# Worrying pink slime on airtube, dangerous or just dirty?



## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Hello.

I have a 30cm airstone in my tank, and regardless of my attempts to keep the tank nice and clean, the tube to the airstone always seems to get really slimy and gross.

I know this is possibly regular and normal, however I was away for about a week and had someone else feeding my fish, so the tank wasn't cleaned at all throughout the week.

When I came home the airtube had a really digusting pink layering over it. It's not the first time it's happened either, so since it recurring I've decided not to put the airtube back into the tank until I can be certain it's safe, as I know that a general rule is that pink grime in cleaning things like bathrooms is usually dangerous bacteria, so I don't know if the same applies to fishtanks or what not.

I thought you guys would have more of an understanding than I, and lucky for you I posted a photograph so you don't have to rely on my terrible description. Here it is.










Any help is appreciated! Thankyou!


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## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

Never had pink in any of my tanks but I recently went to a small pet store that had these quarter sized pink bacteria blooms that looked pretty nasty. Easy advise is to spent $3-4 and buy a new airline tube, if the pink isn't anywhere else in the tank then it might be something about the rubber of the tube, try finding some nice blue or black air hosing marketed as silicone. Maybe blocking the light with a colored hose will prevent it from coming back


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ah okay thanks man. When I first got the pink stuff I just cut the tube, because it looked nasty. But now there isn't enough tube to cut so perhaps you're right in suggesting a new tube! Interesting to see if anyone else has had this before though. My fish is still quite healthy though so I don't think it has done him any harm 

Thanks again mate!


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## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

lol np hopefully someone else will have experience with it for you to go off of


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## Stormfish (Apr 30, 2012)

That always happens on my airline tubes as well. I think it has something to do with the clear rubber they're made of. I have two bubblers in my tank, and the one with the black rubber line never gets gross or develops any algae. It seems to be a higher quality rubber, more pliable and durable. Only a few $ more expensive than the clear variety as well. That said, try to find the black tubing to replace that with and see if that solves your problem.


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ah awesome! I wasn't as concerned before my girlfriend told me that pink generally equals poison in the world of cleaning. I'm glad it doesn't seem to apply to fishkeeping! Phew.

I'll grab a black one and let you guys know how it goes.

Though I'm not overly concerned as my Angelfish doesn't seem to be a huge fan of the bubbles. In fact I think it kind of stresses him out so I rarely use them. Is it something I should try condition him to, or just not bother?


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## Stormfish (Apr 30, 2012)

I think your girlfriend is correct. There are phosphates in tap water, which causes that pink slime (_Serratia marcescens_) to grow in your shower, around the drains, etc. I believe it's the same thing.

Linkie to wiki: Serratia marcescens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Nasty! Glad I kept it out of the tank then. You would think that they wouldn't sell those types of tubes if that kind of reaction was possible hey.


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## Stormfish (Apr 30, 2012)

Airline tubing is cheap. Especially the clear kind. That's probably why. They know you'll end up replacing it.

Are you using a good water conditioner in your tank? How about beneficial bacteria? I noticed that's a lot of pink slime. When I get that on my airline tubing, it takes months for a tiny amount to bloom. And I mean, just a bit of pink haze at the water line.


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Yeah it was quite a lot which was what concerned me.

I use API Stress Coat in the water. No beneficial bacteria, is this something I should be using?


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Also it just occurred to me, the tubing ran up parallel with the heater in the corner of the tank, which would explain why the bacteria would have appeared so much faster.
If I do put the airstone back in, I'll run the tubing along the other side so that it isn't right next to the heater! 

Silllllly!:roll:


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## Stormfish (Apr 30, 2012)

jono088 said:


> Yeah it was quite a lot which was what concerned me.
> 
> I use API Stress Coat in the water. No beneficial bacteria, is this something I should be using?


For sure. It helps break down fish waste and reduce toxicity. Also, it will form a beneficial colony in the filter sponge (never, ever clean your filter sponges with soap, or plain tap water as it will kill this good bacteria). So you'll have mechanical filtration (your filter trapping nasty particles), and biological filtration (helpful bacteria breaking down poop, etc). The beneficial bacteria have a life cycle, so they need to be replenished weekly, and after water changes.

Your local aquarium supply will have bottles of this good bacteria. Just follow the dosing according to tank size. And this may have been one of your problems with dying fish as well. Your tank hasn't been cycled it sounds.


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

Cool would you be able to link me to a product you'd recommend?


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## Stormfish (Apr 30, 2012)

jono088 said:


> Cool would you be able to link me to a product you'd recommend?


I use Big Al's Aquarium Services own brand. I don't know if you have Big Al's where you live.


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## jono088 (Jun 21, 2012)

I'll have a look into it, thanks for all your help Stormfish you've been way nice!

Peace.


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## Stormfish (Apr 30, 2012)

jono088 said:


> I'll have a look into it, thanks for all your help Stormfish you've been way nice!
> 
> Peace.


No problem, Jono! 

Btw, here's an article Byron posted about bacteria and the nitrogen cycle. It explains it all way better than I ever could: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/bacteria-freshwater-aquarium-74891/


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