# Black spot Algae or something else? Pics inside



## design1stcode2nd (Jul 27, 2010)

I need some help identifying the black spots that form on most of my plants. New leaves grow out fine and then are shortly turning black. Guessing it's some form of black spot algae. I have Zebra Nerite snails and Amano shrimp in the tank and they don't touch it. Its seems to from mostly on the Anubias Nana and Java fern, the crypts seem fine and the Anubias Congensis seem less bothered.

Please excuse the quality of the photos I don't own a tripod or DSLR so I have no manual focus.

Don't mind the flake food I had just put it in when I took the picture.

Here you can see a new leaf on the nana and all the black leaves









Java Fern









Overall









Currently dosing with excel. After doing some reading on here I upped it to 3x normal starting last night to see if that kills off whatever this is but any other ideas are welcome.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Why not get an otto and forget the excel?

-Gordon


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## design1stcode2nd (Jul 27, 2010)

Well I have Zebra nerites and amano shrimp, I figured that would be enough for algae (for green algae it has been). Would an otto definitely eat the "black stuff" on the plants?


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## magicmagni (Aug 19, 2004)

From your pics it looks like Black brush Algae. From my experience this is usually from the following factors:

1. Too much light
2. Not enough Co2 (for the amount of light)
3. Not enough flow (8 to 10 x the volume of the tank in flow is good)


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