White Film that Kills Inverts

[Hugh Mann]

Asking for a friend.

A 10" fireworm killed his trigger the other day, and the trigger also killed the fireworm, or vice versa. Either way, he tells me that he also found a blenny dead, and a white film on the trigger. Since then it has been spreading and killing his inverts. Sucks it out and it comes right back. Has no idea what it is, neither do I.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures or other information, but wondering if y'all have any ideas?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Gonna be hard without pictures. Is it actually smothering the inverts? Or does it just cover them once they're already dead?

 

[Hugh Mann]

I'll see if I can get him to send me some pictures. According to him, if an invert touches it, shortly after it dies. Has lost a good deal of his CuC to it already.

 

[ichthyogeek]

So...it's The Blob? My guess it's some sort of fungal/bacterial biofilm. Maybe if he tries making kombucha with it, we'll have a better clue of what it is!

On a more serious note, I still think something vaguely fungal/bacterial. Has the friend been removing the dead things and doing water changes? Is it more like Saprolegnia (freshwater fungus)? Or is it more of a thin opaque biofilm?

 

[Hugh Mann]

No idea, guy isn't exactly prompt in his replies, or details for that matter.

What I do know is he has been removing the dead critters, and vacuuming out the slime doing water changes. Has done a 10 and 20 gallon change over 2 days. 55 gallon tank.