View Full Version : Crazy Red Algae ID Required *pics*
xenon
12/15/2008, 11:12 AM
I can't find any info on this stuff.
I just tested my water and got the following results. The cal, alk and mag do not fluctuate because I dose them daily with a GHL Profilux controller with dosers.
I do 20% water change every 2weeks but recently started doing 50% to see if it would make a difference. So far no luck. I got 10 zebra turbo snails and they wont touch it. I tried two red emeralad crabs and they do eat it but they are slow. I would need 800 of them to make a difference. lol
Cal - 445
Alk - 12dkh
Mag - 1350
Phospahtes - 0
Nitrates - 0
Ph - 8.2
Salinity - 1.026
Temp - 80F
http://www.dansouliere.com/pictures/algae1.jpg
http://www.dansouliere.com/pictures/algae2.jpg
http://www.dansouliere.com/pictures/algae3.jpg
natan
12/15/2008, 01:18 PM
Its gracilaria, most tangs love it.
TacoKing
12/15/2008, 01:22 PM
Urchins. They seem to do a pretty good job with this stuff.
xenon
12/15/2008, 01:22 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13947799#post13947799 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by natan
Its gracilaria, most tangs love it.
Thanks for the ID but since this is a 29g biocube tangs are not an option for me.
bluenassarius
12/15/2008, 05:46 PM
sally light foot or red legged hermit crabs will do the trick. i had that all over a rock. it took a week for the crabs to completely remove all hair algae.
xenon
12/16/2008, 12:16 PM
I dont wanna put a Sally in my reef.
I have a few scarlet hermits and they dont touch it.
I picked up a seahare and tuxedo urchin today. I will report back my progress. :)
cubsFAN
12/22/2008, 02:03 PM
That urchin may wreak havoc in your little tank. They get quite large and knock over corals, rocks, and eat coralline. When disturbed they release eggs and sperm in the water and compromise water quality. They are cool animals, but may need a larger tank. If you can remove the rock maybe someone you know with a larger tank and tangs will let you tosss it in there until its all cleaned up. I think the urchin might eat the macro, but when its gone you might start noticing your coralline's bright colors start to fade. jmo. Good luck.
tsr770
12/27/2008, 12:09 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13954942#post13954942 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xenon
I dont wanna put a Sally in my reef.
I have a few scarlet hermits and they dont touch it.
I picked up a seahare and tuxedo urchin today. I will report back my progress. :)
Any updates? I have the exact same stuff growing for me, hermits pick at it but not enough to control it. Emerald crab and my purple tang dont look twice at it. If I can find a small urchin this weekend I may give it a try. Let me know if the hare goes after it, I have one that I can borrow if needed.
DetectiveTofu
12/29/2008, 11:15 PM
I think that is red turf algae, and it is a PITA. I had it in my tank, and it was very invasive. Mexican turbo snails took care of it for me.
tsr770
12/30/2008, 02:57 PM
I have 4 large Turbos going to town for me, along with a 1" or so pincushion urchin.
The turbos are working it over for sure, in the places where they have been the most it is knocked down to just a light covering of the rocks instead of the fuzzy look. I guess time will tell if they are making a difference.
E.intheC
12/31/2008, 04:58 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14039938#post14039938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DetectiveTofu
I think that is red turf algae, and it is a PITA. I had it in my tank, and it was very invasive. Mexican turbo snails took care of it for me.
I agree.. I think it's red turf as well. I have it ALL OVER my tank right now.. it just appeared this week and hasn't ever been in any of my saltwater tanks.. I am going to be buying some mexican turbos this week.. let's hope it helps.
tsr770
01/01/2009, 03:22 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14051932#post14051932 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by E.intheC
I agree.. I think it's red turf as well. I have it ALL OVER my tank right now.. it just appeared this week and hasn't ever been in any of my saltwater tanks.. I am going to be buying some mexican turbos this week.. let's hope it helps.
I agree on it appearing almost overnight, I went from none to clumps everywhere in a matter of maybe 4-5 days. Havent added anything to my tank in like 3 months, so who knows where it suddenly came from. The Turbo's have deffinately made a dent in its growth over new area. The urchin, well he eats it right down to the coraline and munches the coraline away too.
This stuff obviously spreads by spores or something like that as it is growing on my clean plastic locline return, I wonder what would be able to kill off the spores, would UV do it?
E.intheC
01/01/2009, 03:27 PM
I was wondering the same thing. I've read so much conflicting advice on UV's.. some say theyre the best thing to add.. some say they're useless. I'm sure it's somewhere in between, and definitely not an end all be all. Too bad they're so pricey.
piercho
01/02/2009, 09:06 PM
It's similar to the genus Gelidiopsis - red wire algae - but because of the flattened branches seen in the first photo I'd be inclined to think it's actually Gelidium. Acanthurus tangs and rabbitfish will graze Gelidium/Gelidiopsis preferentially but of course thats not an option for you. Diadema urchins can be good grazers IME but will outgrow a small tank quickly IME.
I don't think this is the more tender red hair algae Polysiphonia which hermit crabs will graze. Mexican turbos will graze the very fragile red cotton-candy algae Asparagopsis (which most fish and urchins won't) but ths is definately not Asparagopsis. I'm not sure if crabs could manage this, I know hermits could not manage Gelidium/Gelidiopsis in my tank, but maybe larger grazing crabs could. In small/accessble tanks this is a type of algae that people might consider hand-harvesting, IMO.
Dizzle63
01/02/2009, 09:57 PM
I had the same thing in my tank. My tuxedo urchin would not touch it, but two large mexican turbos took care of it. I removed them from the tank and gave them to my friend over three months ago, and the algae has still not grown back.
jhentr
01/03/2009, 01:00 AM
I believe it's red turf algae, not graciliara (sp?). My trochus won't touch them. My mimic tang will barely nibble on them if I don't provide seaweed for him after a day or two. They do spread pretty quickly and hard to harvest by hand since they have strong foothold onto the rocks. I admit it looks a little cool at first, but now I don't cause it's preventing my zoas to spread. The only good thing is it's keeping my GSP at bay and easier to peel them off when they grow on top the algae.
hotrodolds
01/04/2009, 05:51 PM
deleted.
johnmaloney
01/04/2009, 11:49 PM
gelidium pusillum or related species it looks like. I would try hermits, than emeralds then if need be sea hares, or some manual removal with a razor.
RRaider
01/08/2009, 08:13 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14066483#post14066483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by piercho
It's similar to the genus Gelidiopsis - red wire algae - but because of the flattened branches seen in the first photo I'd be inclined to think it's actually Gelidium. Acanthurus tangs and rabbitfish will graze Gelidium/Gelidiopsis preferentially but of course thats not an option for you. Diadema urchins can be good grazers IME but will outgrow a small tank quickly IME.
I don't think this is the more tender red hair algae Polysiphonia which hermit crabs will graze. Mexican turbos will graze the very fragile red cotton-candy algae Asparagopsis (which most fish and urchins won't) but this is definitely not Asparagopsis. I'm not sure if crabs could manage this, I know hermits could not manage Gelidium/Gelidiopsis in my tank, but maybe larger grazing crabs could. In small/accessble tanks this is a type of algae that people might consider hand-harvesting, IMO.
I have the same thing, and there is no way this stuff can be harvested by hand, it took me an hour to remove a patch about 1/2" x 1" with my hands and a pocket knife and I still didn't get it all (it was irritating my ricordea in that spot) there are plenty of strands left. You can not just pull it off like hair algae. Mine has quit spreading for now, but I'm going to try the Mexican Turbo's next.
I had a Sally Lightfoot and it didn't touch the stuff. He was removed last week after killing two fish so I don't recommend Sally Lightfoot crabs.
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