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Hello everyone.

I set up my aquarim 4 days ago (21 gal), with a peice of driftwood, 3 live plants and a few ornaments, and added the 'tuff fish' 2 days ago. When I got up this morning and turned the lights on, there is a clear slime totally covering one of the ornaments. It's not on anything else, and so far, the fish don't seem to mind it. I have adding cycle every day, as my LFS has told me. It's really weird looking. I find it odd, that it's only on one ornament and it covers every nook and cranny, but nothing else in the tank. Is this the good bacteria growing? Is it bad stuff instead? Any help would be appreciated!
Troy

It is most likly a bacteria colony growing on the ornament- this happens within the first 3-5 days when setting up a tank. The colony finds it easier to stick to the smooth surface of the ornament and will probably coat the glass of the tank somewhat as well.

A better method to establish a tank quickly is to take gravel from an already established aquarium - place it in a mesh bag and place in your filter- cheaper than Cycle. If this is your first aquarium- you can ask a friend.

http://www.fishprofiles.com/site/aquarank.aspx

That bacteria probably likes the particular surface on that ornament, dont scrub it.

Thank you for the information. Unfortunatly, we don't know anyone who has an aquarium... My parents do, but they live 2500km away... A long drive for some gravel! Haha, Thanks though. Will it eventually dissappear, or change colour or something? Looks kinda bad. But I'll defenatly let it do it's thing.
Troy

Hey, could this have anything to do with the pond snail that showed up in my tank? It appeared a day or two after I setup my tank with live plants. Now, a week later, there are 7 snails in there! It says on the pond snail profile “Their eggs are located in a gelatinous mass that is usually laid on plants.” Could that be it? Show I clean it off, or let it stay? I'm thinking of adding some loaches to look after the snails. Do you think this is a good idea or what?
Troy

21 gal is not enough room for loaches, especially as it is not yet cycled.

Snails were likely there from the start (came in with the plants) just you didnt see them at first. You can crush their shell with your finger and let he fish eat the insides. You can remove them by hand. There are also a number of snail treatments out there, some are plant friendly.

Leave the ornament alone for now. Worry about getting your cycle finished. Once your ammonia and nitrIte have risen and then fallen back to zero with nitrAtes present you may find that the issue has cleared itself up.


^_^

Could you post all the water parameters (take a good water sample to your LFS) then post them here.

To remove the snails by hand can be hard but you will have no alternative until the tank is fully established. I have read that apiece of cucumber will attract them but this will not remove the eggs, this you will have to do by hand possibly every day or so. When the tank has fully cycled a Yoyo loach will do the job easily for you.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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