# What on earth is this thing?



## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

Here's to hoping that I find a solution for this annoying problem once and for all! 

Ive had my current tank set up (6 gallon ) for a little over a month now, and over the last few weeks, ive noticed some weird fuzz growing on some parts of my driftwood. I previously had a smaller piece of driftwood in the tank and have noticed a white film coating it, but this fuzz was much different. 
It was darker in color, almost like a dark grey / black, I had initially suspected it to be biofilm... then black hair algae. 
I'm not in the market to restart / repurchase plants for this tank... So I have been trying to combat this thing by putting pieces of hydrogen peroxide soaked papertowels on top of the parts of the wood that grows this annoying thing for about 5 minutes and then scrubbing it off with a tooth brush. (only because I have little plants glued to the wood and am trying to avoid removing the plants and soaking the wood in undiluted hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes )

I haven't been able to figure out what this is, and when I look up photos / posts with the same / similar problem... There is always some people saying its just bio film that will go away- and others saying that its black beard algae and needs to be dealt with asap.

All I know is that its either harmless biofilm, or annoying black beard algae, and removing it with hydrogen peroxide and scrubbing it off doesn't too much as it keeps coming back.. and now its even trying to spread to different parts of the wood.

I use: Finnex Stingray for lighting, it is set on a timer to turn on at 11AM and off at 5PM. 
I used to have it on longer (11-7) and have cut back, in hopes that it might help reduce this unsightly thing. I dont know if I have to cut back on the lights even more or just remove my plants from the driftwood to soak it in hydrogen peroxide.. or what this problem actually even is... 

Any help on how to get rid of this and information on what this thing is is VERY much appreciated! I'm frustrated and at my wits end with this thing that I've had to refrain from swearing even writing this multiple times.. 😵
I also should mention, I have another post on this site where I thought I hurt my fish while trying to use liquid co2 (excel) to get rid of this 🤬 so Ive already taken it personally lol (refuse to be beat by algae)










Around april 21, the three of us ( me, my fish, and the driftwood) enjoying our best lives.

















Some time in May 










Taken Today: managed to get a shot of the details / texture of this thing.. as it seems to be spreading to a different part now :I 


























Better view, sorry about the photobomb.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Slimy, right? It is a harmless fungus that will eventually go away by itself. You can wash and scrub but it will still go away when it's ready. Amano Shrimp love it.


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Slimy, right? It is a harmless fungus that will eventually go away by itself. You can wash and scrub but it will still go away when it's ready. Amano Shrimp love it.


Everytime i see your cute shih tzu, I know I got help on the way Thank you! 
The mystery fuzz on the driftwood is slimy! 
Ive been wanting to introduce 3-4 ghost shrimp or 2 amano shrimp into my 6 gallon tank.. 
My fish is just.. _really_ rude.. 
Shimp have been in the plan since Day 1, but put on hold because I don't want to bring some innocent shrimp to their almost guaranteed doom. 🦐🍤
More reasons to be patient while this fuzz runs its course


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## burtlesnurf (Mar 20, 2021)

I know this isn't on topic but where did you get that driftwood?


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## Kat50 (Dec 22, 2020)

I had it also when I got my first driftwood. But my mollies loves it and cleaned it up. I was freaking out thinking they were going to die. Lol


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

burtlesnurf said:


> I know this isn't on topic but where did you get that driftwood?


Im so happy to answer this because I had NO idea where to find a decent piece of driftwood and all the LFS near me were unappealing or ridiculously overpriced...
Ive gotten a small one from ebay, but I got this particular one from Etsy!


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

Kat50 said:


> I had it also when I got my first driftwood. But my mollies loves it and cleaned it up. I was freaking out thinking they were going to die. Lol


Lol! I feel like freaking out over your fish is part of the hobby for some...  unless youre a pro
mollies are such cute little fish 💖


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## Fish 4 sale ¢50 a fish. (Sep 30, 2019)

If you get some dwarf plecos, cory's, or shrimp, they'll clean it up in no time.


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

Fish 4 sale ¢50 a fish. said:


> If you get some dwarf plecos, cory's, or shrimp, they'll clean it up in no time.


 Ive been considering this! Im just worried that my little 6 gallon isnt enough space to accommodate a pleco, multiple corys, or that the shrimp will be in danger lol


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## burtlesnurf (Mar 20, 2021)

serartic said:


> Im so happy to answer this because I had NO idea where to find a decent piece of driftwood and all the LFS near me were unappealing or ridiculously overpriced...
> Ive gotten a small one from ebay, but I got this particular one from Etsy!


Thanks! I gotten some off Amazon but half have been unusable and the others I had to spend forever sanding down. I'll have to look into etsy. My LFS is insanely overpriced. It's $30 for 1 tiny piece. And I mean 6 inch max.


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

burtlesnurf said:


> Thanks! I gotten some off Amazon but half have been unusable and the others I had to spend forever sanding down. I'll have to look into etsy. My LFS is insanely overpriced. It's $30 for 1 tiny piece. And I mean 6 inch max.


Oh wow, thats crazy! I'm all for supporting my LFS ...but the prices on some items 
The driftwood in my tank also required little to no work before putting it in the tank, The most I had to do was soak the wood in hot water for a few hours ( I didnt have a pot big enough to boil it ) and trim some sharp looking pieces of the soaked driftwood with scissors. 
I hope you find what you're looking for on Etsy! I really loved being able to see a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices of driftwood before committing to one lol


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

Just because im trying to avoid making another thread with my seemingly never ending questions ( LOL ) whats the right way to introduce a shrimp to a betta tank?


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

Update: The driftwood is getting grosser by the day lol 
But I am a little concerned by the new appearance of little black dots on the fuzz thats trying to take over the driftwood
Is this normal? is this black beard algae? or is this just still biofilm in another unpleasant form?


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

Im slowly going back to being at my wits end with this thing. 
Ive tried to be patient with this gross gunk on my driftwood, I stopped trying to remove it with hydrogen peroxide every week and I don't know whats going on, but its almost as if the problem is just getting worse. 
Literally overnight, I see that my tank no longer looks "clean" There are little fuzzy particles on sides of the glass, and on some of my plants- im also noticing a lot of flying debris in the water. ( i did a small water change a couple of days ago)

Im REALLY hoping that this is just a sign that the thing on my driftwood is starting to go a way, but wow it just seems way more trouble than its worth considering that its just supposed to be decoration. 

Im actually frustrated with a piece of wood in water. 😵


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## S_olh17 (Apr 25, 2019)

Maybe search black beard algae? It kinda looks like it, but what do I know. Just a suggestion.


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## serartic (Jan 4, 2015)

S_olh17 said:


> Maybe search black beard algae? It kinda looks like it, but what do I know. Just a suggestion.


Im willing to cross off black beard algae because the algae has taken on the appearance closer to bio film with little bits of laundry lint attached to it. Laundry lint is honestly the most accurate way to describe its current state


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## bettaword (Mar 26, 2014)

I had the same thing with mine. The driftwood started creating these cloud-like things but it eventually goes away. It looks awful but I read it wasn't harmful. I just scrubbed it off with a brush every week when I cleaned the tank and it eventually went away after a couple of months. Your plants look really healthy so sure your tank is fine. Or you can try boiling it but I think it gets rid of some of the good tannins.


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