# Cotton-Like Fuzz? Please ID...



## maverickprince (May 23, 2007)

I'm currently doing the fishless cycle (using plants, household ammonia) for the past few weeks... and in a patch of free floating java moss (and a few other places) I've noticed some white, cotton-like masses starting to form.

See areas indicated on the picture.

Any ideas? Again, no inhabitants other than a few tiny snails and just some plants with the temperature turned up to 84 degrees and the addition of ammonia and Cycle...

What the heck is this stuff?

Thanks in advance.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Any pics that will focus closer? They don't look like mass of snail eggs to me from that kind of distance.


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## The-Wolf (Mar 15, 2007)

looks like rotting food to me.
if that is the case you are woefully overfeeding and should half what you are feeding and only feed every other day


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## maverickprince (May 23, 2007)

The-Wolf said:


> looks like rotting food to me.
> if that is the case you are woefully overfeeding and should half what you are feeding and only feed every other day


Thanks, but please re-read my post... no food in there, no fish... still doing a fishless cycle with household ammonia... any other ideas?


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## lioness501 (Jan 9, 2007)

it does look like mould tho doesnt it? hmmmm, how strange


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

maverickprince said:


> Thanks, but please re-read my post... no food in there, no fish... still doing a fishless cycle with household ammonia... any other ideas?


That's what I thought but I had another thought you may be feeding your snails. A closer focus, if possible, will help us identify it better.


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## Julie's Julies (Jun 11, 2007)

What type of ammonia are you using? Make sure it is pure...if there are additives, who knows what could be happening, and additives will also kill any fish you try to put in there after the cycling is complete.

Is your plant healthy or does it have rotting places (aside from the fuzz)? I would imagine that water plants can get diseases just like house plants can. House plants and other land vegetation can get molds, fungus, and who-knows-what-else. Just a thought.


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## maverickprince (May 23, 2007)

Thanks for replies so far everyone. To answer:

Plants are healthy clippings from my community tank, so no issue there I would think.

Ammonia is pure (Goldex brand, used by others as well).

RE: Fish food... sorry, I did sprinkle a little bit initially so possibly those are the remnants from way back when, but there hasn't been any added in about 3+ weeks... could this be the aftereffects?

Only thing is.. the stuff looks like it's spreading... I think I will complete the cycling, then do some water changes and pluck that stuff out manually then assess from there... unless anyone has any other ideas?

Thanks again.


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## Andyandsue (Jan 23, 2007)

It looks like UTS to me. That is "unidentifiable tank slime". My personal technical term. :wink: 

I have noticed my snails do produce a weird slime now and again and I see it trailing on the plants, but it never causes what I see in your photo. I do have artificial plants though.

I would remove the moss since that is where this gunk seems to be building.


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