What is this?

[Jasmini]

My tank is now filled with water for a week now and everything was going great until I just saw this on some wood...

It looks slimy and really don't have a clue of what it might be. Is it fungus? And is this dangerous for my water conditions?

 

[nwmnnaturalist]

I'm afraid your link didn't work. Could you try again?

 

[Jasmini]

Yes, I'm trying... I'm having some problems with it

*Edit* Done!

 

[Eastling352]

What type of wood is it? Mopani?

 

[Jasmini]

Yes, I think so... (Picture attached). I boiled some water and poured it over that piece of wood before I put it in the tank... I didn't have the time to put it in another tank of water for a week, because it was a last-minute change for a plant (to attach it to).

 

[Eastling352]

In that case, it is not dangerous. I think it's a common thing with mopani wood, mine got that too. Just some non-harmful bacteria/fungi i don't remember, but the only thing it will do is looking ugly. And there is no other way to get rid of it other than scrub it each time it looks that way and hope it goes away.

 

[Jasmini]

What did you do? Replace it with some other kind of wood? It's just some piece to attach a plant to... I didn't want to use a stone, because I'm afraid it will release Calcium in my tank.

 

[Azhael]

That´s a fungus, possibly Saprolegnia, and it´s normal in newly introduced pieces of wood. It just means that there is organic, decomposable matter on the wood. It will go away on it´s own once the resources are depleted. A good scrubbing and boiling helps prevent large fungus growth, but you can still get some.

 

[Eastling352]

I got a dremel for christmas, and i had a pvc pipe lying around so i "customized" it. Similar to this. Then covered it in some Java Moss to make it not stand out that much.

 

[Jasmini]

Thanks for responding so quick Azhael and Eastling352! :happy:

I guess I'll be scrubbing and boiling tomorow... But nice to know it's not harmful!

 

[Jennewt]

Do not fear stones. There are very few that will release calcium into your tank. Actually a small amount of limestone can be good for the water.

 

[SalamanderMommy]

it does look like a bit of fungus to me, nothing to worry about. I have had it once or twice, but usually after a good boil of the mopani wood twas all gone. I started soaking all my wood after that, and then giving it a final boil and rinse. It not only made the chance of fungi almost non existent, it helped take out a lot of the tanins in the wood so it didn't stain the aquarium water. Hope this is helpful

 

[yellowpebble]

can the wood fungus transfer to an axolotl? I've had this before too and have always wondered

 

[Azhael]

If it´s Saprolegnia then it´s possible, but healthy animals should be safe. Only an individual with a compromised inmune system or an injury is likely to be infected. Saprolegnia is everywhere but rarely causes trouble because it generally only attacks dead or damaged tissue.