Relatively new tank, odd growth...

RazorDX

I recently (about 2 and a half months ago) started a 10 gallon freshwater community tank. The original inhabitants were 5 neon tetras, but the number has been reduced to 4, and as a gift from my girlfriend's mother I recieved 2 dalmation mollies and two scissortails, as well as 5 ghost shrimp. I did at one point have a pleco, but after a week and a half I mysteriously found him dead. The tank has properly cycled by now (to my knowledge at least), but there has been a lot of orangish growth. It wasn't too noticable, but now it's starting to thicken and seems to be taking over. Is this a normal growth, or should I find some kind of product to remove it? Should I give a pleco another shot?
TIA

joeshmoe

Were is the growth?

RazorDX

Everywhere. I have fake decorative plants, and those are covered, a plastic rock cave that is covered, the gravel is becoming coated, and now it is sprawling up the glass sides. You can only see the growth on the glass if you really look, but there was one particular spot on the glass where a small dot grew to the size of a quarter after a few weeks (brownish orange mold, I searched but couldn't find any picture example). I scraped the spot off with my small fish net, but what to do about all of the other stuff growing is over my head.

I'll keep hunting for a picture to help describe it.

Edit: Possibly brown algae? If that's the case, would a small pleco help to keep it at bay with the ghost shrimp helping out? I'll try keeping the light on for shorter periods of time. I usually turn it on when I wake up at around 7-9 and turn it off around 11.

joeshmoe

might be algea it migth just look orangish it might be a lite green. is you tank near a window?

Nick

Hi I will start out with your dyeing fish. If your tank has just been cycled, than Neon Tetra's arent a good idea because they arent very hardy these days. Thats why you lost one. I'm surprised you havnt lost anymore. When I first started my tank and it was done cycleing i put 2 pleco's in my tank and they died within a week. And your's dyed because there wasnt any algea for him to feed off of is my closest guess. thats why I think mine died. Did you ever feed him algea wafers? I feed mine that every day or every other day.

About the you say ' orangish' growth. We will have no clue unless you take a picture of the tank, the glass, and/or the gravel/decorations that it is on. It may just be the common algea if your tank has been established for 2 months. Please post pic's of your tank.

Nick

joeshmoe

ya but he shuldent have that much algea.

Nick

I dont know about that. I had only had my 55 gallon for about a month in a half and I had to scrape the glass and the gravel was getting covered in the algea, as well as the decorations. Yes it was just the common algea. THe only way we can tell is by him posting pictures.

Nick

joeshmoe

how long do u keep your lights on for?

Nick

Was that towards me? well I'll answer it anyway
I used to turn them on when I woke up, and than when i went to bed, so they would be on anywhere from 10-12 hours, which is the recommended time anyway. Now I have a timer for my light and it turns on @ 9:30 and turns off @ about 9:30 so now about 12 hours. I might be making shut off time @ 9 and than turn on still @ 9:30.

Nick

joeshmoe

lol no the other guy .