Early Algae

[MortiferousSoul]

My tanks been running for only 3 days now. However one of the artifical plants seems to have a little bit of what looks like algae growing on the under side of the leaf. Where it's located it is getting alot of oxygen from the water the filter drops. I keep my hood light on for about 10 hrs a day. temp. usually around 78-76.

My question is, is it normal to see algae forming this quick. And is it ok to clean up algae as i see it, or should i leave it for algae eaters ?

 

[jwddboy]

Best to clean it out if you have no algae eaters in there yet. Underside of the leaf? Not in the light? That is odd. What colour? Does it look blue/green and a bit slimy?

 

[MortiferousSoul]

after further examination it seems to be mainly bubbles. I shook it to see if the bubbles would lossen up but they didnt so i thought it was algae. I scraped it a little and the bubbls come off and its slightly slimy. My best guess is a little bit of algae is growing so the bubbles are kinda latching on to it.... i guess ?

Since the goruamis and the Otocinclus eat algae ill leave it there for now. If it gets worse ill take it out and scrub it.

 

[MortiferousSoul]

i might be stupid for suggesting it .... but the pink kisser goruamis in my tank have recently been messing with each other. I know that there aggressive fish but they seem to be doing a little "dance". They kinda arch there buddies, and in one quick motion they circle each other. They do this a few times then "kiss". Ive seen them do it twice in the last 2 days. there only about 2 inches, and i heard that its usually a minimum of 4 inches before they breed. But is it somhow possible those bubbles on the bottom part of the leaf are eggs? ill try to get a clear image of them.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

i doubt the bubbles are eggs... they might be doing the mating dance though? or just in a really weird fight.

i didnt know gouramis ate algae...

 

[jwddboy]

Yes, the kissing gouramis are notorious for this "dance".
I highly doubt you have eggs.

You may have the starting of one of a family of algae called the slime algae or blue/green algae. In actual fact it can occour in many colours, mainly dark and dull.

This isnt actually an algae. It is known as a cyanobacteria. It is capable of living in low nitrate conditions and it quite hard to get rid of. Another of its characteristics is that, even thoought it is a bacteria, it is capable of photosynthesis. This is why it if often thought of as an algae.

Before we can assume it is this we will need to have more evidence. I would suggest that you scrape it off the leaf and do not put any chemicals into the water. At such low levels it wont matter and do not have to be too concerned. It is only if it spreads that you have to start getting worried. It can release harmful toxins into your water that can poison your fish.