Thread like growth on my filter

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A

Ace Fishkeeper

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 28, 2010
6
0
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Yorkshire
Hi all fish and friends of fish. I am looking for some information to help identify a 'growth' on my Tropical freshwater aquarium filter. The organism is not very established on the tank as it is very dificult to see much evidence but it is well established on the hard parts of my external filter (see photos).
I have a UV lamp after the filter and use 25% (RO with Salt) water changes. Squeezing out the sponges and rinsing the ceramic media. Nitrates are within reasonable levels by use of RO water and lots of plants.

The residents are all happy enough and do not show any signs of harm.

Thanks for any help.

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Is this in the tank also, or only in the filter?

By the looks of it, and you saying fish are fine, i would not worry...looks like some type of algae...
 
Wow that's a first didn't you wipe the outside of your filter lol.
 
Do you have trumpet snails or any sanils in the tank?
 
I thought about 'egg case' as it looks like small polyps connected by the green stems. Half plant half animal. I steeped all the hard parts in a bleach solution then scrubbed off the plan-imal using a scrubbing brush. It is very tough resilient stuff and doesn't give up it's hold on the surfaces of the plastic.
There is only minute evidence on the hard surfaces of the tank fixings and furniture.
I intend to harvest this stuff at the next water change in a couple of days and see if I can get it under a microscope.

I did suffer a plague of thread algae/red beard last year but a copper solution and the addition of two Siamese Algae Eater (Crossocheilus siamensis) killed that off after a few months. Though the new fish now shoal with my Red Line Tordedo Barbs (Crossocheilus denisonii)
The use of RO water has reduced a lot of the algae problems in my tanks. We're in Hull where the water hardness is 'Very Hard' and back ground nitrogenous nutrient in the tap water from agri suggest a water change after two or three days. (or that's what my test sticks aye say).

I'll add any more findings after my next clean out.

Thanks
 
edit: No snails. I hate snails. They ate all my baby lettuce plants in our garden one year. :)
I'm always looking for ways to control algae but snails can get to be a bigger problem so I've not intentionally introduced them. I don't think there are any on the tank though.
 
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