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Hi guys, I bought this decoration for my tank last week and I've added 2 shrimp pellet inside for it to cycle and create algae. (Making a new tank) After a week, there's this fluffy or smokey substance at the base of the house decoration. Can anyone tell me what's that? Or what's going on?

Nice decorations. The smoke gives it a cool effect. Ha, but seriously it seems the house is releasing something. Did you wash it when you first bought? Confirming this is aquarium safe? To be on the safe side, best to start fresh again. Might be toxic to shrimp. You might need to replace it since it might do it again.

opae ula related wrote:Nice decorations. The smoke gives it a cool effect. Ha, but seriously it seems the house is releasing something. Did you wash it when you first bought? Confirming this is aquarium safe? To be on the safe side, best to start fresh again. Might be toxic to shrimp. You might need to replace it since it might do it again.

So I should just replace the whole decor and change everything?


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Priscilla wrote:

opae ula related wrote:Nice decorations. The smoke gives it a cool effect. Ha, but seriously it seems the house is releasing something. Did you wash it when you first bought? Confirming this is aquarium safe? To be on the safe side, best to start fresh again. Might be toxic to shrimp. You might need to replace it since it might do it again.

So I should just replace the whole decor and change everything?

I washed it with distilled water. It's made of resin so I'm not sure if it's alright for salt water. Thank god the shrimps aren't in it yet


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Priscilla wrote:

opae ula related wrote:Nice decorations. The smoke gives it a cool effect. Ha, but seriously it seems the house is releasing something. Did you wash it when you first bought? Confirming this is aquarium safe? To be on the safe side, best to start fresh again. Might be toxic to shrimp. You might need to replace it since it might do it again.

So I should just replace the whole decor and change everything?

I washed it with distilled water. It's made of resin so I'm not sure if it's alright for salt water. Thank god the shrimps aren't in it yet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If it was me, I would to be on the safe side. Other option is to put one shrimp as a guinea pig and see but the cloud doesn't look natural. You can also take out the decoration and isolate it to see if it continues but I would personally replace it.

The only time i have seen this is like a hairy white mold growing on bogwood that hasn't been in a fresh tank for long. The fish ate it and i never saw it again but this might not be the same situation you are having. As @opae ula related has suggested you could take it out and remove the furry stuff with a chop stick or something that you can whiz around and pull it out. Add a suicide shrimp and see if it is indeed an issue.

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By the way that tank looks awesome!

Maybe just a bacterial bloom caused by the two 'shrimp pellets' you placed in the ornament
I have some artificial coral (resin) in with my opae ula with no problems