.

 

[Caesar]

Another take on biofilms.