WEIRD WHITE THING GROWING ON THE SAND BED

[reefinginBD]

Hey, my friend just got into this hobby sometime ago. He sent me two pictures and a video of something white growing on his sand bed. I have no idea what it is. Can you please help me and tell me what it is. Also what to do with it. Like should I tell him to remove it (if so how) or just keep it in the tank. Is it harmful or harmless?

 

[lapin]

I see 2 holes in the video. This is usually an indication it is a sponge or some type

 

[Smarkow]

Looks like a sponge. Alternatively a biofilm of some sort. Less likely tunicates? Or something partially decomposing that fish picked at. I also had something like this after I dosed some silica/liquid glass. How old is the tank?

 

[reefinginBD]

I see 2 holes in the video. This is usually an indication it is a sponge or some type

I assumed it is a sponge but I didn’t want to give my friend any inform without being absolutely sure. Thank you for replying. Also should I tell him to remove this or should he leave it there and it will go away?

 

[reefinginBD]

Looks like a sponge. Alternatively a biofilm of some sort. Less likely tunicates? Or something partially decomposing that fish picked at. I also had something like this after I dosed some silica/liquid glass. How old is the tank?

So, I am all the way from Bangladesh. but my friend is from Italy. we have been communicating via email. So, the tank is about a month old. He has been going to get the livestock really quickly. it is a 65 gallon tank with a canister filter. He was into cichlids before he got this tank. the most recent death was of his bicolor angelfish. The fish was not doing well when he bought it and unfortunately he could not save it. He also got an anemone when the tank was about 25 days old and it died. I told him to not get any corals or anemone for 3-4 months but he got it anyways. I can’t say no to him because I am only 13 and he is older. So, this probable sponge grew after these died. Also he had some other fish like guppies and gouramis which also died as he had a salinity of 1.015. And that all that happened before the sponge (probable) came. He also added some hermits and snails some time ago. The tank is about 1 month old, it could be a bit older though.

 

[ariellemermaid]

It looks to me like rotting/decomposing organic matter laying on the surface of the sand. I had this when I was over feeding before I had crabs to clean up the extra food. It sounds like the tank has had a lot of death in it. It could be pieces left over from any of those dead things. I would remove it to be safe.

 

[reefinginBD]

Looks like a sponge. Alternatively a biofilm of some sort. Less likely tunicates? Or something partially decomposing that fish picked at. I also had something like this after I dosed some silica/liquid glass. How old is the tank?

So, I am all the way from Bangladesh. but my friend is from Italy. we have been communicating via email. The tank is abt a month old give or take. He added a bicolour angelfish and and anemone which died. He had a salinity of 1.015 but I think it increased now. He is going very fast with the stocking. I told him to slow down tho. Now he has 1 pair of clownfish, 1 damsel and some cuc.

 

[reefinginBD]

It looks to me like rotting/decomposing organic matter laying on the surface of the sand. I had this when I was over feeding before I had crabs to clean up the extra food. It sounds like the tank has had a lot of death in it. It could be pieces left over from any of those dead things. I would remove it to be safe.

Ok thank you for your reply.

 

[Smarkow]

So, I am all the way from Bangladesh. but my friend is from Italy. we have been communicating via email. So, the tank is about a month old. He has been going to get the livestock really quickly. it is a 65 gallon tank with a canister filter. He was into cichlids before he got this tank. the most recent death was of his bicolor angelfish. The fish was not doing well when he bought it and unfortunately he could not save it. He also got an anemone when the tank was about 25 days old and it died. I told him to not get any corals or anemone for 3-4 months but he got it anyways. I can’t say no to him because I am only 13 and he is older. So, this probable sponge grew after these died. Also he had some other fish like guppies and gouramis which also died as he had a salinity of 1.015. And that all that happened before the sponge (probable) came. He also added some hermits and snails some time ago. The tank is about 1 month old, it could be a bit older though.

I would say if only a month old, this is decaying flesh. Too fast for sponge growth likes that

 

[James_O]

Looks like some sort of sponge or mold.

 

[Timfish]

My guess is also the bacteria film that forms over something rotting.

 

[reefinginBD]

I am not Sure if you guys can see the video but it’s moving. Almost like it’s breathing. You know what I mean?

 

[sksouthpaw]

So, I am all the way from Bangladesh. but my friend is from Italy. we have been communicating via email. The tank is abt a month old give or take. He added a bicolour angelfish and and anemone which died. He had a salinity of 1.015 but I think it increased now. He is going very fast with the stocking. I told him to slow down tho. Now he has 1 pair of clownfish, 1 damsel and some cuc.

Yeahh, he needs to slow way down. Give it some time, let the tank do its things, keep up with water changes. Less than a month is way too early to be adding in 4 fish and an anemone. I know its not easy to just watch and wait but he is going to overwhelm the system if he keeps adding like that.