white fuzzy balls floating in my tank! HELP!

[jtbottoms]

Hello everyone. I am new here - as I am looking for some assistance with my daughters 10 gallon tank. It's a new tank, just setup last week. We let it cycle through for several days before introducing new fish. By the end of the week 4 out of 6 fish were dead. We took the fish back to the store and had them test the water, everything was fine except the ph was a little high.

We cleaned out the tank tonight and there are white fuzzy balls that began floating everywhere. They look like they have seeds in the middle of the fuzz. I have a seperate small beta tank and on the bottom of the tank a big white ball of fuzz is growing.

It is definitely not old food - as the tank is new and my mom is pretty good with fish and could distinguish the old food from the fuzzy looking substance. I have a container full of these "things" but my camera can not seem to get a good picture of them.

While this substance has been in the container it has stayed on the bottom. When you hold it up to the light it looks like it has a hard "seedy" middle with fuzzy transparent edges.

ANY IDEAS?!

Thanks in advance for reading and trying to help us out =)

[kimmy]

not sure of the fuzzy white things...but i am surprised that your tank cycled in 1 week, the ammonia hasn't even began to spike yet. doesn't surprise me that 4 of 6 fish are dead. Are you using LR? If so, maybe it is die off.

[reef_guru]

is this a fresh water tank

[omard]

If this a marine (salt water) tank...

Take a look at some of these links...

May save you lots of $ (and grief )

Information For The New Salt Water Aquarist

(1st Salt Water Aquarium!)

Below are listed a number of links that should answer most of the questions a new saltwater aquarist (or a person interested in taking on the hobby) would need to know/ask about techniques of the "art". While there are literally thousands of pages on the web covering these subjects, these links are ones that state them simply and most completely in a condensed way. They are the links I would recommed to anyone first starting out in the hobby.

(A "must" read!)

The Tao of Marine Aquaria
Tips for Our Hobby and Life

© 1997 Adam H. Whitlock
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan 11/25/00

Knowing How to Set Up a Marine Aquarium, Adam Blundell M.S.

About.com - Saltwater Aquariums 101 "Getting Started" FREE Email Course

Thinking about setting up a saltwater aquarium? (melevsreef.com)

An Introduction to the Marine Aquarium Hobby (Part 1) - Associated Content (Parrothead)

An Introduction to the Marine Aquarium Hobby (Part 2) - Associated Content (Parrothead)

"Getting Started" - Mike Paletta

A List Of Good Beginner Fish

Fish To Be Avoided - I

Fish To Be Avoided - II

Your Aquarium Cleanup Crew

Corals

What They Are and How They Live

by J. Charles Delbeek

"They are mysterious guests from an exotic world. Unlike anything else we keep in an aquarium, they represent the essence of the coral reefs that we try to duplicate in our living rooms. Our success at this effort depends greatly on how well we understand these unusual life forms.

Unfortunately, for the average hobbyist, the increased availability of these animals is not matched by the information available concerning their biology and care. Too often, hobbyists know more about who manufactures their aquarium equipment than basic biological information, or proper identification of the animals they are striving to keep. And yet, without this information it is difficult to provide the optimum conditions that will allow them to grow and reproduce."

Answers to Everything!

Marine Aquarium Articles and FAQ's
WebMedia.com

Learn to Live With It

Adam Blundell M.S.

"...As surprising as it may seem your tank will look ugly at first. This happens to all new marine aquariums as they cycle through their initial filtration phase. Your tank may go brown, and then green, and then red, and then just look junky. It happens. Consequently the one coral you really want to keep may not live. You may struggle to raise the prize fish you originally intended to acquire. It's okay; just learn to love whatever is working for you. Remember, not only is this a hobby, but we are keeping living ecosystems. Special efforts should be put forth to enjoy and appreciate what we are keeping, whatever it may be. It takes time and patience to turn a glass box full of rock into a beautiful, thriving reef tank..."

]

[jbaker]

If it's saltwater I would definately give it longer to cycle. I know it's hard but don't be in a hurry, let mother nature run her course and set up the needed bacteria. I let my tank cylce for about 3 months before adding any livestock other than a yellow tailed blue damsel. Take your time and read, read, read about salt water tanks.