Marble Like Object

[Paveman]

An anyone identify this ? Its very much like a glass marble but has been growing very slowly for last couple of months. I've also noticed a second one buried deep in the live rock.

 

[MacDracor]

Looks like Bubble Algae to me. Though not the fastest pest, it can get annoying. If it bothers you are starts to spread too much, you can try to pry it out (Gently! Don't pop it!) or get an Emerald crab, which will eat it.

 

[austinsdad]

Bubble algae. Not good and a nuisance. Whatever you do, do not pinch it to try to remove. Those hundred pieces will spread like wildfire. Some like to use a emerald green crab as they might eat it if not too big I hear.

 

[Paveman]

I can pretty easily remove the live rock shown in the picture. Would it be best to take out of the tank and give it a scrub with an old toothbrush under some flowing water ? It does have a large coral attached but shouldn't be too much bother. The other one i've spotted will be more tricky so I may need to invest in an emerald crab. Any other ways to get rid of it ? I did have a touch of red slime algae a while back and got rid of this by increasing pH, turning down lights, removing as much as possible and lots and lots of water changes. I'm guessing that any problem algae is too much nutrient in the water and therefore I should get checking this more closely (now I know what this is).

 

[austinsdad]

What are your nitrate readings? How much and what do you feed also?

If it were me, I'd consider the rock base rock after I take it out, brush off the bubble, and prolly boil it in some water. Maybe overkill, but that stuff can spread it not completely removed.

 

[joy13]

What I do is when I siphon the water in the area I drag the hose over it and suck up the bubble algae and most of the spores. I have found emerald crabs are very good at taking care of others haven't always been as lucky.

 

[austinsdad]

Try the crab first and see what happens.

 

[crister13]

I have alot of bubble in my tank on the back and do what joy does. I do 25% change a week with RODI.

 

[jolopy409]

What I do is when I siphon the water in the area I drag the hose over it and suck up the bubble algae and most of the spores. I have found emerald crabs are very good at taking care of others haven't always been as lucky.

This is what I have been doing when I have gotten around to it. What I find works really well is a turkey baster and tweezers. If i can get to the base of it i pinch it off and pull it out. If not I pinch/suck it up at the same time and let the crab finish off what remains on the rock. If its a rock I can take out of the tank I take the entire rock out.

 

[alink708]

I had some starting to grow in various spots... along with some red wirery algae... Bought an emerald 2 weeks ago... He has effectively taken out every last bit of both!!

 

[MacDracor]

I just picked up an emerald crab today because I've been seeing a few bubbles. Hoping to keep ahead of them rather than play catchup later!

 

[alink708]

He will get it. I was yelling at mine the first few days, it seemed he was only interested in picking at coraline and bare rocks...I thought he might have been slow. But low and behold I wake up one day and every piece of bubble was gone. The next day I woke up and every little strand of red wirery was gome too! Now he is finishing my long battle with the GHA for me.

 

[MacDracor]

Yeah... he was in there for less than an hour and he was eating my zooanthids. I don't mean picking at them, I mean 1/4 gone. Thought maybe it was a fluke so I shooed him away in the general direction of a huge algae patch. Next time I saw him, he was eating my torch coral.
Not losing my corals to a $6 crab. I'll wait until I cant stand the bubble algae any more and my corals are all much bigger. Then Try to find the smallest emerald crab that I can.For now, he goes back to lfs.

 

[alink708]

That sucks, mine hasnt touched any corals yet...but I told the LFS if he starts messing with them or the sexy shrimp or pocelain crabs that he was coming right back to the store!