What the heck is this stuff, did it burn my zos?

[snapcrackler]

Hi, a couple months ago I bought a feather duster from LFS and it was stuck to this dead sponge thing.

Anyway, my little pair of zos that I got for free kept flying around in the current so I just stuffed them into the dead sponge thing where they began to thrive and grow a 3rd zo.

On the sponge thing, there was this jet black, smooth mat of algae like stuff. It didn't seem to bother the zos.

Well after a while the jet black stuff started to gradually (in a creeping fashion) turn a deep purple, and everywhere that the zo touched it, it turned the edge of the zo yellow like it got "burnt" and eventually the zos started to recede and not open up.

Well I finally pulled the shrunk up (now only 2) zos out of this purple mess and am wondering if this is some kind of cyano or what? You can "peel" this stuff off of the dead sponge thing quite easily.

Here is a pic.
TIA

 

[reefrunner69]

You hve a nice healthy case of cyanobacteria there They cyano would smother the zoos, but I don't think it would burn them. Cyano is a pest algae that feeds on high nutrients and low waterflow. Increase skimming, change water (siphoning the cyano) using RO/DI water and cut back on feedings. Also increase the flow in the areas most heavily infested.

 

[snapcrackler]

Oh CRAP, that's the only place it was and I flaked some of it off when I was poking at it, will it try to spread now? I mean that was the ONLY place it was, on that stoopid dead sponge thing I got from LFS.

I think I will just remove the whole dead sponge thing and chuck it.

I'll do all the things you mentioned too.

Thanks reefrunner.. I had a weird feeling that you were going to come along and say that..

 

[reefrunner69]

will it try to spread now?

Quite possibly, but the same is true no matter where it is. I personallly would remove the zoos from the sponge (and remove the sponge, that is possibly what the cyano is feeding on) and use supergluegel to glue them to a rock. Becareful when handling them, they contain a powerful neurotoxin that can kill you. Take precautions, use gloves and when working with them, keep them underwater (even if it's just a bowl of water) to keep them from spraying you as they expell water.

 

[snapcrackler]

Thanks, and also about the toxin warning, I had read some posts about that a while back 8O I used tongs earlier to pick then out of the cyano bush. When I glue them to a rock as you suggested I will use gloves and a bowl of SW.

I peeled off the attached featherduster and stuck him in the substrate were he opened right back up and was fine.

After I chucked the skanky sponge in the trash I moved the zos to the substrate. They are completely opened up and looking GREAT like they used to look, before the cyano grew up next to it . Bright green and feathery.

Cool beans. a bad incident avoided... GRACIAS