How to Get Rid of White Fuzz on Driftwood From Your Aquarium

The white unclear mold in your fish tank will look nasty. It will ruin the beauty of your favorite aquarium. This white fuzz on driftwood is in fact fungus and thus, you will have to remove them from your fish tank the moment you notice it. But many people don’t even know how to identify them and how to get rid of them. For them, we have made a full detailed guide on how to get rid of those white fuzz on the driftwood of your fish tank.

The fish tank is the ideal place for fungal growth. Do you know why? Well, the reason your fish tank has white fuzzy mold or fungus is that the fungus or mold gets all the appropriate circumstances to start growing. In case your fish tank has cotton-like white stuff then go through this article to find out ways to get rid of them.

Molds or funguses can turn into a very serious issue in your aquarium since they can grow as well as spread speedily in your aquarium because they get the perfect atmosphere to grow. The mold or fungus can even be injurious to your fish in the tank, so knowing how to get rid of white mold or fungus in the aquarium is most important.

To get rid of the mold or fungus from your aquarium you’ll have to remove all the decorations, plants, and gravel from there, then wash them carefully and then have to apply the fungus treatment to the tank water before you set everything back in place.

What Does It Mean By White Fuzz On Driftwood?

Several aquarists suffer from issues like white to greyish “fur” rising on recently installed parts of driftwood in the aquarium. This is generally a fungus or mold (but often it is bacteria) and thus, it is sometimes harmful to your fish and you.

You can easily get rid of these with the help of a toothbrush; however, they may come back a few times previously vanishing permanently. A further choice is to soak it in a mild bleach solution or boil or bake the wood. In case you pick the bleach option, rinse as well as soak the wood in freshwater and then cure it in direct sunlight in the open air before placing it back in the fish tank.

The fuzz growing on your driftwood is some kind of bacterial mold or fungus that is less harmful to the fish in your aquarium. It can produce immediately, or a few weeks after, or even a month after you set a piece of driftwood in there. It’s not visually eye-pleasing however, do not worry about it too much as it is treatable.

NOTE:

Otocinclus, bristlenose plecostomus, and Nerite snails are recognized to eat this type of mold. It is recommended to avoid the usage of chemical actions, as they might invite unforeseen side effects to your fish in the tank.

What Is The White Stuff Floating In My Fish Tank?

The white object floating in the fish tank is maybe fungus or mold that most likely produced on the decorations, rocks, gravel, and plants in your fish tank and then has broken off as well as is now floating everywhere in your fish tank.

In case you identify a white object floating in the fish tank you’ll have to take immediate action ASAP in order to stop it from spreading everywhere in your fish tank.

What Causes Fish Tank to Get Fungus Or Mold?

The aquarium and water are completely packed with all kinds of helpful bacteria. Every time you add items into the fish tank, particularly organic matter like a part of driftwood, fungus, or bacteria will find a new place to take over and grow there. The driftwood releases delicious nutrients and excess carbohydrates that the bacteriological fungus loves to feed on.

Maybe there are some organic substances present on the wood that the bacterial fungus or mold may feed themselves on. It is just a portion of the decay procedure of the driftwood (organic matter) presented into a bacteria and oxygen-rich atmosphere. It is just nature doing its job.

The White mold or fungus in aquariums is produced by the occurrence of an adequate area and setting for its growth. The type of fungus that would be formed by driftwood in a fish tank is not that much harm to your fish.

Fundamentally, the wood emits carbohydrates (sugars) and also other wonderful nutrients for fungus and also for bacteria present in your fish tank, as well as help them to flourish.

Obviously, an example would be inferior, or more, as soon as there are a few organic elements or processes on the driftwood to release such nutrients, this means a more projecting white film will seem on wood that does not dry thoroughly.

As much, distinct organic basics in your aquarium will also lead to this problem, together with leftover foods and plants remainder, although to a smaller extent due to the fewer spots to take over.

NOTE

It is just a part of the decay procedure of the organic object. In this case, nature is doing its job well with the driftwood presented in a bacteria-rich and oxygen setting.

How To Get Rid of White Fungus (Mold) in Your Fish Tank?

As mold & bacteria growth is a vital part of the decaying cycle, providing sufficient time to go away on its own will be the easiest and less hassle way possible ever.

The fungus (mold) should vanish in just a few days to weeks. Furthermore, before taking any severe source of action, it is also desirable to find a usual method to handle this and other outbursts in your fish tank.

In such cases, the inverts (shrimp, snails) and fishes stated above have a fondness for the fuzzy fur or film, and thus, they will chew it quite handy. If you want, then you can as well pick the eliminate the biofilm by hand. Just scoop it out from the driftwood with a suitable tool, ensuring you get each part correctly. To take away the white fuzzy mold or fungus in the aquarium, follow these below-mentioned steps

At First, Wash Your Hands Properly:

You surely do not want to invite any more bad bacteria, fungus, molds, or other harmful material to your aquarium. So, wash your hands first.

Remove Gravel / Plants / Decorations:

Remove all the decorations, gravel, and plants from the fish tank to place them in another tank or a sink

Wash The Plants Properly:

Although the plants are quite hard to clean, you can use a damp cloth to rub off the white fungus from the plants. As soon as you finish rubbing them, rinse them properly. Do not immediately place them back into the aquarium.

Wash The Decorations Properly:

You can wash the decorations, place them under a hot tap, and then use a brush to remove the remaining part of the white mold. Finally, place them under the hot tap once again.  Do not immediately place them back into the aquarium.

Wash The Gravel Properly:

Wash them using hot water on the gravel for a few minutes only, then place them in boiling water for about 30 minutes to kill the white fuzzy fungus or molds. Finally, rinse them under hot water again. Do not immediately place them back into the aquarium.

Wipe The Sides Of Your Aquarium:

With a clean cloth, wipe all sides of your aquarium and ensure you reach every corner properly.

Remove Floating Molds:

Use a fishnet to remove the floating molds in the tank and then wash the fishnet properly

Clean The Filter:

Now is the perfect time to clean the aquarium filter because this part will similarly have a chance to build up fungus or molds in there.

Apply Treatment For Fungus:

As you have cleaned every individual part of your aquarium, it is time to apply the solution for fungus removal.

Wait For At Least 12 Hours:

You need to at least wait for 12- hours to let the solution start working

Put the Plants, Gravel, And Decorations Back :

Put everything back in place as your aquarium is now free from fuzzy white fungus as well as white fuzzy molds in the fish tank. 

NOTE:

Throughout this procedure, it is vital not to change water since this can distress the aquarium’s chemical balance and is most likely to harm the fish there.

How To Prevent Regrowth Of White Fuzzy Molds

The best method to keep the aquarium free from the white fuzzy fungus or molds is to regularly clean the tank. You can follow the below-mentioned steps as well to stop the regrowth of white fuzzy molds on driftwood.

• Wash the entire aquarium after every 15-20 days to regulate the bacterium’s development.
• Avoid overfeeding the fish since the leftover food is the favorite nourishment for fungus, and thus it starts rising there.
• As soon as you make a routine, you’ll see you do not have to put much energy into cleaning the aquarium, and the fish there will also remain healthy.

NOTE:

As soon as you clean your aquarium, avoid using chemical or detergent that damages the fish. Furthermore, check pH level, temperature, and all the other issues that may encourage mold development. Your fish require care to assist them with a hygienic and appropriate environment to provide a healthy living.

BOTTOM LINE

There are only a few shrimps, fish, and snails that will eat growing fungus in your aquarium. Obviously, the finest candidates will be bottom-dwellers that will naturally feed upon plant matters together with algae. This may also include plecos and catfishes. Otocinclus catfish and bristlenose plecos are equally small-bodied freshwater living entities that will eat the molds, albeit sparingly.

If you are worried that white fungus might harm the fish, snails, and shrimp in your fish tank, let me tell you that it won’t. But you need to be very careful and always keep an eye on your aquarium. Always keep the aquarium clean and beautiful so that fungus doesn’t get sufficient time to grow and spread in the tank. Happy fish keeping!

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