# brown fuzz growing on java moss?



## mersf559 (May 21, 2013)

hello, I've had my 2gallon fluval spec for almost 3 months since set up and i have noticed that on my Java moss that ihave attached my drift wood is starting grow some brown fuzzyness on it? not sure if that is normal or some sort of algae?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

It might be Diatom, or brown algae. It's common in "newly" set up tanks. I say "new" because it usually comes around at the 2-4 month mark and then it stays for about 3 months but it will eventually burn itself out and won't come back after that. During that time you can just rub it off and it will be fine.

However, if you try to rub it and it doesn't come off well...not sure then but that part might be dying. How dark or light is it? Can you get a picture or 5? lol


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Diatoms don't look fuzzy, usually. If it's fuzzy looking, it might be hair algae, which is what I'm dealing with in one of my tanks. It starts out looking fuzzy (commonly it's green but it can be other colors. Mine is brown), and then it starts growing long "hairs".
It's fairly easy to rub off. I finsd that when I do that, though, it spreads a lot and then the next day my plants look like they have spider webs on them.


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