Re: slime

[Cavan <millsman7 at yahoo_com>]

Tom Barr wrote:

>Plasmodial Slime mold or zoospore forming algae.
>Cavan sent me some awhile back but it was mush by
>the time I got it.
>Cavan can try again if he wished. Got slime? Send it.

It IS mush.  It disintegrates easily.  No structure to
speak of.  As far as sending it, that's the best that
can be done.  

Claus is of the opinion that it's a blue-green of some
kind, and that no algae can come back that fast.  I
tried hitting it with erythromycin, but that didn't
work.  Bailin Shaw said he has it in one of his tanks
and has hit it with every anti-biotic under the sun to
no avail.  It could be that it just doesn't respond to
the anti-biotics for some reason.  I guess mold could
be a possibility.  

Claus suggested that it may very well be feeding off
of excessive organics.  That would make sense in my
case because before the UV blackout I did 2 weeks ago
that killed it, I had done very few water changes at
all and there was quite a bit of dirt, etc.  I plan on
doing 5 or 10 gallons a week on the 30 to see if that
prevents it (+ some Purigen to help clean things up). 


I was looking around on the net and found some
pictures of what appears to be a tank infected with
the stuff (although not severely).  You can see it
more on the bottom two pictures.  Notice the bubbles
that seem to be floating above the leaves and how
everything just looks kind of messy.  This is not my
tank (I wish I did have that plant though!).

http://www.rva.ne.jp/gallery/red_pinneit2.htm


June Olberding wrote:

>My question: Is my fish load too high? and hence
>driving the BGA.
>For several month I have had increasing problems
>with what acts like a form
>of cyano. Greasy green scum on top and blackish
>green soft growth that
>recedes at night and expands during day. 

Are you getting the slime again?  I remember our off
list conversations about the subject.  Your
description sure sounds like it.  


>I have been persistent  with manual removal and
>water change couple times a
>week. 

Some important questions:  Had you been "lazy" about
water changes?  Do you feed a lot?  Had there been any
significant disturbances to the tank before it showed
up?    


>I have tested nutrient levels and corrected tank
>from being Nitrate
>rich (40 ppm) to testing 1ppm of nitrates and 0 of
>phosphate 48 hours after
>dosing so I think the nutrients are in pretty good
>shape. 

I think that letting the macros get that low makes it
worse.  I SHOULD keep a detailed journal of my tank,
but I do remember that letting conditions swing like
that may let it get a foot hold.  


>With the better balance of nutrients, the surface
>scum has reduced to
>looking like green dust on the water. Black junk
>continues to slowing
>increase but not as fast. 

Could it be the water changes (the organics thing
mentioned above)? 

>I know I can do black out or nuke it with
>Erythromycin. I want to understand and  correct
>cause.

If you have the same thing that I had and that Bailin
has (and Claus is correct), it's interesting that
erythromycin killed yours.  

A UV helps kill the stuff.  I would leave mine on all
the time BUT it apparently fries nutrients as well. 
An Anubias I have has a leaf in the middle of the
plant that has green veins and yellow tissue.  That
leaf grew while the UV was on.  I noticed while
reading the AGA contest page that Tony Baker runs a UV
on the same timer as his lights.  Can you comment on
this Tony?  Any deficiency symptoms with that (by the
great look of the tank I would say no...).  If you ran
it like that, could you add nutrients at night so the
plants have time to use them before the UV kicks in? 
Food for thought.  

Cavan







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