If you have staghorn algae, it won’t spread as rapidly as white fungus despite the many physical similarities between the two entities.Ĭoralline algae in saltwater aquariums can turn white due to exposure to the wrong pH and temperature.īut coralline algae are a crusty coating on live rock. The confusion makes sense because white algae have a fuzzy appearance and many aquarists use terms like ‘Cotton Growth’ to describe the organism.īut with algae, a closer inspection will reveal a slick film that is more stringy and not quite as fluffy as water mold.

Like ‘Fungus’ and ‘Mold,’ people use the terms ‘Algae’ and ‘Fungus’ interchangeably in relation to the white substances they’ve observed in the water. They thrive in environments with large quantities of waste. The fuzzy white tufts in your tank might be fungus filaments that appear when organic matter decays. The factors distinguishing ‘White Fungus’ from ‘White Mold’ don’t matter to the average aquarist.īut if you have fuzzy white substances in the tank reminiscent of cotton, you are more likely to call them white mold. Your approach to this organism won’t change regardless of what you call it. ‘Water Mold’ is a broad term that encompasses over 200 species.īut many people classify water mold as a category of fungus. People use the terms fungus and mold interchangeably. If you found a cotton-like fuzz in your fish tank, this is what you should know: 1.

The white cotton-like fuzz in fish tanks could be caused by fungus or white hair algae, but it could also be Saprolegnia or Columnaris, which are less common. What Is The Cotton-like Fuzz In My Fish tank? To save you a lot of time and trouble, I decided to write this article, where I collect everything you need to know in one place. We both had no idea what it was.Īs time went by, we dug deeper and deeper into this and found several possible causes for this problem. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.Ī few months ago, a friend of mine woke up to find his fish tank covered in a fuzzy white cotton-like substance.

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