Fungus growing on my rock?

M

Miranda

Members
So, I bought this rock a few weeks ago. It had this yellow/orange stuff on it and I didn't think anything of it. I figured it was something that would just die off underwater if anything. I was wrong. It's growing, and I'm scared my tank is going to be affected negatively.

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This was about 1 to 2 weeks ago, when I first notice it fuzzing up. I poked it and it was silmy and really gross to the touch. I figured it was dying/melting and since I have no real fish in the tank (except for 1 female Betta to start a fish-in cycle.) again, I thought nothing of it.

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And this was last night, as you can see there's obviously new growth to the fungus. :/

Is it a danger to my tank? Its interesting to me that I have a "live" rock, so to say but I want to make sure it's not going to affect my fish. Like I said before, right now I only have a female betta in it; she doesn't seem affected at all. She eats, is very alert and seems happy. I'm getting black convict fry soon.. and I know fry don't have the best immune systems. So I'm worried about putting anything new in the tank till I know this fungus-type-stuff is safe.
 
Becca

Becca

Members
Never seen it before, but you could give the rock a bleach bath, just in case, and then soak it in fresh water with some dechlor for a day or two after that. You could also give it a salt dip.

It is pretty cool - my guess is that it is some sort of strange slime algae.
 
Andrew

Andrew

Members
It's lichen. Grows on exposed lace rock above ground. It's not growing now, it's being eaten by other bacteria/algae/fungus. I would power wash it off. Or take a steel-bristle brush to it.
 
M

Miranda

Members
Is it dangerous to my tank? If it's not I'd like to keep it, I think it's pretty cool :)

If it's a lichen how is it growing/not growing? I mean, it has gained some mass from pic a and pic b. It's more three dimensional now instead of being mostly flat o.o

Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions :x
 
neut

neut

Members
Andrew said:
It's lichen. Grows on exposed lace rock above ground. It's not growing now, it's being eaten by other bacteria/algae/fungus. I would power wash it off. Or take a steel-bristle brush to it.
Click to expand...
Similar thought here. I'd hardly claim to be able to ID species of lichen. What I know is quite general. Lichen is basically a duo of fungus and either algae or certain types of bacteria. Some can live submerged or partially submerged.

My worry would be some lichen can be toxic and not necessarily kill you immediately toxic. Some of them are more like cause damage with chronic exposure type toxic, like liver damage. So, just because it doesn't kill fish right away is no guarantee it's not harming them. Not something I'd risk without knowing exactly what I've got there or what it's safety might or might not be... speaking for myself.
 
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