algae id

[renogaw]

need to find out what type of algae this is so i can get something that will eat it. emeralds, hermits, kole tang and coral beauty all leaving it alone

 

[natclanwy]

Does it have the look of hair algae only short and brownish? If so I have a similar growth in my tank and my snails keep it knocked down not sure which ones are actually doing the service but its either the mexican turbos or the astrea snails. I don't know exactly what it is though.

 

[michaeltx]

I dont think its an algae but a type of bacteria not sure what eats it though usually I see it in takes with a decreased flow in the areas that it shows up at. on top of powerheads undersides and backsides of rocks, and on the back walls of the tank. Once it starts to grow it grows into the current areas from the lower current areas.
I always used a turkey baster to clean it off though but even then some remained and wouldnt BLOW away.
Could be an algae though not real sure but to me it grows and acts more like a bacteria than algae.
Mike

 

[renogaw]

ugh... aren't you a fountain of good news?? thank you... need to figure out what to do about it.

 

[michaeltx]

well how about this one-
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-Its not cyno LOL
But hey on a brighter note I havent seen any harm done by this type of bacteria just alittle unsightly at times but can be removed fairly easily
Mike

 

[renogaw]

was told on another site it might be derbesia (cousin to hair algae). it isn't removable like cyano (it does grab onto the rock unlike cyano) which makes me wonder if it's bacterial. i'm debating dunking the few rocks i have it on in a bcket filled with chemiclean water just in case though

 

[keri]

Ew...Renogaw's tank has Cooties! j/k
Yeah, I would try to trim and turkey baster out the bulk of it, how much is there throughout the tank?

 

[renogaw]

not much.
i did put a mexican turbo on the rock and it chowed and pooped all over the place then left. so... maybe it is hair algae. its really a SPS skeleton so it's pretty rough for the snails to go on, so i'm going to keep putting the turbo there till it's gone.