TimmG Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Hello All. I have posted here before about a year or so ago when I was new to having an aquarium and I had a lot of questions. After I got my tank cycled correctly everything was fine. I was even following the no water changes philosophy just topping off. Any who everything was great, until I saw these long thin white lines in my tank coming out of the gravel. I don't believe they are worms or any creature. I think its a plant of some kind. I just know I didn't plant them, and they didn't show up until recently. Does anyone have any ideas as to what they are? And if it should be removed from the tank? I know they are hard to see in the picture, but there is a group if 4-5 in the back corner, and you can see more in the foreground. You can clearly see one going in front of the shark head, and others in front of the green plant. Thanks for your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 That's really weird. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishCO Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Is it Planaria? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 i think it is hair algae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmG Posted January 13, 2023 Author Share Posted January 13, 2023 On 1/13/2023 at 1:40 PM, Theplatymaster said: i think it is hair algae Thanks for the response. I looked up images of hair algae in aquariums and it looks to be much thinner and finer than what I am experiencing. What I seem to have is multiple singular growing strands of something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Maybe hydras? They don't seem to have tentacle looking heads fom the pic and it is hard to see anything clearly as you have mentioned. Interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmG Posted January 13, 2023 Author Share Posted January 13, 2023 On 1/13/2023 at 1:38 PM, BettaFishCO said: Is it Planaria? I believe planaria is a type of worm. And they move around the tank. Not stay rooted in one place growing like a plant. Thanks for the idea though. On 1/13/2023 at 2:04 PM, Lennie said: Maybe hydras? They don't seem to have tentacle looking heads fom the pic and it is hard to see anything clearly as you have mentioned. Interesting They look like singular strands. Its gotta be a plant of some kind. I just don't know what kind, and why it would be growing now over a year later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Maybe @modified lung or @Biotope Biologist or @Odd Duck or @Guppysnail or @Cinnebuns have some ideas on what it is. At first I thought it was either actual hair (it happens) or a weird root that shot up from the substrate. It doesn't look like worms or anything like that, as you said. Very interesting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Daft question time but could it be your or someone in the households hair. I'm a molter and I've found my hair in tanks before now and it looks pretty similar admittedly you have a few there. Pull one out and have a closer look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 (edited) I have no idea other than a human hair (which seems unlikely because they do look like they’re growing there). I sure would like to get a couple under a microscope. Maybe you could find a friendly science instructor and borrow a microscope for a few minutes between classes? If you can borrow a microscope you can take pics through the lens with your phone. Sometimes using a short tube (I take scope pics through the center of a medical tape roll) can help steady the phone and help it focus better. Then post pics here and we might be able to help. Edited January 13, 2023 by Odd Duck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Looks like hair. I have long blonde hair to below my waist and when it gets in a tank looks exactly like that…but that many???? Pull one out and check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishCO Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 (edited) Ahh, I didn't know they don't move. And are you talking about the planaria looking things or the really long thin ones? Edited January 14, 2023 by BettaFishCO Added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SidneyE Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Roots from a plant? 🤷🏻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Could be a type of synedra algae. They will sometimes connect end to end in long strands, but without a microscope it’s speculative at best. Also congrats on the anubias flower in the background. Not an easy feat! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 I had this once and it turned out to be roots from a plant. I believe it was from water lettuce. What plants do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 On 1/14/2023 at 1:07 AM, BettaFishCO said: Ahh, I didn't know they don't move. And are you talking about the planaria looking things or the really long thin ones? I was talking about the long thin ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Hair seems like the most pertinent suggestion to me. My Dalmatians hair has found it’s way to an aquarium substrate before, and looked similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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