algea on seahorses

sarahbab · 12/31/2005, 12:58 AM

I know that I have read other threads on this subject, some people clean with toothbush and others prefer to let nature take it's course. But I have noticed my horses rubbing against a rock today trying to scrape off some algea that was flaking off. Does this seem like maybe I should help them along with a toothbrush?

Anthony Calfo · 01/03/2006, 09:34 PM

do be careful here, some species naturally allow benthic growths to coat the body for camo and perhaps health (protection)... sloughed off naturally with various fishes.

Have you tried a keyword search on RC, in this forum, and at large (google) for your species name + the words "algae" and "slough"?

Samala · 01/03/2006, 09:45 PM

Maybe just a little turkey baster blasting would help? You may want to look into your filtration.. algae coats of diatoms (not the green) points to a possible problem in nutrient control in the tank. Is your macro growing well?

>Sarah

Seahorsewisprer · 01/04/2006, 09:43 AM

Hey, we got AC here!!!!! Yahoo!!!!

Sarah, what does the rest of the tank look like? Is there nuisance algae elsewhere?

sarahbab · 01/05/2006, 05:31 PM

well, I have a few macro that grew from the live rock, nothing that I have purchased. Lately they seem to have taken off. but, nuisance algea has also taken off. The algea on the seahorses is a red algea and there is lots of a fuzzy looking red algea that I can't seem to get rid of. When I turkey baster it out, it breaks apart and its all in the sand. and of course, there is the bubble algea. I just wait untill it gets big and then take it out.

Samala · 01/05/2006, 09:28 PM

Hmm.. numerous nuisance algaes along with macro growth. The macro, of course, isnt a big problem in a seahorse tank, they love plants.

But the nuisance algaes may point to either not enough filtration (maybe the flow rate is a touch too low on your pumps, or maybe you have a mini cycle from new additions? Or point to too much phosphate in the water. Are you rinsing your mysis before you feed? (Well, before you enrich.) That does the biggest job of helping to eliminate unnecessary amounts of P in the tank.

Bubble algae sounds like Valonia.. and manual removal seems best for this guy. Fuzzy red algae is interesting. Any more of a description for that.. short, shape, soft/gelatinous or hard? Are you supplementing the tank with anything?

>Sarah

JennyL · 01/06/2006, 08:52 AM

Hi Sarah,
If the algae is bothering the horse, you can gently blow the algae with a turkey baster to loosen it and then siphon it away. I have also used a very soft(never used) artist brush to gently brush it off the horse.

Can you post the species you have and also your water perams and tank maintenance routine? The more information we have the easier it is to spot the problem.

sarahbab · 01/10/2006, 11:45 PM

samala, the red fuzzy algae is, the best way I can describe it is fuzzy. Looks like big fluffy fuzz balls. I'll post some pics as soon as I get the chance. No I am not suplementing the tank with anything. yes I have been rinsing my mysis prior to feeding, but I do realize that there are lots of broken pieces of shrimp ( heads and tails) that don't get eaten and float away never to be seen again. I don't know if maybe this is the probem. JennyL, Ihave cb erectus. MY perams are..... ammonia=0, ph=8.2, nitrite=0, nitrate=o, phosphates=0. I do 10 percent water changes once per week. I have a 45 gallon tank, I change 5 gallons weekly. I have a wet/dry filter and 45 pounds of lr. 60 pounds of ls.
Thanks so much for your imput, I really appreciate it

kjdeut · 01/11/2006, 04:22 PM

I would bump up your water changes to maybe 20% a week. How often do you clean your wet/dry filter? I have always found that water changes work the best when it comes to nuisance algae. I hate to add any kind of chem to the water to treat for algae because I never know if it is really safe.
Next thing is to try and figure out what the root cause of the problem is, ie over feeding, dirty filters, overstocked tank, low circulation etc, and fix that.
One thing with water changes is that depending on how much of the bad algae you have it may take sometime to clear up. I had a nasty outbreak of red slime and hair algae that took all summer to finally get rid of.

sarahbab · 01/20/2006, 09:37 PM

ok, I turned up the water flow a little and am doing 20% water changes weekly, but am starting to suspect itch. My seahorses have small white or yellowish spots on them. It looks like it could actually just be pigmentation of their skin, but I can't tell. I don't know that it would show up in a picture because they are so small. None of my fish show any signs of itch, so I don't know what to do. I am going to set up a hospital tank anyway and have it ready just in case.

hawkfish21 · 01/20/2006, 09:50 PM

My horses always have some type of algae on them. It comes and go's, so I just let it be. My tank itself though, doesn't have an algae problem.

As far as ich goes, I don't believe seahorses get ich. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

12/31/2005, 12:58 AM	#1
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	algea on seahorses I know that I have read other threads on this subject, some people clean with toothbush and others prefer to let nature take it's course. But I have noticed my horses rubbing against a rock today trying to scrape off some algea that was flaking off. Does this seem like maybe I should help them along with a toothbrush?

01/03/2006, 09:34 PM	#2
Anthony Calfo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 5,436	do be careful here, some species naturally allow benthic growths to coat the body for camo and perhaps health (protection)... sloughed off naturally with various fishes. Have you tried a keyword search on RC, in this forum, and at large (google) for your species name + the words "algae" and "slough"? __________________ "If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day... but if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime." Current Tank Info: 2K gallon fishroom, garden ponds

01/03/2006, 09:45 PM	#3
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Maybe just a little turkey baster blasting would help? You may want to look into your filtration.. algae coats of diatoms (not the green) points to a possible problem in nutrient control in the tank. Is your macro growing well? >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

01/05/2006, 09:28 PM	#6
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Hmm.. numerous nuisance algaes along with macro growth. The macro, of course, isnt a big problem in a seahorse tank, they love plants. But the nuisance algaes may point to either not enough filtration (maybe the flow rate is a touch too low on your pumps, or maybe you have a mini cycle from new additions? Or point to too much phosphate in the water. Are you rinsing your mysis before you feed? (Well, before you enrich.) That does the biggest job of helping to eliminate unnecessary amounts of P in the tank. Bubble algae sounds like Valonia.. and manual removal seems best for this guy. Fuzzy red algae is interesting. Any more of a description for that.. short, shape, soft/gelatinous or hard? Are you supplementing the tank with anything? >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

01/04/2006, 09:43 AM	#4
Seahorsewisprer Moved On Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: SLC Posts: 1,691	Hey, we got AC here!!!!! Yahoo!!!! Sarah, what does the rest of the tank look like? Is there nuisance algae elsewhere?

01/05/2006, 05:31 PM	#5
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	well, I have a few macro that grew from the live rock, nothing that I have purchased. Lately they seem to have taken off. but, nuisance algea has also taken off. The algea on the seahorses is a red algea and there is lots of a fuzzy looking red algea that I can't seem to get rid of. When I turkey baster it out, it breaks apart and its all in the sand. and of course, there is the bubble algea. I just wait untill it gets big and then take it out.

01/06/2006, 08:52 AM	#7
JennyL Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 406	Hi Sarah, If the algae is bothering the horse, you can gently blow the algae with a turkey baster to loosen it and then siphon it away. I have also used a very soft(never used) artist brush to gently brush it off the horse. Can you post the species you have and also your water perams and tank maintenance routine? The more information we have the easier it is to spot the problem.

01/10/2006, 11:45 PM	#8
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	samala, the red fuzzy algae is, the best way I can describe it is fuzzy. Looks like big fluffy fuzz balls. I'll post some pics as soon as I get the chance. No I am not suplementing the tank with anything. yes I have been rinsing my mysis prior to feeding, but I do realize that there are lots of broken pieces of shrimp ( heads and tails) that don't get eaten and float away never to be seen again. I don't know if maybe this is the probem. JennyL, Ihave cb erectus. MY perams are..... ammonia=0, ph=8.2, nitrite=0, nitrate=o, phosphates=0. I do 10 percent water changes once per week. I have a 45 gallon tank, I change 5 gallons weekly. I have a wet/dry filter and 45 pounds of lr. 60 pounds of ls. Thanks so much for your imput, I really appreciate it

01/11/2006, 04:22 PM	#9
kjdeut Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: St Paul MN Posts: 63	I would bump up your water changes to maybe 20% a week. How often do you clean your wet/dry filter? I have always found that water changes work the best when it comes to nuisance algae. I hate to add any kind of chem to the water to treat for algae because I never know if it is really safe. Next thing is to try and figure out what the root cause of the problem is, ie over feeding, dirty filters, overstocked tank, low circulation etc, and fix that. One thing with water changes is that depending on how much of the bad algae you have it may take sometime to clear up. I had a nasty outbreak of red slime and hair algae that took all summer to finally get rid of.

01/20/2006, 09:37 PM	#10
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	ok, I turned up the water flow a little and am doing 20% water changes weekly, but am starting to suspect itch. My seahorses have small white or yellowish spots on them. It looks like it could actually just be pigmentation of their skin, but I can't tell. I don't know that it would show up in a picture because they are so small. None of my fish show any signs of itch, so I don't know what to do. I am going to set up a hospital tank anyway and have it ready just in case.

01/20/2006, 09:50 PM	#11
hawkfish21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,968	My horses always have some type of algae on them. It comes and go's, so I just let it be. My tank itself though, doesn't have an algae problem. As far as ich goes, I don't believe seahorses get ich. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.