View Single Post
Unread 03/30/2017, 10:08 AM   #4191
meegwell
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 608
Quote:
Originally Posted by taricha View Post
Ideas for distinguishing the big 3 dinos (90% of all cases) without a microscope
Ostreopsis Ovata: Long strings (>1/2 inch) higher in the tank in the highest flow available surfaces, bubbles.

two speculative ways that I think should work to distinguish between amphidinium operculatum(?) and prorocentrum lima(?) when presenting on sand/rocks. Someone would need a microscope to confirm these tests are valid.

Macro Test: Place a small amount of macroalgae (Chaeto best?) on the brown patch: Prorocentrum should colonize the macroalgae happily - does so in the wild. Amphidinium that I've seen has always stayed locked to the sand/rocks/cyano even when surrounded by macroalgae.

Snail death test: get a dozen small snails (cerith best choice?) and place on the brown patches. Never seen snail death reported with amphidinium, but often is with prorocentrum. (does prorocentrum ever show up in our tanks with no or low-toxin?)
What about the snotty strings that are 3-6" long blowin' and dancin' in the flow (brown/green)?


__________________
90g mixed reef | 30g sump | 2x250 phoenix HQI; 4x54 (ati blue plus, ati aquablue special, geissman tru actinic, geissmann purple)| NAC 6 Skimmer | 2x MP40wes | eheim 1262 return| AWI typhoon 5 rodi |
meegwell is offline   Reply With Quote