White/clear thick fungus/slime on wood

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Well, i got some driftwood from the beach for my 10 gal krib tank. I boiled it all really well for a long time and soaked it, as always.

I have 4 peices that are fine, but on this one peice there appears to be this slime. It wasn't there at first and has taken a couple days to appear. Its like thick and clear with a white tinge. I pulled some of it off and its rather like slime and comes off really easily. The little threads that came off dont sink or float they just hover in the water. The coating is about 1/4 inch thick and looks to be spreading onto my java moss. Some is growing in long threads too, that reach out about 2 inches from the main 'growth'. Looks kinda like jelly too in some spots.

So, does anyone know what this is? I've never encountered it before.

The tank is new and there are no fish in there. I have not started a cycle yet but the filter is running with carbon to remove the tannin from the wood. I have lots of plants including java moss, java fern, and crypts. The mucus (ewww yep thats what it looks like) seems to have originated from the wood.

Is it a funus? Algae? Something else?


Help!

 

[fuddmain]

It's a fungus and there's nothing to worry about. I've had it and it will go away shortly. Check out the following excerpt from http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aquarium_plants_and_driftwood.htm for details:

Sometimes when an enthusiast brings driftwood home, the temptation to boil it before adding it to their aquarium becomes too great to ignore. When they do this, they sterilize the wood and leave it vulnerable to fungal colonization. If this happens, do not panic! Two things to note:

1. This fungus is harmless to both fish and plants. In fact, many fish will seek it out to eat it. Yes, it looks unplesant but boiling the driftwood again and again to get rid of it is futile. This just restarts the cycle of colonization.

2. This fungus is temporary. Once the natural bacteria in your aquarium have a chance to get a foothold, they will colonize the driftwood and out compete the fungus. The fungus will then seem to disappear; almost overnight.

~Brian

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

*whew* thank you so much. I was kind of worried, hehe.

Im happy now.

 

[zud]

hi i also got the mucus-like growth on my driftwood. how long does it take until it will go away? it's unsightly! thanks

 

[Shorgasm III]

hi i also got the mucus-like growth on my driftwood. how long does it take until it will go away? it's unsightly! thanks

from above:

. This fungus is temporary. Once the natural bacteria in your aquarium have a chance to get a foothold, they will colonize the driftwood and out compete the fungus. The fungus will then seem to disappear; almost overnight.

if you have a cycled tank already, it should be quick. if not, you'll have to wait for that to happen, and then it'll attack it

 

[zud]

i'm totally new to this hobby
i used bio spira, and as its advertised, introduced fish in the next day. i've read about how people do fishless cycling and it takes weeks before its ready, adding ammonia to keep the bacteria going etc. etc. maybe i was just impatient, but i thought maybe some tetras + shrimp would add the necessary ammonia & waste that would keep the cycling going. apparently i was wrong about that with the shrimp (post about that in newbie forum). anyways, the tetras seem to be doing fine and the water parameters are consistent and normal. i did however have one tetra jump out of the tank today . it may have been too hot today?? the tank is set to about 80-81 degrees, but it rose to almost 84 today... (i live upstairs and it gets really hot.)
i am seeing a lot more snails though so far spotted 4.... i pray they do not proliferate like crazy, otherwise i'll take out the tetras and raise some dwarf puffers.
anyways, hopefully i'll get through my cycling without anymore casualties...