Small green eggs?

[jenday]

Hi all! We recently set up a 29gal saltwater tank with live rock, a couple of damsels, and 3 snails (one was an inhabitant of the live rock). It is still a new tank - 2 months old, but all is well so far. A few weeks ago we spotted a dark green clear fishegg looking object on the live rock right in plain view. It is a singular specimen and started out at about 3mm but has since more than doubled in size. A few nights ago I noticed another one a few inches from the first and then tonight I found yet another on the side of the rock. Do we have a hatchery? And if so, what are we hatching? We are very excited but don't know what to expect. Is there any way to find out? None of the books I've seen have any detail about this sort of thing. I know some fish lay eggs and some are live breeders. What are damsels? What about snails? These things appeared a few days after introducing the snails...

 

[orby]

They are not eggs at all. They are algae called "Valonia", which consists of a single cell. It's ok if kept in small numbers however it can spread and become a nuisance. Sorry to burst your bubble, but they are not fish eggs.

 

[flydan]

Hey,
Also called nitrate bubbles and they can get really big. Saw one at the lfs that was the size of a golf ball. I pick them off when I see them in my reef. Don't really hurt anything until they spread and take-over from the "good stuff".
Take care,
Dan'l

 

[jenday]

Wow I had no idea. They still look pretty cool. If there becomes too many of them should I pick them off? What inverts will eat em? Is there an online database for things like this? email me the url if you know of any. Thanks for the quick replies! jday1229@aol.com

 

[jenday]

Oh my God! Sounds like an alien lifeform in my tank! Thanks sammy, I'll give it a try tomorrow. Will definitely take the rock out first! Is this something that probably came with the rock? Is there any way to prevent it from coming back once I remove the visable cells?