# Fungus pest...



## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Well, I need to say, I never had anything similar to fungus in my set up along 5 years of culturing crypts. But in the last month that is becoming in a headache. After moving my plants to my new larger set up a white fungus started to grow. Firstly looked as it was not a problem for plants only a ugly white mass on the moss. But few month -testing with low humidity and so on-, this fungus is becoming in a problem for the plants, melting few leaves and my last spathe of C. sp. Kota Tinggi.


































Following the advise of Ghazanfar, I tried with a commercial anti-fungus, in a really low dosage. Few days after the application the fungus looks like is going back, but the problem is some leaf looks to be affected by the anti-fungus chemicals, and the white stuff is not disappear totally. So If I add a larger dosage maybe I can damage the plants. So I am not too much sure about what to do...


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## ts168 (Apr 13, 2004)

Hi Xema, Thos are tough to get ride. I can only "suggest" throw away the soil and wash the crypt clean. and replant. Also must clean the tank properly as any little bit of the fungus around, it will multiply. They are powder form of fungus, i think they grow when too dry and warm.


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

Ewwww.

One thing you might want to try is to use oregano oil. It's about a powerful killer of fungus imaginable and it's not very harmful.

If it were me I'd try 10 drops in a half litre, shake very very well then spray the whole tank. Keep doing it.

They use it in some hospitals now instead of bleach to kill Methacillin resistant S. auraeus the "flesh eating" bacteria that's become immune to nearly all antibiotics. It's been clinicially proven to work and isn't as noxious as bleach which is what they used to use.

I use it for minor infections. It works nearly overnight. I also use it in pizza.

You can get it in any good pharmacy.


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## rahamen (May 6, 2006)

It's a pitty to heard that Xema, but I'm sure that even though fungus are hard to remove you' are going to be able to remove them.



> One thing you might want to try is to use oregano oil


It's sound interesting to me.. looking for info in internet, I've found that oregano oil (in humans) may reduce the body's ability to absorb iron. Have you seen any effect in the plants?.
Rgds

Rgds.


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

The way humans absorb iron and the way plants absorb iron is different, not that I've noticed any iron deficiency when I use it.

BTW it cures even the worst toothache overnight, every time - at least for me.

It's also what the seriously "green" poeple use instead of bleach based cleaners - besides being eco-friendly it also kills mer germs.

I'd be more concerned about emulsifyinfg the oil than any iron deficiency. What might work is just a few drops on a cotton pad in the tank which is then sealed. The vapours from the evaporating oil might just be enough to do the trick.

Of course if would probably be helpful to physically remove as much of the fungus first and rinse them all in rain water.


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## crypts (Jan 4, 2008)

I suggest remove all mosses and fungus manually, raise water for few days.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Xema,

There is a 100% effective approach against fungus in an emersed setup. I have applied it successfully a few times and it works every time. No need for any chemicals. I tried the oil and 2 kinds of fungicides and had 0 result. How do you think I managed to grow the amazing emersed HC I have been growing/selling for a couple of years now? 

Here it is, "The Secret":

Submerse the pots under water. Basically you are drowning the fungus. Leave the "high water" for 3-4 days. Done.

Let us know how it worked. I know what you will say then

--Nikolay


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

By the way, growing the HC emersed taught me that fungus is a much more common problem in an emersed setup than any other issues. You see the fungus on your Crypts, but HC suffers immensely from fungus on the roots. I learned to read the plant and figure out when the fungus starts to creep in. If I waited too long to see if the problematic HC would start to grow again I'd end up seeing thin white threads here and there - fungus. Then I'd do "the flood".

So I just started to be pro-active and flood my emersed setup for 3-4 days every 2-3 weeks. No fungus ever again.

All that made me wonder about the roots of the plants in a planted tank. Often we can't figure out what is wrong with a plant. It very well maybe a parasite (like the fungus in an emersed setup). I don't think we can do much about root parasites in an actual tank, but it's another thing to consider (not just light/CO2/nutrients).

--Nikolay


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Well, I need to say, the real problem came to me after submerge the pots. I had just a pot infected, and when I rose up the water level, most of the white fungus started to float on the water surface and started to spare around all my set up. This fungus, produce a white powder which is floating on the water, if you keep the water level under the top of the pot, there is no problem, but if you rise up it, white powder can stay on the top of the pot, starting to grow on the mos and other green surfaces.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

How long did you have the pots completely submerged?

--Nikolay


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## Yoong (Nov 26, 2007)

Xema,
If you are worrying of the powdery fungus spore floating on the surface, may be you can use a surface skimmer when you raise the water. 

Just a suggest.

Yoong


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

A surface skimme will remove most of the spores but at least a few will stay in circulation. Unfortunatelly there is no way around that.

My suggestion about flooding the emersed setup is based on simple logic. In planted tanks we do not seem to have issues with fungus that appears in emersed setups. An emersed system can be converted into a submersed one for quite a long time. The plants will certainly live. The fungus (spores or not) will not. 

--Nikolay


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

The difference between emersed and submerged set up on fungus are related with we are using organic stuff as soil, rich on fungus spores and micelius.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Ok, I suggested what I know works. 

Once you get rid of the fungus I'd like to know what you did.

--Nikolay


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

niko said:


> Ok, I suggested what I know works.


I am thankful with you, but flooding the pots the problem was increasing.

At the moment I removed manually the most of the white stuff, and added a low dosage of anti-fungus.

I will keep you informed.


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

Xema;

From the close up pictures, it looks more like a mould than a fungus. Have you tried a quick dip in a disinfectant that kills moulds?

Just a thought.

Cheers.
Jim


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

Hi Xema, sorry to see this happen to your collection. I would suggest to simply add a computer fan to increase your air circulation. Fungus/mold do not survive well with increased air circulation even in a closed system. But for better results I would allow external air to enter to lower humidity just a small bit.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I go along with Niko's suggestion. I suspect the fungus is growing on soluble organic matter that has become concentrated in the water. A water change done by flooding, then emptying, then replacing with fresh water might remove much of the organic matter that the fungus is feeding upon.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Thanks for advising guys.

The problem is when you change water, part of the floating white fungal stuff stays on the front/back/sides glasses and on the top of the pots. So removing it is a hard thing. 
Thinking as algae on planted tank, I am looking for the reason because it is appearing in my set up. I am more in the way pointed by Jim, looks like a mould, maybe due to my new potting mixes of so. It´s possible one of the sources I am using for my soils mixes would be infected with the fungus, or simply the soil is needing a time for maturing. 

In the other hand the commercial anti-fungal is not working finely due to is a systemic one. That means the active stuff is going into the plant and is designed to work with fungus infection into the plant tissues. I am thinking in a DIY solution of cooper sulphate tested on individuals pots.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

A school of guppies might clean up the fungi. I have found that guppies keep a tank very clean of soft attached algae and bacterial films. The only algae they don't eat is the 'hard' hair algae that is too tough to be picked off and swallowed.


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## Yoong (Nov 26, 2007)

I think Kamul's suggestion of putting up a fan sound good. Fangus is well known to be hard to remove. They form spores that can survive extreme condition. If the causative factors is not controlled. the chances of recurrence is high.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Finally I am recovering my set up. I am not sure what could be the factor for the success, I removed the most of the moss infected and re-potted the plants with larger infestation, I applied a regular fungicide few times during the last 2 month. But I think on of the important factor is the cold temps in the winter season here...


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## Yoong (Nov 26, 2007)

Xema,
Congratulation on clearing the fungus. 

Don't mind sharing what typr of fungicide you use? And the dosage please. Just in case I get into the same trouble. It was scary seeing the photos of fungus infected setup.

By the way, can see that you almost run out of space already. 

Yoong


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## Ezequiel Bos (Dec 11, 2008)

The active ingredient in "oregano" is eugenol it used to be used to reduce pain in tooth removal.

Looking for the msds in www.sciencelab.com throw this

Potential Acute Health Effects:
Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Slightly hazardous
in case of skin contact (permeator).
Potential Chronic Health Effects:
Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation.
CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY: Not available.
The substance is toxic to lungs, the nervous system, mucous membranes.
Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.

The eugenol is produced by steam drag of oregano, and you get that oregano oil.

i am glad xema that you recovered from that attack


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