Algae ID needed...

[DianaKay]

This doesn't look like the feathery dark green Bryopsis that I have removed from my tank.
I'm wondering what it is.
It could be Bryopsis that just hasn't formed it's feathers yet
None of my snails seem to be interested in eating it
One of my Mexican turbos died, I think from Clownfish bites & harassment. I only have I Mexican Turbo left. I do need to get some replacement CUC soon.

Just not sure what this algae might be?? Can anyone ID from the picture?
It's feels crunchy to the touch kinda like Chaetomorpha feels.
It's in several places on my LR.
I'm going to do a WC today & remove it outside the DT as best I can.

 

[Snid]

Oh No! That looks exactly like some of the pictures I'm finding for Bryopsis before it fully matures. I think that battle is still raging on.

 

[DianaKay]

Oh No! That looks exactly like some of the pictures I'm finding for Bryopsis before it fully matures. I think that battle is still raging on.

That's was my fear & for sure not what I wanted to hear :cry1:
I'm still looking around at photos but none I've found so far match it.

 

[Snid]

Awww... Go grab one of these... :lisa:

I'll get one too and help you get in the right state of mind.

Cheers to never giving up! Staying calm. And to patience...

 

[DianaKay]

Thanks for the encouragement Captn' Snid!
I remember having somewhat of a panic attack when I started dealing with GBA & that seems like nothing now.
I just remove what I see when I see it & I hunt it down right before each WC but I'm not afraid of it.
I hope I can stay on top of the Bryopsis & kill it out with Tech-M if it gets out of control.
I don't want to start all over, that's for sure :maddown::look:

 

[Mike Johnson]

You've probably read all this stuff, but here's a picture before it fuzzes out.
I need to replenish my reef cleaners, too! Down to just two Turbo that I've had for over nine years; guess they're too big for the mantis to kill.

http://austinreefkeeper.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/how-to-rid-your-reef-of-bryopsis/

 

[DianaKay]

I sent this picture to John Maloney @ Reef Cleaners & here was his reply:

It isn't a byropsis species, that is the good news. The bad news is that there are a lot of branching green macro algae. This isn't a usual one, so it would take some effort and probably a microscope to get the species name for you I am afraid. Sort of looks like a member of the enteromorpha family, I can't tell too much detail from the picture. If you can isolate the algae against a piece of white paper and take a very large picture I may be able to help you further.

All the Best,
John Maloney

I'm a little relieved & hope that somehow I manually got the bad Bryposis out & will be dealing with something that might be easier to control. :fingerx::fingerx::fingerx:

 

[Snid]

I hope John's right with his initial assessment!!! *crosses fingers too*

You are a champ! I hope you know that.

On a side note (Not to steal this thread)... I spotted a new Algae in my tank today and can't get a good picture. There are two singular stems near some GHA that are reaching up from the sand bed. At the end of each stem are perfect green circles, flat like discs, that are made of several petal shapes like a flower. I tried getting a picture, but they are too small and at a difficult place to photograph. I'm hoping they are good Algae because they are very cute.

 

[Snid]

Found an ID on mine... I think I have Parvocaulis parvulus, aka Umbrella/Parasol Alga. Cool...

At first the closest matches for mine was Caulerpa nummularia, but it didn't look quite right. It was missing the petal shapes mine has.

 

[DianaKay]

Took some closer up pictures (outside of the tank) of the algae that I need an ID on.
I sent them to John @reefcleaners already, he didn't think it is Bryopsis so I hope he has an idea.
Wanted to post the pictures here as well, in case someone can
This algae is not over running my tank but it is showing potential to.
It's deep fine rooted & hard to pluck. I hope there's something that likes to eat it but I'd like to know for sure it will before I buy & put it in my already at Max (for fish) capacity tank.

And here it is after being out of the tank a few days:

 

[DianaKay]

I heard back from John @reefcleaners.... he didn't say what the algae type was only that it was too tough for snails or hermits to cut though. He said maybe an Emerald Crab or an Urchin.
I didn't have very good luck with the 2 emerald crabs I tried. They were lazy & did nothing.
I have never considered an Urchin.
Who has an Urchin & what are the goods points & bad points about having one?
I know nothing about urchins, please advise.

 

[Snid]

Get the Urchin!!! Hooray for Urchins!

Seriously, I love my Long Spined Sea Urchin. He mows down Algae all the time, even some I intentionally planted. I don't mind though, because he always leaves some of it to grow. I just love watching him go. If you glance at an aquarium with them in there, you just smile and say cute Urchin. But if you pause and really observe them, they are simply fascinating.

Here's a video of mine climbing the glass...

[video=youtube;oSh4Q72F6OQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&list=UUE4OZCBlFyY5Y75dIx_C3Vg&v=oSh4Q72F6OQ[/video]

It's not the best video, I know, but it gives you an idea as to how complex they really are.

 

[david42]

I second the Urchin. Have only had mine about a month. Nothing negative to say about it. Picks a rock, eats algae all night. Right before the lights come on he goes to hide. When it's done, the rock looks like you took it out to scrub it clean.
I hear they eat coraline. I am sure the coraline can grow back before they eat it all.

 

[Tigersref]

I have a Tuxedo urchin and i see him/her more on the glass and pipes than on the rocks. So, I'm not too sure if it even eats algae from the rocks or substrate. I know that with the tuxedo urchin, my coraline only grows in places he/she cannot reach.

 

[DianaKay]

Do they stick you with those spines? I'm not into getting injured trying to get them away from places they shouldn't be. How to you pick them up?

 

[DianaKay]

I sent a text to my LFS guy to see if he has any & what kind.
I need to find out about the different kinds. They are strange creatures to me :smirk:

 

[Snid]

The spines can poke you if you are not careful, but if you want to get them out of the way you can pick them up carefully with a glove. I have also redirected him by lightly tapping his spines on one side, then he wanders off the opposite direction.

I don't have a Tuxedo Urchin, but you should know that they will pick things up and wear them like armor. They'll pick up just about anything including shells, shells with crabs or snails in them, coral frags, and even the heater. That being said, the people who know this about them and get them always seem to love them.

When it comes to Corraline Algae, my Long Spine barely touches it, and when he does, it seems to grow back faster than he can eat it. He's way more interested in GHA and other Alga that he doesn't have to chisel off.

The Long Spine is my wife's favorite critter in the aquarium. Fish? Who needs them? Heheh...

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Di about 3 months ago... I added my 1st urchin, a Tuxedo urchin - have been very happy with him & he is well behaved & hard working fun to watch too

 

[DianaKay]

That's good to know. My LFS (actually a pet store) owner texted back & all he has is a large long spine urchin.
I'm afraid to get one that's BIG & has long spines. I know I'll get "stung" or poked ....I'm a big scaredy cat when it comes to anything that could feel like a bee sting I don't like pain AT ALL.
So I may have to make a trip to my favorite not so local LFS this weekend. I'll find out what they have before I go.
Gotta go to my thread for an EXCITING announcement shortly, :yehoo:

 

[hfp69npc]

got to know more