One thing after the other these days! I had set up a holding tank for the snails while treating the other tank. Since it wasn't cycled, i used some substrate/decorations from the first tank, along with about 30% of the water and some Nutrafin bio supp. Yesterday I noticed yeast, bright orange yeast on the bottom of the tank. It doesn't seem to be affecting the snails in any way, but it looks disgusting. I did a 25% water change, but they're still in there. I can imagine they can mess with the different oxygen levels, etc, if they're fermenting. Short of changing tanks again, does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of them?

The filter that I'm using has mechanical/chemical/biological components, if that makes a difference.

Also, it's too soon to put the snails back in the first tank as the water is still fluorescent green and jam packed with salt. And I don't have the space to set up a third tank.

Yeast? Yeast usually stays suspended and clouds the water.

Is the tank with the snails getting sunlight?

That early in the cycle, I'm wondering if ya got hit with a massive diatom bloom. Diatoms usually coat rocks and decorations with a thin layer, usually early in the life of an aquarium, and they usually look brown. But I've seen massive population explosions that were kind of fuzzy and appeared orange. Diatoms are encouraged by high silicates in the water and a lotta light.

I really doubt it's yeast. If it's not diatoms, I'm thinkin' a fungus or algae. I googled "orange fungus" and "orange algae", and found some results, but the orange algae I found seems to be a marine aquarium issue. One thing to think about, the spectrum of lighting can change the color a fungus, algae, plant or even a fish appears, so the lighting may be making the stuff look more orange than it really is.

Do you have substrate, gravel or sand in this tank, or is it bare bottomed?

What are ya feeding the snails? How much and how often? Is there any food left on the bottom, especially in places where this stuff is growing?

Seriously, its not often I'm totally stumped, but ya got me on this one.

Regardless, keep up the daily water changes, maybe even up to 50%. Vacuum the gravel/bottom. Check yer water and if the parameters are good, I'm thinking you shouldn't have any worries. Add an airstone if yer worried about DOs, but I don't think you hafta worry 'bout that.

Anybody else?

WYite

I'm fairly certain it's yeast. It looks exactly like bakers yeast except it's bright orange. It doesn't coat the entire surface and the formation is really binary fission. I almost feel like I can see the little buggers dividing. The water was cloudy before I did the water change but the cloudiness hasn't come back since. The tank does get sunlight but not direct and not all day. Before it had been on the surface only - a little snail jello had been left overnight. But since I cleaned the tank it's mixed with the substrate. It's seems like some have died since they appear shriveled and light brown. I'm hoping that's a good sign but I'm not too familiar on their life cycle. There's no bubbling from under the substrate even when I disturb it so hopefully nothing's fermenting. I really have no idea. I'll look into the diatom bloom. Maybe with some pictures I'll be able to more accurately id it. In the meantime ill start the 50% water changes. Here's hoping!

No diatom bloom seems fuzzy. What I've got is clearly defined. I can actually see each organism

Well, whatever it was died. I'm guessing it has something to do with the bio filter. I didn't have any when setting up the tank and it went about 24 hours without one. But it still took a few days for them to die after adding it. I'm so curious as to what it was

Ya got me, seriously. I'm comin' up on 29 years in the hobby and have set up and re-set up my tanks I don't know how many times. And I couldn't tell ya how many magazines and books I've read or how many other tanks in shops and people's houses I've seen over the years. This last time was the first time I've ever seen red algae, actually red and purple colored, in a FW aquarium, and I've never seen anything like you described. Just goes to show there's always something new to see.

WYite

It's really a shame that i didn't take a picture of it right away. I cracked open a pack of Fleishman's quick rise baker's yeast just for kicks -- dead version could pass for it. The live version was the same shape but double in size and orange. If ever it comes back i'll bring a sample to school. Either way, the snail's are doing great. I don't think they even noticed. They're really not as finicky as fish.

I've been growing freaky red/purple algae in one freshwater tank for a while now. I had a hunk of pvc that came from a salt water tank, and if memory serves your guess Wyite was that due to my hard water there was enough minerals to support the stuff.

If all algae looked like that did, I'd let it grow in every tank.

Anyway, as far as the orange stuff goes, do you know what species of snails you have? There are a few apples that lay bright orange eggs above the water line and if they fall in the water they bloat and expand much like those kid toys that grow in the water, up until they die/rot/fall apart or get eaten.

She has P. canaliculata, saint. I asked her during chat the other night before you showed up.

WYite

Well, Pomacea canaliculata lays pinky/orange eggs. If that's not it I'm going to come hang out in stumped-land with you Wyite.

Scroll down a bit here and check out the egg pics:
http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_canaliculata.htm

Did the stuff in your tank look like this Suzie?

No, not at all. I wish it did! I've been hoping for some baby snails... Sadly, no. They were really scattered on the substrate, grouped in some areas more than others. And oblong, not round.