Blue Green Algae/Cyanobacteria... Mmm, nope   11/14/09 Hi Everybody! I have looked through the archives for identification of an algae that I am having a problem with in my tank. I do believe it is Cyanobacteria but, would like a confirmation (see attachment). <A nice pic!> It's not slimy like other Cyanobacteria I have encountered before. It's slow growing and rather hard to remove from rock. Could this be anything other than Cyanobacteria? <Yep> Tank parameters: ph-8.3, nitrate-20ppm, phosphate->.02ppm, salinity-1.025. Currently running activated carbon and a skimmer 24-7 in addition to weekly water changes to help combat the problem. This tank has been established for two years. Thanks in advance for your time and knowledge. <Glad to share. Am almost certain this is Lobophora variegata, a "brown"/Phaeophyte. Please see here: http://wetwebmedia.com/brnalgae.htm and above for input on control, etc.. Bob Fenner>

Macroalgae ID: Dictyota – 5/18/09 Good day crew! <Hello Josh!> This started growing on 2 of my rocks, and I didn't cut it back because the tank was new and I figured it was at least helping with nutrient export. It started out as a tiny piece, and grew into these bushes in about a month and a half. I'm cutting it back today, but wanted to finally figure out what it is. <It looks like a phaeophyte/brown algae called Dictyota, a potential nuisance. See info and photos at the following link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgae.htm . Be sure to also Google Dictyota for more related information in our FAQ’s: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Googlesearch.htm > It isn't growing anywhere but on these 2 rocks. <Good, this stuff can take off on you if you’re not careful.> I don't plan on cutting it all off, and I want to move these rocks into my refugium as soon as the refugium is ready. The tips fluoresce a bluish color under my 20k halides and actinics. <I’ve seen this in photos – very pretty.> I've been told it looks similar to Ochtodes, but it's not exactly the same. The pictures don't do it justice - it really is fairly pretty. <Yes, indeed.> Is it a nuisance? <It sure can be! See the FAQ at the top of the following link, titled “Stopping the dreaded Dictyota in its tracks (nuisance macroalgae control> 9/1/08”: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgcomp.htm > Should I keep it going in my refugium? <I’d opt for something like Chaetomorpha instead.> My refugium is under 6700k T5's, not halides - will it grow as well without halide lighting? <That, I’m not entirely sure about. It may not grow as quickly. Apparently, it’s a mostly shallow water species, but it’s known to inhabit deeper waters (up to 40m). Again, I’d opt for a safer macro for nutrient export.> Thanks as always! <You’re very welcome!> Josh <Take care, LynnZ>

Encrusting brown algae   11/28/08 Thanks for your great website. I wondered if you could give us some advice about algae. <I'll certainly try> Unfortunately we don't seem to have much luck with encouraging coralline algae to grow in our tank. <Mmm... to refresh/re-state... this may be due to a lack of alkaline reserve and/or biomineral mix/balance (takes both), competition and predation... or conditions that favor competition...> Over the past two years we've fought off growths of diatoms, red slime, red bubble algae, Caulerpa, and hair algae, but the coralline never really takes hold. <I wish I could give you my "pitch" on RedOx... I'll bet yours, and the conditions that promote/allow it here are largely at fault> Now we've got some purple coralline growing in there, but mostly what's taken over since our Rabbitfish bumped off the hair algae is the encrusting brown stuff in the enclosed pictures. It grows in circles on the back of the tank and encrusting on the rocks. It's sort of rust-brown color, sometimes with lavender spots in the center and/or white hairs on top. <I see it... unfortunately does appear to be the Brown/Phaeophyte, Lobophora (likely variegata)... not easy to control: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgcomp.htm> Do you know what this is, if it's bad for the tank, and if so how to get rid of it? Our Rabbitfish shows no interest in it. <Can be bad... in that it proliferates, covers over space you'd like to have for other purposes... is largely unpalatable... Needs to be addressed by competition, physical removal, chemical and physical filtration... the Other pic is a mix of greens and BGA... evidence of low RedOx, too much nutrient, lack of circulation/aeration... You'd do well to spend some time perusing WWM re Algae...: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/maintenance/maintindex.htm toward the bottom. Bob Fenner> Thanks for your time! Laura

Mysterious Growth... repeat question and image  6/26/08 Hi Everyone! <Hi Bob, Mich here.> Well, even though I'm calling it a mysterious growth, it may not be a mystery to you. <Nope.> I've attached a picture of a leafy growth. (I apologize for the photo but it's the best I could take. <Good enough I believe.> I couldn't get any closer with my camera.) I believe it to be some sort of algae but I am not certain what it is. <Looks like Lobophora to me. A nuisance algae. I would make haste and remove.> As you can see, it tends to follow the contour of the rock. It's actually rather interesting. <interesting for now, but can easily become a problem.> The question is, of course, is this friend or foe? <Foe.> Should it be removed? <Yup!> Thanks for your time and assistance.-Bob <Welcome Bob! Cheers, Mich>

Seen it, bought the tee... B

Mysterious Growth... Looks like Lobophora to me! 6/12/08 Hi Everyone! <Hi Bob, Mich with you tonight.> Well, even though I'm calling it a mysterious growth, it may not be a mystery to you. <Tis not.> I've attached a picture of a leafy growth. (I apologize for the photo but it's the best I could take. I couldn't get any closer with my camera.) I believe it to be some sort of algae but I am not certain what it is. As you can see, it tends to follow the contour of the rock. It's actually rather interesting. The question is, of course, is this friend or foe? <Looks like Lobophora to me, in which case I would remove ASAP. More here and related links in blue: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgae.htm > Should it be removed? <I would!> Thanks for your time and assistance.-Bob <Welcome, Mich>

Me too. RMF.

Green algae ID...No Brown Algae... Sargassum  4/1/08 Hi everybody, <Hi Ken, Mich with you.> Great site, I love it. <Nice to hear! Glad you like it!> My question today is on an algae ID. I had sent a picture of this alga once before to try and get an ID on it, but the pic was terrible. It is on a piece of rock I had purchased about a year ago, and a few months ago this started growing on it. The buds were present since purchase, but it did not decide to grow until recently. I have not added anything to the tank at all since this addition. Hopefully these are better. <Decent shots.> One is a picture take on Feb 14th, the other two taken March 24th, just to show growth. The last is a picture of an arm of this alga showing little balls on it. <This looks like brown algae, likely a Sargassum, but I'm not sure which species. The balls you see are gas bladders. You can read a bit more here, though I'm not sure that this is the species you have, but will give you some information: http://www.exoticsguide.org/species_pages/s_muticum.html http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgae.htm Is this plant going sexual? <Doubtful.> If so is it a potential problem for the tank? <Shouldn't be.> hope the file size is ok. <Yes, we have a new server that can handle much larger files.> Thanks in advance Ken. <Welcome! Mich>

Crab mystery   3/3/08 Dear WetWebMedia Crew, Back in late November of 2005 I came across something odd on a beach in La Jolla, CA. I put pictures and movies of it (captured from my cell phone) online at http://vision.ucsd.edu/tmp/crab/ . Basically, it was a racquetball-sized fleshy orb with nipples on either end that, when cut open, had lots of squishy jelly like stuff in it and, to my great surprise, a tiny white crab floating in a fluid filled sac. The crab was very much alive, and scampered away after I cut open the sac. (I did the cutting with a sharp seashell fragment.) I tried doing some Googling on crab reproduction and the like to figure out what the heck this thing was, but I haven't had any luck. Might you know what to make of this? best regards Serge <Mmm, the fleshy bulb is a pneumatocyst (bladder) from a Phaeophyte... a brown kelp/large seaweed... Nereocystis... see here: http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/living_species/print.asp?inhab=171 the bits inside are "space parasites" if you will... sponge et al... making their life where they can... washed up on the beach... the "drift"... "And those beasts have littler beasts upon their backs to bite'm". Bob Fenner>

Algae ID: Possible Colpomenia spp. - 1/24/08 Hello All, <Hi Mark, my apologies for the delay in responding!> I'm looking for an ID. No luck over @ ReefCentral. Been growing on the return center overflow for around 2 weeks. Yellow ball like hollow structure. Close up they are a little fuzzy. <Hmmmm, I’m a little fuzzy too on this ID, but if it’s a yellow/amber color (appears green in the photo), then it might be a species of the brown algae: Colpomenia. Please see these links at Algaebase.org to confirm/rule out: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=74 http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=831 .> Thanks in advance Mark <You’re very welcome. Take care –Lynn>

Outstanding Lynn. RMF.

Purple Seaweed ID... Dictyota – 1/2/08 Hi Crew, <Hi there, Mich here.> I've been scouring the web (and your site) trying to ID this Beautiful piece of weed <Appropriate noun.> I collected while snorkeling at the beach today (I just couldn't resist attempting to propagate this beauty), <Well, you shouldn't have a hard time doing that!> but of course with no knowledge of this weed's species, name or any other characteristic other than its a purple weed, <Yes it is!> I've been unable to turn up any info on it. <I shall help you.> I wonder if you might be able to ID it for me. <Yes! Is Dictyota, a brown algae that can be a big nuisance! Is beautiful, but can easily grow out of control.> It was collected of the east cost of Australia, south east of Sydney NSW, in about 3M's of water. <I'm jealous!> There were vast amounts of it covering rocks in between enormous black and white feather dusters, and kelp. <Wow! Wish I were there with you and a camera!> It is a greeny brown colour when viewed side on, but a bright iridescent purple under sunlight and tank lights when viewed from above. I had to restrain myself from trying to detach one of the golf ball sized feather dusters, though there were hundreds of them as well, I thought them better left alone. <Likely best... I think Australia collection regulations are pretty strict!> Water temp in this region is about 20-22 degrees <Celsius> this time of year (but range between 15 and 25 year round), and I don't know if this helps, but it was all growing on an east facing vertical rock face. <Dictyota generally isn't very picky.> Not knowing much about it, I've placed it in my 20 Gal aquarium, which doesn't have much in it <A good thing!> (just in case its noxious), <Is!> but really need help ID'ing it. <Is Dictyota... Very beautiful... but can be very aggressive. Some reading for you here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgae.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgcomp.htm > Thanks a million for your time. <Welcome! Happy to help!> Andrew B. <Michelle L.>

Unidentified items in nano - one is algae, Lobophora variegata 10/08/07 Dear Friend, <Happy Monday> Can you please help me in identifying something I have in my nano. My tank parameters are Nitrates 10ppm CA seems to be ok as coralline is growing well. Phosphates - undetectable but I see a BIT of red slime algae. It does not grow much but diminishes very slowly. SG .25 <I think you mean 1.025, right? I hope!> Lights are 1 Phillips 36 w PL and one Philips 20W TL05 on for 10 and 12 hours respectively. Temp is 26 to 27 C Circulation is 20X tank deflected off the tank back wall. Skimmer (air-stone driven) is on 24/7 There are some photos of 2 items attached to this mail. Sorry but the quality of the image is not very clear :( I seem to have some saucer like algae? Is this Coralline or some sort of macro algae? <It looks like Lobophora variegata. Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brnalgae.htm> It grows like saucers on the live rock. Feels like a thin sheet of plastic would (approx). It looks like there are some strands of sorts under this. Remember when you cut okra (vegetable)? You might have seen similar strands at the cut areas. I touched it (strands) and it did not come off I think it is coralline because I can see some similar red growths also on other rocks. <This could be something else.> It is coralline or a form of macro algae? <It's algae. And my guess would be Lobophora variegata. See here too: http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/marlife/stepath/phaeophyta.html> The other one is a photo of a coral. It is 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter and peach/creamy in color. <I'm sorry but the photo is too blurry for me to guess at what kind of coral you have here.> The polyps have florescent yellow centers Is this a cup coral? If so which genus? This coral used to have 13 polyps. I feed it with red sea vitamin soaked krill and marine fish pieces. I make sure the pieces are small enough to fit in the oral cavity before I place them on each individual polyp. For some time it was good and I even saw 3 new polyps sprout. Then all of a sudden it stopped opening up. I had fed a krill with some bit of the Chiton intact. Is that a problem? I had read in WWM that it is good protein and is good for the corals. <Yes, chopped krill is a good food. But I'd be able to help you more if I knew what kind of coral this is. If you can, please send a clearer photo.> This coral is fantastically hardy as it has survived many calamities before. Once it went through 32 deg C for a few weeks at a length. <Sounds like a Turbinaria.> I never ever fed it till I read an article at WWM on LPS. Then I started to feed 2 times a week. <excellent> I don't understand why all of a sudden it stopped opening its polyps :( I did have an anemone. But this was like overnight change. To night it eats well and tomorrow is stops opening. All other inhabitants are fine. <Hmmm... strange. How long has it been closed up? Sometimes corals close up for awhile but come back in a few days.> I have removed the anemone and given it away. <good> I have also changed it to lower light levels for a few days. Did not find any change so kept it back in the original place. <I doubt light is the issue here.> Any idea how to get things back to normal? <It's hard for me to say right now without being sure of what coral this is. If you can send a better picture or get a better ID, I can help you more.> Please help :( Ranjith <Best, Sara M.>

Algae cups
Hi Bob,
I have a curiously spontaneous whitish cup-like growth on my live (Fijian) rock (picture enclosed). That picture was taken in early December, and each of the individuals (about 3/4" to 1.5" across in the picture) has grown profusely since then (the two groups pictured are now colonies about 4-5" in diameter). I have now taken to referring to them as 'potato-chip-coral', but I really have no idea what it is; would you please take a crack at identifying it for me? I'd like to share it with my friend Paul, but it would be nice to know a little more about it so that we needn't indulge too much in trial-and-error to propagate it.
I have noticed that this creature, or creatures (if a colony), shows a fine diaphanous cilia along the outermost ridge that extends 2-3mm, and its body is not particularly fragile (it's reasonably flexible---similar to watercress Caulerpa IMHO---and oscillates in the current opposite my sump-return near my overflow box). It seems to be very happy within 2" of the surface lit by 4 VHO Actinic White fluorescents, and has spawned at least two other colonies within my 55gal tank since I began watching it. I have other less-zoomed pictures if you're curious.
Thanks for your attention, -Tyler
<It is a type of macroalgae called Padina. -Steven Pro>

Macroalgae identification??
Hey Bob,
Any ideas what sort of algae this is?
<Um, no image... maybe place on a site, send the URL>
I assume it is helping in filtration and not harmful at all. People seem to be looking for algae species that Tangs, Angels and Rabbitfish will not eat, and they will not eat this stuff at all. My fish seem to enjoy playing in amongst this algae and I was hoping you may know what it is. My LFS buddy wants me to chop some off for his tank as it grows fairly quickly in my system. He says he can't grow it and that surprises me because he is the one I usually go to for help. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Here are a couple pics. Thanks Rob Huss
<Bob Fenner>
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Re: macroalgae identification?
well if you are referring to the background of the tank it is just an off the shelf plastic backing for tanks, the tank itself is my tank that I purchased from Elmer's aquariums in Monroeville PA. 
<Oh! I know the store. Nice folks (Gary the owner let me give a pitch to the staff downstairs a few years back). Nice effect in the setting.>
My question still remains do you have any clue what type or species of macroalgae that is on my site, been having no luck finding out anywhere.
<Addended the last message and resent... this is assuredly a Brown Algae of the genus Sargassum. Bob Fenner>

Re: macroalgae identification?
Well Bob here is an address to my site, you now have your very own page for questions I have for you enjoy! Thanks Rob Huss
http://pages.zdnet.com/holeinone1972/92gallonreeftank/
<Nice site... will post link on WWM... and really like the image on your HP of the corner tank... the backgrd... is this a product you bought or something made? Bob Fenner... oh, and this Phaeophyte (brown kelp) is a Sargassum species, perhaps S. japonicum>

Brown Algae
The water parameters seem to be all right. However a lot of brown algae is growing on my rocks killing all plant life. It is not diatoms (little brown dots) this stuff is thick and dense. What is causing it to grow and how do you prevent it from growing?
<Check out Bob's algae articles on www.wetwebmedia.com. Go to the search page and enter 'slime algae' (be sure to check the 'search WetWebMedia.com' option) -Lorenzo>

Plant or Algae?
I have attached a picture of some sort of plant or algae (I think its a plant) growing from my live rock in my 75 gallon tank. I have searched several places on the web and cannot identify the plant/algae. I have pulled a little of it out but it is very hard, like a plant and it just breaks off. 
<we use the term "plants" generically in popular aquarium literature but there are very few true plants. Most indeed are algae and that is what you have. Two species in the image here: the fan shaped specimen (right/bottom image) is Padina. The leafy species is not quite so clear but is likely another brown algae like the Padina and may very well be a Sargassum species. (regardless of color). The Padina you can leave alone... is not tough to maintain. The Sargassum or like "plant" is an incredibly fast grower and will need regular pruning. Still... they are both beautiful. You got some nice live rock>
It is getting close to getting out of control and my yellow tank will not even look at it. 
<few herbivores for a small tank will>
I was wondering if I should get something to eat it, or just pull the excess out. 
<trim regularly>
It is growing in several different places in my tank and I don't want it to get any further out of hand. I just setup a 20 gallon refugium and was wondering if it would be a good addition to it? 
Yes! Very fine and much better than Caulerpa>
Thanks in advance.
<my pleasure, kindly Anthony Calfo>