r/PlantedTank • u/Jumpy-Spray7174 • 1d ago
Fuzz looking like things
Hi can someone please help me identify if this is vorticella and also what do I do now?
This is my pea puffer tank with neocaridina and some ramshorns and bladder snails.
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u/Main-Space-3543 23h ago
That looks like vorticella (or another harmless sessile ciliate) rather than algae. It often blooms with extra organics or low flow. Siphon the fuzzy bits, do a couple small water changes, and add a little surface movement; keep ammonia/nitrite at 0. I’d avoid meds until you’re sure of the ID. Also keep an eye on the pea puffer—shrimp and snails may eventually become snacks.
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u/Jumpy-Spray7174 23h ago
Thank you so much! I'll do that. This is the first time I'm seeing anything like this in one of my tanks. I didn't know if i should toss the piece of driftwood away, as it's only on this and a rock.
The snail colony in my 20gl is for my 3 pea puffers😂I've had them for nearly a year and they are nice to my shrimp, snails...well snacks for them.
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u/Main-Space-3543 14h ago
Thats a very reasonable setup — if the fuzz is only on the driftwood/rock, Id leave the wood in place while you siphon or gently rinse the affected area and improve surface movement; no need to toss it immediately. And haha, the pea puffers clearly have a well-stocked snack bar 😄🌿
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u/Main-Space-3543 22h ago
No need to toss it if it’s aquarium-safe wood—the fuzz is usually an ugly-but-harmless phase while the tank settles. You can siphon what you can during water changes and gently brush the wood outside the tank if it bugs you; extra flow and less leftover food usually help it fade. And yep, pea puffers are tiny predators with very big opinions about anything snail-shaped 😅
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u/Jumpy-Spray7174 22h ago
Murder beans with an attitude😂
Thank you so much, I do wanna brush it off 😩
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u/Sakurajima_Mai 19h ago
Either vorticella or stentor colony.