Bubble algae, injured coral... Overwhelmed....

E

econano

Member
My biocube is a little over a month old, and I've had bubble algae slowly creeping across my biggest, bottom most rock. Tried picking it out with tweezers, but did not have good luck with this and probably spread it. Had finally resolved to try an emerald, but was told by a very experienced aquarist that I need instead to disassemble my tank and boil the affected rock instead. I hate this idea! Will destroy beautiful purple coralline algae, a hidden cup, and who knows what else. Then I saw this shiny purple bubble algae in my cladocora coral on another rock! What the heck is that?

Had almost resolved to do the boiling when I got home and saw one of my baby Elegance that have been flourishing was damaged during the day! About 25% of the flesh has been completely severed from the skeleton at the base. I'm thinking it was a peppermint, because when I fed them one of my peppermints had pulled the food away from this same coral. Other culprits include 2 hitchhiker hermits and some large blue legs.

So now tomorrow I need to fish out and return 2 peppermints and the hitchhikers to lfs. Then come back and tear apart whole tank for algae. And I'm too scared to introduce another critter to get emerald. And no idea what to do about poor coral, or purple bubbles....

Anybody offer any advice about any of the above? Feeling depressed and sorry for myself....
 
Corailline

Corailline

Member
I have never in nearly 20 years in this hobby torn apart a tank to treat bubble algae. If you keep nutrients low and keep an emerald it will slowly go away. Keep phosphates below 0.05 ppm.

I just lightly loosen them from their base and remove, turn off the pumps and syphon them out after they settle to the bottom.

Boiling rocks to get ride of bubble algae seems pretty severe too me.

Good luck
 
E

econano

Member
Thanks corailline.... I can handle that, and I guess the emerald couldn't make matters much worse....

Reddog, I did see that thread-in fact posted there to try to clarify. Have u done this? Glue won't just float away during application? Putting loose glue in the tank makes me nervous. I would love to hear more detail from somebody who tried it.

Any thoughts on my poor damaged coral?
 
Reddog170

Reddog170

Active Member
It is hard to say what damaged your coral, may even be something that you have no idea is in your tank. As for the glue trick, I used a pair of latex gloves and just smeared the gel form of the super glue on it and it worked like a champ. Takes a couple tries to get it right but it does work. The glue does not float away either. best of luck and hang in there. Shaun
 
E

econano

Member
Shaun, did you smear the glue on the gloves and then onto the rock? Or apply directly?

Thanks.... Funk lifting a bit.
 
Corailline

Corailline

Member
You can use the epoxy for that as well. Just apply to area leave in place and remove in a week and repeat.

As far as peppermint shrimp, I have had them cause real problems with pestering corals and eating mini-maxi anemones. I have never had a problem with emeralds.
 
E

econano

Member
Corailline said:
You can use the epoxy for that as well. Just apply to area leave in place and remove in a week and repeat.

As far as peppermint shrimp, I have had them cause real problems with pestering corals and eating mini-maxi anemones. I have never had a problem with emeralds.
Click to expand...

Guess I'll return peppermints and try the emerald. I was most worried about him eating peppermints!
 
E

econano

Member
Update...

So I ended up removing the bubble algae by hand. I did end up popping several of the bubbles, so I'm hoping I didn't seed my entire tank with the stuff. I did a water change afterward, so here's hoping all is OK. But end result, the algae is gone. For now.

Was unable to capture my peppermints to return to LFS. I'll try again tomorrow in hopes that I can trade them in toward a cleaner shrimp. They sound a little more peaceful. I think I'll hold off on the emerald until I see how bad things are from my broken bubble spores...

So far my little coral looks like it's trying to hang in there. So weird, looks like the flesh is just cleanly dissected off the skeleton on the one side. Fingers crossed.

Thanks again for all the help last night, I was really down.
 
tektite

tektite

Active Member
Yeah, I had a couple peppermints that decided to go after some LPS, got them out as fast as possible...As far as the elegance, since they're captive bred they're probably a lot hardier than most. I had a captive frag from one that was originally taken from the ocean over 20 years ago now, I put it in my tank and a gorilla crab that I didn't know I had came and shattered its skeleton and ate over half of it. The one piece that survived was smaller than a dime...it still survived though! Here it is now:

IMG_3876.jpg


Good luck!
 
E

econano

Member
Beautiful coral Tek!!!! I love Elegance!!!

So the good new is, you seem to be quite right. Yesterday all of a sudden she started opening up again. Not all the way, but it was a step in the right direction. I did see a hermit walk over and pick a bit at the spot I was worried about, but the coral didn't respond so I'm not sure what the hermit was doing.

I ended up leaving the peppermints-- for now. I just plain couldn't catch them to get them out! So they get one more chance, and if they appear to be involved in any more violence I will tear the tank apart if needed to remove them!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top