Need help!!!! Killing Fish

[Brownbear88]

Ok so I'm sure there is a thread out there but i have yet to find it. I need help controlling this "white mucus like stringy stuff". I have done 3 W/C this week alone and all this seems to do is make it worse. Any ideas? Came out of now where.275002750127502 Also shown up in my big tank killing those fish. Only thing I've changed is where i get my salt and ro water. Someone told me its white cyno, but I've never seen that before and never seen it this bad this fast. Any help would be nice thanks

[Jasonb]

Do you have any palys giving off paly toxin?
Anemone missing?
Running carbon?

[Brownbear88]

I do have palys, this has been an issue since before i get them (there new). No Anemone missing, have one in my larger tank that seems fine. I am not running carbon however i have started running cempure but only after this stuff showed up. I really am in need of some good advice here. There has not been a solid answer for what this stuff is on the web. Some say cyanobacteria (https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=cyanobacteria&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) or "clear" slim algae. Others say its a bacterial bloom form air dissolvents such as a glade plugin or some type of aerosols. I clean the tanks and within a hour its back just as bad if not worst. The ONLY thing i have changed is where i get my water form so obviously i will not be getting my water there anymore but in the mean time what do i do? Anything will be helpful. All levels are normal with the exception of ammonia and thats only after the water change (witch doesn't make sense) the large tanks 36 gal has been established for 5 years and the small 5 gallon for about 2 months. i did remove some rocks about 3 months ago and cleaned them leaving some of them outside, the ones left outside are now in the smaller 5 gallon and were cleaned before i put back. But the rocks i took out had been in there for some time before all of this happened. Anything will be helpful thanks!!

[Brownbear88]

FYI the pictures do not make it look as bad as it truly is

[leliataylor]

It looks like biofilm to me. It occurs when you have a excess of organics in the tank, often times from over feeding although it could be something in the water you were using. The bacteria proliferate, form colonies and they produce a slim that protects them. As it progresses they begin to deplete the 02 concentration and inhibit the release of CO2 from the tank. This then in turn can cause asphyxiation of fish. I have to watch out for this in my nurseries as they are low flow systems and fed heavily. It is also why they are cleaned daily.

Increase the flow to aid in breaking up the colonies, reduce the amount you are feeding, increase your 02 concentration (oxydators work well), clean the tank thoroughly and plan on more water changes. Are you running a skimmer? If it is biofilm your skimmer should be going crazy. I have one tank I am experimenting with and had a large biofilm explosion. My filter sock was clogging up within 12 hours and my skimmer was creating a volcano with hours of cleaning it.

[Brownbear88]

but doesn't biofilm stick to the top of the water? other then this crap the water is clear. Also haven't fed in 2-3 days so I'm at a lost. the only thing I've been told by other reefers i know is my snails are reproducing

[leliataylor]

The early signs of biofilm reminds me of a oil slick on the surface, however it can develop on any surface depending on the bacteria involved and the life cycle stage it is in. Some species remain free floating, others will colonize rocks, glass, plastic, etc. The key is it feels like slim. Snails will typically lay strings of eggs which looks nothing like biofilm.

Here is a photo of biofilm on K1 type media. http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/650/314/494/494314650_654.jpg
The bacteria grow on the media and as it gently tumbles dead bacteria fall off. This media is excellent for aerobic bacterial proliferation.

Here is a reference of a study that was done on a FW stream and mentions the biofilm is composed of bacteria, algae, fungi and diatoms.

http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/biofilms_streams.html

I'll pull up some more info on it tomorrow when I have more time. I need to find the scientific article I read that discusses how colonies will release bacteria to form new colonies and how some remain free floating while others adhere to solid surfaces. I think it is bookmarked on my old dying computer.

[Frogman]

What is your flow like in the tank? Could you increase it, perhaps pointing a power head (I have a Koralina you can use free) and point it towards the surface to really assist with breaking the surface "skin". How is your tank getting its oxygen? Last question, when was the last time you cleaned your skimmer?


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