Little White Specks On my Tank Walls/Inside Filter/ Floating In Tank

I have a Five gallon, I have two live plants, sand substrate, a H.O.B filter, and two female mollies. I don't know what this stuff is but when I decide to clean the tank or do water changes, these little white specks float around. They are not cotton like so I think its not ick. I dont know what they are, could it be a bacteria bloom? some sort of spore like disease or parasite? Please help.

Here is a You Tube video,

http://youtu.be/9KCvwP7ZmgM

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on June 21, 2012 at 6:54pm

Sorry I'm not familiar with the white specks but I really doubt they're harmful. Your tank looks great, and the Mollies seem happy. Just make sure you change your water at least once a week. In nature waterways clean themselves. But in tiny, unnatural, fish tanks we must do nature's job. Any plants you add to the tank, including the algae, will definitely help clean the water. In fact, some people say if you have enough plants you don't even need a filter.

The tap is your real filter. Siphon away the "poop" when removing the water and add chloramine remover to the new water if your tap contains chloramine. If your water only contains chlorine I would add it without the conditioner maybe once every two months - but not more than a 33% change. Chlorine is great at killing parasites.

I went into more depth on your U-tube video concerning the algae. Mollies LOVE algae. Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by Ciarra Wade on June 21, 2012 at 9:36pm

I was told that algae was both a good and bad thing, it helps with your water and it means that your tank was off balance. But at least i know its algae and not some freaky stuff growing on my walls. lol. Thank you so much you have helped a lot.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on June 21, 2012 at 11:53pm

They say its off-balance on the assumption you don't want the algae. Their idea is the right number of plants (other than algae) will suck up enough plant nutrients and to keep the algae away - and your tank "in balance". They are, of course, correct. But for people like me (and Mollies) who LIKE algae the tank is off-balance if there is NO algae. Think of it as hanging your favorite painting in a room. People who don't like the painting say your room off-balance. But to you the room is very much in balance.

Algae is just another plant and plants are always great for an aquarium.

Now, if the algae strangles your plants, turns the water into pea soup, and covers your front glass, the only happy ones will be the Mollies. And at that point you may want consider "balancing" your tank with plants that compete with the algae for enough nutrients and to beat it back.

Still don't know about the little white specks, but tons of little critters occupy your aquarium and 99% of these things are just a sign that you have a living, healthy, natural aquarium. In fact if your Mollies have babies they may serve as a welcome source of food for them.