Something very strange.. any ideas of what it could be?.....

Hi Everyone,

So I have been having a major issue with BBA (black brush algae) in my main tank, I am aware of how well excel works to kill it, but since it was everywhere, I treated each item infested gradually and trimmed as much of the plants affected as I could...I have been soaking the wood riddled with it, in excel, first doing one piece of wood, that wasn't that bad, and then today did the other piece which was really really bad... now for the strange part... I have otto's which have been fabulous at keeping diatom algae at bay, and until today, they hardly touched the BBA, however, ever since I placed the wood back in the tank after soaking it in the excel, they have not stopped eating it! they are literally devouring it.. any idea's why this is happening? I'm certainy not complaining, but very intrigued as to why they would suddenly love it after it's been soaked in excel?

Cheers,
Candice

 

They are probably eating the dead, or dying BBA. It's not totally uncommon, I have heard of this happening before. But, ja, it's weird.

 

Yeah it started turning the pinkish colour quite fast, maybe it is also easier for them to get it off the wood now that its dying? just very glad to be getting rid of it finally

 

dead BBA is softer than alive BBA, I have seen this with my ottos as well. ottos tend to keep with eating soft algae and leave the hard algae for us to combat.

 

Great, thanks guys, makes sense