bubble algae post again

[leigh]

hey all,
anyone know of anything else to deal with bubble algae other than a) emerald crabs, b) pulling it off yourself? ie. anychance my lawnmower blennie will chow down on it? I only have about 3 lil bubbles, anything to worry about?
-leigh

 

[thomas712]

3 bubbles is nothing, chances are there are 12 more you don't know about.
Watch your iodine levels, I have seen in one of my tanks that high iodine levels will increase their growth.
I do not believe a lawnmower blenny would concider bubble algea on the menu.
Thomas

 

[seaham358]

I have 4 emerald crabs and they did not touch my bubble algae. I waited till they were about the size of a pea and I pulled them off. Have not seen any return in months... Knock on wood...

 

[quazi]

Emeralds and Desjardini Tangs are the only know eaters of these things. My Desjardini ate them when I first got him 4 years ago. Not any more However, the emeralds eat them with gusto!

 

[q]

Don't let them spred as they can multiply quickly under the right conditions. I got some off of some LR and it took a month to get rid of them. Water changes and constantly sucking them up with a syringe that came with a test kit.
Good luck

 

[leigh]

hmm, which brand test kit, i just tried that and it didn't suck diddly.
i'm afraid of emerald crabs still and i don't really have the bioload/fish compatibility for a tang...so, i figure i should pull them off with tweezers...how long is the rock happy out of water for tweezing? unfortunately the populated rock is the same one that has this really cute lil feather duster growing out of it
thanks for the help-
leigh

 

[q]

The salifert 5 ml. It is was perfect for the smaller ones that I had.
I don't remember exactly what I had read but it was about the maturity of the bubble as it relates to releasing more spores. The reason I mention it is that using tweezers may pop the and release spores which is why I sucked them up.
Good luck

 

[goldrush]

I've been successful removing the few I've ever had by hand.No one has yet to explain to me how an Emerald crab eats them without breaking them. Any ideas??

 

[seaham358]

Use your hands and leave the rock in the water. It is like picking up peas.