Slime Algae Problem

[Duncan]

Hi Everyone,

I've been fighting a slime algae/cyanobacteria bloom in my 66 gallon Lake Tanganyika/Rainbowfish Tank for about the last 3-4 months. It came out of the blue and doesn't want to leave! If you are not familiar with this type of algae, think "thin, dark green jello" that smothers all available surfaces, including plants, rocks, gravel and glass. Thankfully not the fish!

The tank parameters are all "normal," slightly alkaline pH, negligeable nitrate, no ammonia, and up until recently, regular water changes (every 10 days -2 weeks) etc. I don't have a phosphate test kit, so I guess that's a possibilty, but any other suggestions? I've had these types of blooms in the past, but usually have been able to eradicate them by upping water changes (right now I've been going about a 40% change every 5-7 days).

There is only a single 40W "Lifeglow" tube above, as the plants in it are all low light, including a huge mass of java fern and a little bit of Anubias. I don't like to use erythromycin (I've heard this will work to treat these blooms), but am almost at the point of trying anything. Let me know what you may have tried and if you can see a problem I might have missed. This tank is right next to my 54 gallon planted tank from an earlier thread so its not like I have this problem in all my tanks, just this one! Aarggh!

Thanks for your help,
Duncan

[corr]

Duncan, I feel for ya. lol I've had this stuff in ALL my tanks. Be very careful, because it can hitchhike on anything! It got to a point where I was about to give up the hobby. I hate to say it but the only thing that worked for me is Erythromycin. I was in the same spot as you - I wasn't keen on putting any medication or chemical in my tanks, and the "lights out" method wasn't an option in a heavily planted tank.

If you go this route, be sure to use Maracyn and not the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals erythromycin. Maracyn seems to be purer or something. Whatever it was, it worked in two days in one tank, where as the AP was over a week in another tank and the stuff grew back.

This is what I recommend as a plan of attack,

- Do a large (50%) water change and get rid of as much of the stuff as you can
- Add half the dose of Maracyn that is recommended on the box
- repeat the w/c and dose in two days and then again in another two days

HTH

[Shane Tesser]

Slime algae is a bugger to deal with...right now im on my first case of black hair brush algae...it hitch hiked from a new fish..and as it is part of the red algae family..its suppose to be the worst type. I have never seen anything spread this fast in my life. But im battling it and so far so good..but i may end up having to do a complete tear down :(

[Youkai]

I already talked to Duncan about this, but for anyone else who stumbles onto this thread...

I've used melafix with slime algae before, and it seemed to work. I've tried (with success) Erythromycin as well. I just find melafix...more gentle on the fish.

[Duncan]

Thanks for all the suggestions folks! I ended up doing the erythromycin treatment about 2 days ago (my Melafix had expired Youkai! So I didn't want to risk it) and already there is a definite reduction in the rate that the slimey green stuff is returning . . . in fact, the algae I couldn't get out with my water change prior to treatment has started to recede. I think I'll take Corr's suggestion and do a w/c and redose tomorrow and then again on the weekend. Thanks again!

Heh Shane, do you have a picture of "your" algae? I thought I read that the true Siamensis algae eater was a fish, perhaps the only fish, that would eat that stuff. In fact, in my "Optimum Aquarium" book from a few decades back, I'm pretty sure they were touted as the solution to black beard algae infestations. I'll see if I can remember if that's where I saw it.

'Til Later,
Duncan

[Shane Tesser]

Yeah Duncan..your right....it will eat it. The problem being is that everywhere ive gone either has flying foxes or false siamese algae eaters for sale. Of course all of them advertise these fish as true siamese algae eaters when they are actually not. I have a complete file on how to tell the difference...and i take it along to every store i go to. So far ive managed to keep the algae at bay..and it is black brush algae, i have no pics but ill try and get some. Have the optimun aquarium book right here on the shelf..no collection is complete without it :D