Fast Growing Algae ID

[2farNorth]

Hi there! Just when I was getting over my 'Hair Algae' problem, another algae popped up, and let me tell you, It grows twice as fast as the Hair Algae I had... At first I thought it was Caulacanthus Ustulatus, but now that I see it grow in, it doesn't look like it...

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h162/2FarNorth/90%20Gallon%20In-Wall%20Reef/Other%20Photos/PinkPurpleAlgae.jpg

It spreads fast,, within a week, it pretty much covered the tank.....

Any Ideas on the ID?

I've been checking out some Algae ID pages, but with my slow dial-up connection after 2 hours I gave up and started a thread here!!!

[graveyardworm]

Not sure if thats even a macro. The tips of the little branchlets apper to have filter feeding type things. Perhaps its some sort of hydriod. Just a guess.

[2farNorth]

They are kinda fuzzy on the ends... hmmm... I'll have to refine my search to that also...

[2farNorth]

Any Ideas? I've been trying to find something similar under Hydroids,,, no luck,, anybody else have these in their tanks?

[graveyardworm]

For the heck of it try searching up Coelogorgiidae.

[piercho]

Acanthophora shares some of the same characteristics, including the halo of fine "hairs" at the branchlet tips. A. spiciefera is a common specie, but I think that yours is a different specie (if it is Acanthophora).

[2farNorth]

Ok, well so far alot of dead-ends.. I found a thread that has the same stuff, but really no name (but more importantly no way to get rid of it)...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57882

There must be more people out there that was able to get this stuff under control.....

Any other ideas?

[graveyardworm]

I'm still fairly convinced its a type of hydroid. Do you have Ron Shimeks book Marine Invertebrates? There is a Carribean species described in there which is similar to what you have, growth form is different though. I'm guessing what you have is of Pacific origin so not the same species but similar. Have you checked with Ron Shimek for an id?

Have you posted this question in the Invertebrates forum? There are some really smart invert people there as well.

[2farNorth]

I'll have to try that... for some reason, I can't think a hydroid would populate this quickly... actually I can't imagine an algae growing this quickly, but it is... and of course all my readings are good... phos. trate.. etc.. all undetectable... It actually grows faster then normal hair algae...

I did find some pictures of hydroids that are similar... either way.. what would be able to control a hydroid of this type? <L>

[CapitalO]

Yea, I agree it looks like some kind of colonial hyrdoid. I would bet that it will disappear as quickly as it showed up though. With growth as fast as you described, its metabolism is probably way out of whack... or it will just burn up the nutrients its using to grow. Sorry to hear its causing problems, but I have to say, thats some really cool stuff!!

[CapitalO]

By the way, I believe the stuff in the link you posted is Caulacanthus ustulatus, which is a red macro. You should post some more pics of the stuff in your tank, try to get a closeup of one of the tips.

[2farNorth]

Ok, I'll do that tomorow... (Lights out for the nite) Thanks for the replies!!

[kmk2307]

Does it appear to be stinging any corals or other critters in your tank? Does it irritate your hand / skin when you touch it? I agree that they are hydroids. Manually remove as much as you can. Please keep us posted.

[2farNorth]

As far as I can tell, it's not stinging corals... (the few that I have) they bump against them with the current, and they don't seem irritated... although I do try to keep it away from the corals... It seems that the more I yank out, the more they spread....

It's pretty much everywhere, even on the snails <L> I'll try and get a better picture tonight....

Trying to think of a game plan.... starting to get frustrated... even though they started about 2-3 weeks ago....

[graveyardworm]

Unfortunately manual removal may be your only hope, but with that species it seems likely that fragmentation will just help it to spread. There are some predators which have been reported to pick at hydroids, some butterflyfish, and peppermint shrimp. Will they eat yours? I dont think many people have seen it to have experience with predation.

[2farNorth]

Ok, here are a couple new photos, This is about as close up as I can get without losing patience :mad:

Out of the tank of course..

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h162/2FarNorth/90%20Gallon%20In-Wall%20Reef/Other%20Photos/Hydroid1.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h162/2FarNorth/90%20Gallon%20In-Wall%20Reef/Other%20Photos/Hydroid2.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h162/2FarNorth/90%20Gallon%20In-Wall%20Reef/Other%20Photos/Hydroid3.jpg

[CapitalO]

So how is the hyrdoid situation? Im still betting on the natural die off :)

[2farNorth]

Well, so far no change... It does seem the more I pull, the more it spreads,, so I did take a break from pulling for a week here... I did notice a couple spots are getting light in color.. kinda like being bleached.... other wise... looks horrible.. They are on everything.. other algae, snails, plumbing, etc. ...

Still deciding what to do.. I've been wanting to set up a prop system. I may do that here, and transfer all my live stock to that tank, and tear this one down. Cook the LR, and clean everything really good, then give it another try.. last resort of course... (I've been wanting to upgrade to a 120 anyways!)

I was trying to think of when this started. A few weeks ago I tore out a bunch of 'Padina' that was starting to restrict flow to an area, within days, is when I noticed the outbreak.. sooo.. There might of been some of this stuff underneath, or between, and it got spread....... or something. I have no idea....

As for the natural die-off,, sheesh, I hope so!!!