was told to ask in here
- Thread starter zap800
- Start date
doris
Member
Hi Zap, I had that stuff in my tank and found on another forum someone calling in a type of valonia, aka red bubble algae. It start taking over the rock my blue ridge coral was on and was extremely invasive until I put the rock low enough for the yellow tang to get at it. He ate it all in about a week and it has never come back, thank goodness.
zap800
Member
well i only have a 55 so i guess any sort of tang will be out of the question. also i have an emerald in my tank and all he does is mess will the small algea on my rock. so i am a t an impass. i dont want to take the thing out because i have 3 small featherdusters i want to keep. if i take the rock out and scrap it off anyone think my dusters will survive?
clarkiiboi
Active Member
You said it looks like fingers, right? Bubble algea (green or red) dont look like fingers. They look like the name implies, bubbles. Also, most likely, your emerald would of made short work of it. Here is a pic of green bubble algea, does this look like it, but red? IMO, dont do anything yet, let others chime in.
stuckinfla
Active Member
Its a type of plant. I have some in my 5gl. came in on some FL live rock. Not harmful.
nm reef
Active Member
I'm not sure but it looks like a less common type of valonia(bubble algae) to me. There are a few natural predators such as emeralds and some fish that may munch it. But for control I've found manual removal....control of nutrients...combined with natural predators works well. I've had issues with green bubbles like the pic above for about two years and have resigned myself to the cold hard truth that I may never be totally rid of the stuff...but I do manage to keep mine under control.
clarkiiboi
Active Member
I just read a thread that might help, pic wise to compare. Since everyone thinks it could be bubble algea. I just learned that they aren't as the name implies, and can be enlongated. Here's the thread look at brommer5's last pic, is that it, but red? Trying to help.
007
Active Member
The red stuff is very similar to, but yet different from the traditional green bubble algae. It is infact though a form of bubble algae though.
The problem is that IME emeralds will not eat it, but many of the herbivorous fish will. This can be difficult in a small tank though because most of the herbivores are larger fish such as tangs and what not.
For removal, my first attemt would be an emerald crab . . . ya never know . . . maybe it will eat it.
Second attempt would be taking the rock out of the tank and scrubbing it out side of the tank. DO NOT DO THIS INSIDE THE TANK. you will cause an outbreak 100x bigger than what you already have there . . . .
Good luck! This stuff can be a b*&$# to get rid of . . . but it is possible!
The problem is that IME emeralds will not eat it, but many of the herbivorous fish will. This can be difficult in a small tank though because most of the herbivores are larger fish such as tangs and what not.
For removal, my first attemt would be an emerald crab . . . ya never know . . . maybe it will eat it.
Second attempt would be taking the rock out of the tank and scrubbing it out side of the tank. DO NOT DO THIS INSIDE THE TANK. you will cause an outbreak 100x bigger than what you already have there . . . .
Good luck! This stuff can be a b*&$# to get rid of . . . but it is possible!
zap800
Member
thanks 007 i have an emerald an he doesnt mess with it. the stuff might not be getting reconized because this is brazilian lr. lower on the equator then the usuall stuff. i dont know lol. the strubing thing was my last resort because i have a few little featherdusters on it an i dont want to sacrifice them to the sw gods for something that might have been taken care of naturally. oh well. of to the scrub bucket this weekend i guess for this piece.
*bta*
Member
Originally posted by zap800
well i only have a 55 so i guess any sort of tang will be out of the question. also i have an emerald in my tank and all he does is mess will the small algea on my rock. so i am a t an impass. i dont want to take the thing out because i have 3 small featherdusters i want to keep. if i take the rock out and scrap it off anyone think my dusters will survive?
A Tang is not neccessarily out of the question, if it is 4ft long your fine for yellow tangs their requirenments are 4ft long at the minimum, but ive seen them in smaller
jblabs
Member
just out of curiosity, are you sure that those are bubbles? They look like a macroalgae that I have in my tank in the last pic you posted. Are they solid or bubbles?
Thanks 007
I am staying with my original guess of Red Sea Grapes (Botryocladia pseudodichotoma)
Some of the pics I have seen of that are identical to yours, in others it branches more, but I'm sticking to it.:happy:
Thanks 007
I am staying with my original guess of Red Sea Grapes (Botryocladia pseudodichotoma)
Some of the pics I have seen of that are identical to yours, in others it branches more, but I'm sticking to it.:happy:
zap800
Member
you know what as i stare at this little quandry. it kind of looks like little psuedo miny stag horn coral. lol. the stuff is at the longest only about an inch long some alittle more some alittle less. but on the average about an inch. im going to my non lfs (about 2hrs away) to pick up a lawn mower blennie. i wanted one anyway to controle my other issue of long green algea growthes. lol (a whole other story). so maybe he will eat it.
stuckinfla
Active Member
They are very thin, transparent. Its a plant (algae). I also have them, they dont bother me.