Weird slime algae

[NanoAmyDee]

We set up a 20 gallon last week. It is 6 days into its cycle. There is approx 20 pounds of bagged gravel with 1 lb of LS over the top, 36 lbs of LR, 20 snails and 10 crabs...and lots of worms that came with the rock. Our ammonia spike started approx 3 -4 days ago, everything else is balanced. Temp is a constant 78 and the lighting is PC running for approx 12 hours a day.

 

Ok...I have some weird gross white/clear slime forming on the rocks and on the sand bed. There seems to be a very thin stalk and then what looks like clear leaves or "feathers" coming from it. I tried to take a pic but the pics aren't showing it. It is slimey and sticky. What the heck is this?? Should I be worried?? I have never seen this stuff on my previous tanks? There is very little other algae except for the stuff that came on the rocks.

 

Help.

[Aiptasia]

A picture, no matter how hard to shoot, would really help in this regard.

 

Personally, I wouldn't be worried at this point. It could be anything from a true algae to bacteria to a fungus. With a tank so new, and with LR still curing away, I wouldn't put it past any of the three. Without a picture, it could also be invertebrate related, as corals are known to wax/slime from time to time, or the arms could be nematode worms or even young brittlestar arms (feathery).

 

You have a full janitor crew in the tank, so i'd just watch and keep an eye on it and keep trying to identify it. If you can scoop it up with a fish net, you can try that and taking a picture.

 

If I took my best guess, i'd say it's related to the LR still curing. My bet is that it will also clear up when the tank starts finishing it's cycling. I wouldn't necessarily panic at this point.

 

If it's fungus/death related (creatures dying in the LR from being exposed to air during transport), you will probably see an explosion of copepods (little flea like shrimps) and amphipods in a week or two. If it's bacterially related or coral wax/slime related, it'll gradually break down or turn colors on you. Most cyanobacteria are rust red and slimy looking. Your janitors should help eat it, or you can use a reef safe product like "erace" when you're sure that it is cyanobacteria.

 

I'd just let it sit and ride it out.

[NanoAmyDee]

Ok...pictures just aren't coming out. It is too transparent. If I try and scoop it out it just sticks to the sand and I end up with a clump of slimy sand. (ew)

 

My best guess is die-off of some sort from the cycling. We'll see if it gets out of hand or not.

 

Thanks for the advice!!

[Aiptasia]

If it gets extensive, just manually scoop as much out as you can. If it's this amorphous gelatinous mass of goo, it's a by product of something.