# white stuff on the top of the water... what is it?



## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

so, i heard little Zidane splashing about in his bowl-cave today, and when i checked on him, i noticed a white, almost powdery stuff on the top of his water. it's not the usual film that happens to un-filtrated water. this stuff is like the sugar off powdered donuts, and sticks to EVERYTHING. it's hard to get off plants, the bowl-cave, and the betta cup, once it sticks to it. D: it's gross, and i hate it, and i don't know what it is! it's only on the top of Zidane's water, and Ichi's water. it's not on Theo's, who's right next to those two's tanks, and it's not on any of my other betta's water. anyone have any idea what it could be, and how to get rid of it? D: it's gross! Dx


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

I usually keep a small spent filter cartridge around that I've rinsed well with tap water and let dry, you just scoop it under the surface and lift up.

If you have any of the white or blue bowl-scrubbies for aquariums you can do the same thing and then rinse it out in the sink.

Likely is some kind of fine powder in the house. Check for it around all the places you've got the boys and also see if it smears or grinds by rubbing a finger on it. If it smears its biological, if it grinds its chemical.

Remember to wash hands after, before, and maybe keep some cheap gloves on hand?

Story about a girl in Cal with marine granuloma who is going to have to have her hand amputated if they can't kill it with chemo and special meds. Its in her hand bones.


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## Smr2892 (May 17, 2011)

From a fish tank? What was in the tank that caused it in her hand?


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

they're in my room, and i keep all chemicals away from my room. x: it happened in my brother's room, too, but we passed it off as dust(his room was quite dusty), but my room is never dusty(i've OCD. >.> evil dust, DIE!).

now that you done said that about the girl in CA, i'm scared to stick my finger in there. x: i've a cut, from a broken fish bowl(it was my first bowl, and an emergancy bowl for impulse-buys or water changes).


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

I buy nitrile light duty gloves to cover my right hand and sometimes both when doing cleanup and maintenance. I've got a lingering fungal infection and chemical burn on my right finger behind the cuticle. And I can never be sure if all the stuff I use at work has washed off.

Granuloma is kinda like fish TB. But keep in mind that if you're sick or have an unexpected immune suppression you can even catch nitrosomona and nitrospira bacteria, the filter bacteria we cultivate, in open cuts or other humid warm places about your person. Wash with aquarium safe stuff like alcohol and vinegar before then with good dish soap after or use gloves and be careful not to get water down in. I hate to relate it to a public rest room but aquariums are often filled with things from several different sources and everything poops. 

So was it grainy stuff or did it smear? It MIGHT be pollen from a nearby tree or seed plant?


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## Smr2892 (May 17, 2011)

My mom got algae in a cut once and it got into her bloodstream.. Thank goodness they were able to get it out. She said every last inch of even her skin hurt/burned..


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## Nexangelus (Apr 29, 2011)

Sounds like dust to me, even if your room is clean. I had a similar problem and am also pretty uptight about dust in my bedroom. If the top is uncovered, a spec or 2 a day could continue to build up until you're experiencing what you're seeing now. 

Mine started as a light dust, hardly noticeable except that the water looked a bit "dull" when the light hit it. It progressed to a light film substance that I believe killed the amount of oxygen in my tank and left my fish gasping. All other parameters were immaculate during this time. 

I really don't know how to kill it permanently, and the internet provides little insight short of buying a protein skimmer to deal with the particles (I'll get right on that...) but what worked for me was adjusting the filter. With some filters, the water is being ejected BELOW the surface of the tank and doesn't create enough surface agitation to eliminate the dust. I elevated my filter causing it to return the water in more of a "waterfall" fashion and haven't had a problem since.

Now, if you're running a good filter, you may think it's out of the question. Well, mine was a 20 gallon filter with a pretty high output in a 10 gallon, so I believe it's more of a design thing than filter strength. 

Let us know how it works out and be sure to monitor your fish and be ready to take action if they start acting strange or gasp for breath.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

if it was dust, it'd be in ALL my tanks, not just two. .___o that's the strangest thing. it's JUST in Zidane and Ichi's tanks. not Theo's, not Carolines, not Cups, Lulu's, nor Chappy. JUST those two. x: it's so odd....

they're doing quite fine. i mean, Ichi's started tail biting, but i figured out the problem with him(he could see Zidane too well. .__.. Zidane's just bein his usual, shy self.


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