white alage

Question
can you use a algae remover or algae eater to remove white algae. i don't know how i got it. i change my water weekly and i have never had a problem before. i did get new plant could i of got white algae from that.

Answer
Hi Carl,
Sounds like the 'white algae' is the common type of aquarium fungus that develops in white sheets or sometimes even in wispy forms in our aquariums. Most often, this fungus (which usually doesn't mean the fish are going to catch it by the way) will develop where particles of food have fallen cause the fish have either ignored it or cannot reach it. It can be removed with an algae sponge scrubber and the best thing to get rid of it is by doing several thorough gravel vacuuming and scraping as much of it off as you can while siphoning the loose pieces up.

Making sure lots of food doesn't fall to the bottom will help prevent its re-occurrence. A few snails in the tank will further help cleanup the bottom. But I don't think that algae eaters would go for the white fungus.

I hope this helps and best of luck!
Karen~