White stuff growing on algae pellet

[ChristySage]

I have a 10gal freshwater shrimp tank. Unfortunately I think one of the new shrimp brought in something that started killing off other shrimp. A white cloudy substance encased some of the remains.  After removing as many as I can find, after putting in an algae pellet for the remaining shrimp, after about 12 hrs the same white cloudy substance encases the remains of the pellet.  What is this? How can I clean it out of the tank to save the rest of my shrimp.

I have ghost, amano, rainbow, and red cherry shrimp in the tank. I think it was one of the adult red cherry shrimp that introduced what ever this is to the tank.

[H.K.Luterman]

It looks a lot like the biofilm that grows on wood when you first introduce it to the tank. Nonetheless, 12 hours is more than enough time for food to be in the tank, and so uneaten stuff should be removed; stuff growing on it is a sign that it's starting to decay. You can scoop it out with a net, or use a siphon to vacuum it up (and then replace the little water it took to get out). 

[ChristySage]

Thank you. This is the same thing that looked like it "grew" around the dead shrimp too. Do you think it's the same thing?

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

I think so. When stuff decays in the water and it sits for a bit that fungus or bio film starts growing on it, I’d say it’s more likely your shrimp died or something else and this grew on the remains post Mortem.

when you got the shrimp, did you drip acclimate them? That’s been the #1 thing for me of deaths in my tank is not drip acclimating prior to adding them (well that and my amanos trying to break free and crawl across my floor to freedom…)

which shrimp did you just add and which ones have died, and how long have you had them?

Id recommend going forward to test your water and post the results (check ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, Gh, Kh, and pH) and to break the algae wafer in half and only feed that half, the goal is for the shrimp to consume it in a few hours so that it doesn’t fungus.

I hope this helped