Strange algae, what is it and how to get rid

[d_rickard]

Where I work, we have a community fish tank with a few fish and lots of fake plants. The problem is that over the last month or so a plant that has leaves that look like ivy leaves has started growing little clumps of back fur like algae all over it. It kind of looks like little clumps of fine short black hair. Normal cleaning procedures when cleaning the fake plants is to rub the plants together in the water just drained from the tank after rinding the filter media in it as per the norm. Now most dirt comes of the plants but theses clumps of algae just wont budge. It looks like they are groing through the fibres of whatever the fake plants are made of.

The tank is a Tropiquarion 55 (10 gallon IIRC) and houses a 001 Plec, 3 Clown Loach, 6 Guppies, 3 dwarf Gourammis and 3 small frogs. Yes its a little over stocked but the fish get along swimmingly (pardon the punn) and maintenance is regular with good filtration and an air curtain. The light is on Monday to Friday from about 8am to 6pm during the day, which may be the cause of the algae.

So, can anyone figure out from the above what this algae is and how best to get rid of it. If a chemical treatment is needed will the Plec and frogs be ok. the reason I ask is that as a precautionary measure we do add a whitespot treatment every other water change and the Plec and frogs go a bit bolo for five minutes then calm down again.

 

[d_rickard]

Anyone ??

 

[Teelie]

Sounds like hair algae. I know there are some shrimp like Amano that'll eat it but the best solution is to scrub it off yourself though it sounds like you're having a problem doing that too. Not sure what else to suggest besides the shrimp.

 

[flintstone]

the krib

This site has some extensive (although a bit scientific) information about the type of algae you are describing. Just do a search with "algae" and choose one of the topics.

I also had this "hair" or "beard" algae in one of my tanks. I tried to pull it off of my plants (didn't work)& my otocinclus wouldn't touch it. I eventually resorted to the bleach solution described in "the krib".

It was: 1 part bleach to 19 parts water. Dip entire plant for 2 minutes, then immediately rinse in running tap water for several minutes. Then plunge them into a chlorine removing solution in water(I used stress coat) and soak for a while. This method, although extreme, eliminated almost all of the algae. What was left I simply removed the 3 or 4 leaves that still had it on them. The plants (with one exception) are doing very well. I did pretty much lose one of them (an egeria densa), but I am hoping it will perk up soon.

Good luck!