mulm

M3U1L1M3

noun

The sludge that collects at the bottom (or walls) of an aquarium, consisting of fish excrement, decaying plant matter, and other assorted detritus

OriginGerman Mulm →
Scrabble 8
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Meanings

nounmulm (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe sludge that collects at the bottom (or walls) of an aquarium, consisting of fish excrement, decaying plant matter, and other assorted detritus

    The point is that the filter not only removes mulm from the tank but also ensures that this matter is very efficiently bathed in a constant flow of water, which will dissolve out anything that can be dissolved.

    2013, C. W. Emmens, Keeping and Breeding Aquarium Fishes, page 115

Origin

  1. GermanMulm
  2. Englishmulm

Borrowed from German Mulm. Doublet of malm.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mulm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mulm

MLA

“mulm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mulm. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mulm,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mulm.

Source: mulm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.