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FAQs on Marine Algae Identification 38
Related Articles: Avoiding Algae Problems in Marine System,
Algae
Control, Marine Maintenance,
Nutrient Control and Export,
Marine Scavengers, Snails, Hermit
Crabs, Mithrax/Emerald
Green Crabs, Sea Urchins, Blennies, Algae
Filters, Ctenochaetus/Bristle Mouth
Tangs, Zebrasoma/Sailfin Tangs,
Skimmers, Skimmer Selection, Marine Algae, Coralline Algae, Green Algae, Brown
Algae, Blue-Green
"Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms, Brown
Algae,
Related FAQs: Algae ID Visual
Guide, Marine Algae ID 1,
Marine Algae ID 2, Marine Algae ID 3, Marine Algae ID 4, Marine Algae ID 5, Marine Algae ID 6, Marine Algae ID 7, Marine Algae ID 8, Marine Algae ID 9, Marine Algae ID 10, Marine Algae ID 11, Marine Algae ID 12, Marine Algae ID 13, Marine Algae ID 14, Marine Algae ID 15, Marine Algae ID 16, Marine Algae ID 17, Marine Algae ID 18, Marine Algae ID 19, Marine Algae ID 20, Marine Algae ID 21, Marine Algae ID 21, Marine Algae ID 23, Marine Algae ID 24, Marine Algae ID 25, SW Algae ID 26, SW Algae ID 27, SW Algae ID 28, SW Algae ID 29, SW Algae ID 30, SW Algae ID 31, SW Algae ID 32, SW Algae ID 33, SW Algae ID 34,
SW Algae ID 35, SW
Algae ID 36, SW Algae ID 37, SW
Algae ID 39, & Marine Algae Control FAQs 2, Marine Algaecide Use, Nutrient Limitation, Marine Algae Eaters, Culturing Macro-Algae; Controlling: BGA/Cyano, Red/Encrusting Algae, Green Algae, Brown/Diatom Algae,
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Algae Identification; and Elysia use
12/10/14
To whomever this may concern,
I have a bit of Bryopsis and my tank is quite mature (8 yrs old) with
plenty of algal types so I decided, after much research, to try my hand
at a lettuce sea slug ( Elysia Crispata). I know many are marketed as
eating Bryopsis, but am aware that there can be significant individual
variation in diet with some preferring other types of macros.
<A valid concern>
My new lettuce slug, Berg, seen in the photo attached, has had
no desire to eat any of my Bryopsis.
<Better choices about>
I have literally placed it there, like leading a horse to water, on
numerous occasions, just to watch it crawl over it. I have been
vigilantly observing it to try to deduce what other algal types it might
be eating so that I can provide for it by proactively seeking those out.
So, I have this interesting algae I would like to try to ID ( pictured
below).
It looks like little green translucent-ish stalks or stems. They
are kind of stiffish and offer some resistance when you press
on them, after which they bounce back to their original position. I put
Berg next to it to see if it would eat it, and it did. So it seems I
have successfully "identified" something it will eat, so now I want to
actually identify it so I can get some because the tiny tuft I have (
pictured) wont grow fast enough to sustain Berg I think. What do you
think it is?
<Mmm; can't quite make it out to be very sure; even after cropping,
trying to optimize the pix... my guess is on Valonia macrophysa>
I also am trying to get my hands on a few other macros they have been
documented to eat to try those out but thought this was a great lead for
the time being. Thank you for the help and I very much appreciate your
time and your thoughts on how to go about identifying the type of algae
I have here.
Sincerely,
Gabby
<Had a few classes in Phycology... there are guides, dichotomous keys of
use... need a simple microscope. If you get one (they're cheap,
available) with a USB hook-up, send some high res. pix along. Bob
Fenner>
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Algae... ID, spg.
11/16/14
Hi. I've been researching everywhere but still have not been able to
identify the algae below which forms spongy spikes on live rock and
substrate in my reef tank. Please are you able to identify?
Thank you.
<I think this is a sponge period. Do you have access to a low power
microscope that has a USB connection? Bob Fenner>
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Re: Algae 11/17/14
I don't but looking online, they are not that expensive and I quite often
see them referred to in articles so I will order one.
<Ah, good. See my piece on WWM re... have a QX Mattel/Intel w/in arms reach
here>
In the meantime is a sponge period good or bad news and how would I control?
<That this Poriferan has arisen there (not brought in from the wild as
large) is generally indicative of it being innocuous... I would leave in
place and enjoy. Bob Fenner>
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Re: Algae ...
likely spg ID 11/21/14
Hi Bob
My USB microscope arrived today and I took the attached picture of a
piece of this that I removed from the tank. Not sure if the picture is
good enough to confirm your thoughts?
Regards Rob
<Mmm; need a bigger file; and more focus... Do please send along. This
does look more like a sponge though.
Bob Fenner>
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Re: Algae 11/21/14
<These are bunk as well... NEED pix of cells as in 400 power. B>
Hi BobI have taken these. Not sure any better - may have gone too low spec
on the microscope Regards Rob
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red algae? 11/2/14
Hi guys,
<Mark>
I have a type of red algae (I think) growing in my tank.
<I do agree>
It spreads readily but doesn't seem to bother anything. It is going
crazy, just about everywhere.
<And beautiful>
It pulls off easily, but it is in nooks and crannies and hard to get the
base. I kind of like it, but it is driving my wife crazy. Is there
anything that will eat it or help to control it?
<A bunch of possibilities. Read here re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgcompfaqs.htm
I have attached a picture.
<I'd offer the excess at local shops... Sell it distally to other
hobbyists... perhaps through Aquabid>
Thanks,
Mark
<Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>
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what is it and how do I make it GO AWAY
10/23/14
Hi Guys,
<Nan; eight megs of pix? Why?>
It has been awhile since I contacted you, which is a good thing:) I have
downsized from the 180gal to a 75 gal and I can now reach the
bottom without swimming. I have the large
sized ECO filter, a small protein
skimmer, deionized make up water. Livestock is mostly soft corals and a
few fish, a large tang, large engineer goby
and perhaps 10 small 1.5 - 2' other fish. Oh ,
and the big Ritteri anemone :).
The red slime algae comes and goes with the season but is never a major
issue. I have developed this green stuff on my stony coral
though.
<Mmm; looks like Cyanobacteria as well... the color is not indicative...
Need to look at a bit under a low power microscope>
There has been a small patch of what I would
call fuzzy green algae on one rock for years.
It stayed there and I ignored it. Awhile back I noticed a
small patch on the coral so I put some 'Aiptasia out' on it.
Needless to say it did nothing. So I had a bit
of Super Glue left from a job and covered the
whole spot over with it. It came back with a vendetta and as
you can see, is taking over my coral who will not even spread
it's polyps
any more.
I did not see anything on your site that covered algae annihilation.
Have you any suggestions?
<The usual reading on WWM. There's a few approaches... that work, and
some that should be avoided (use of antibiotics)>
thanks, Nancy D
yes, those 2 pictures are the same but I can't seem to get rid on one:)
<...>
I didn't see anything on your site that covered algae annihilation. Have
you any suggestions [image: Inline image 2][image: Inline image
1]
<The reading. Bob Fenner>
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Re: what is it and how do I make it GO AWAY
10/24/14
Under magnification will the Cyanobacteria look like a bunch of vibrating
rice?
<Vibrating? As in moving? This is artifactual... Cyanobacteria are
photosynthetic Monerans... look like bacteria... no nucleus, a single strand
or twisted DNA; peculiar single-walled plasma membrane. See WWM re>
I did see some of that many years ago but tend forget to use the microscope.
I will check out that topic and see what pops up.
Thanks, N
I have to laugh at me--- I can save a life but I am technologically
challenged!
<Want to start a club?>
I seldom watch TV cause there are too many remotes to deal with.
<I can barely use my cell phone... even just the phone functions... I taught
H.S. physics (and chem. bio. courses); can't wire a circuit. Your turn. Bob
Fenner>
Re: what is it and how do I make it GO AWAY
10/26/14
OK Bob. So I got on your site to look up cyanobacteria. You question my
8 megs of pictures but you have 10,000 pages for me to search through?
<Heeeee!>
Are you sure you didn't use to write Congressional proposals :)
<Or a brief work on understanding women?>
I did read an article and yes, I do get a bit sloppy with my reef in the
summer. As much as I hate to admit it I probably caused the effect:(
Haven't borrowed the microscope yet but did get furring strips over the
board joints so my birds won't freeze. Winter is on it's way!!!
<Brrrrrr! BobF>
Re: what is it and how do I make it GO AWAY
10/30/14
I borrowed my grand daughter's cheap-o microscope (cause no one could
find the good one) and the dab of stuff I
scraped off the coral appeared to be
tubular with strings running lengthwise.
<Did these string have nuclei?>
I gave the coral a leisurely bath in Red Slime Remover then put it in
time out. I suspended it upside down in the
back of the tank. Since the stuff is green I
will consider it to be photosynthetic and I am going to shut
down it's power source. I suppose the worst I can do is kill the coral
and at least it will not be a slow painful death as it is invaded
by 'whatever'.
N
<B>
Re: what is it and how do I make it GO AWAY
10/31/14
they appeared to be segmented but I really could not say I saw nuclei.
there was a couple larger circular critters which obviously did.
<Keep reading!>
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Is this Cyano or Dinoflagellates? Using WWM? 8 megs of
pix... sigh 10/15/14
------------------------------
Hi everyone,i have recently started having issues with my red sea
tank.Its 34 gal ,been set up for about 2 years.Parameters are
Ammonia/Nitrite-0 ,Ph 8.2,Dkh 9.2 / 3.3 Meg/l,nitrate 0-2.
<... do you have measurable HPO4/phosphate? Need some... you may well be
starving your purposeful livestock, and opportuning the pest algae here>
The tank has a mix of lps,sps and some softies along with a couple of
macro algaes. This brownish thing seem to be killing my macro algaes and
my palm tree polyps (I had a 6 inch colony with almost nothing left now)
and now it seems to be on my star polyp which causes it to not open
anymore. i cleaned off the power head yesterday (took it out and took it
apart and washed it in hot water, and took out and rinsed of some of
these rocks last night and today this stuff is back.Please help me
properly id this stuff.Also any tips on getting rid of it would be
helpful too.
<Can't tell what this is w/o sampling and looking at w/ a microscope...
as gone over and over on WWM, books and articles I've penned. Might be
both; could be a mix of these and other protists. "Tips" are easily
searched on WWM.
B>
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%20alg.jpeg) b%20alg.jpeg) |
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Dark Red Encrusting Algae Killing Zoas... BGA
4/4/14
I have what I thought was dark red coralline growing in a lot of the
rock in my tank.
<Mmm; likely BGA>
All colors of coralline seem to expand rapidly in my tank, so didn't
think anything of this color.
<Does it feel slimy?>
However, over the last few days I've noticed that it's grown onto a few
Zoa colonies and now they are not opening, so I'm a bit worried. It's
the exact color of Cyano, but seems to be encrusting just like a
coralline. It feels slightly slick to touch and is fairly difficult to
scrape off, though with a fingernail I can scrape a bit unlike purple
coralline which won't budge. It appears to be growing mostly in high
light, high flow parts of my tank. Any ideas what this might be and how
to combat it?
<As we've both stated>
I've
tried a few days of lights out like I would with a Cyano outbreak, but
no apparent effect. May try a peroxide dip or even Red Slime Remove next
(though have had bad luck with it once before so hate to even consider
it). Any advice is appreciated.
Justin
<Time to send you; have you read re Cyanobacteria and their control on
WWM.
You know how to search, use the indices?
Bob Fenner>
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re: Dark Red Encrusting Algae Killing Zoas
4/5/14
Appreciate the quick reply. I had discounted Cyano because this is
so resistant to high flow and manual removal.
<Mmm; not all; by a long-shot>
I literally have to scrape it to remove it from rocks and it's growing in
the highest flow areas of my tank. Are there growth forms/species that
don't follow the normal characteristics?
<See WWM or my Algae Control book (on Amazon) re. BobF> |
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