Moss/Grass/Fur on LR?

[Biggen]

Hey guys,

Just wondering if I could get an I.D. of this grassy/mossy looking stuff growing on my LR. I have included two pictures that were both taken using the flash so that the color of the stuff could be seen. I have two patches of red "grass" on one rock and then on another rock I have a type of black "grass" that seems to be taking over that rock.

Just need to know what the heck this stuff is and how I get rid of it. I haven't been able to I.D. it myself.

 

[reefrunner69]

not sure of the exact species, but they are turf algaes. I have seen reports of the red turfs really running rampant in tanks.

 

[Biggen]

not sure of the exact species, but they are turf algaes. I have seen reports of the red turfs really running rampant in tanks

Oh, joy...

I think they came in with the last batch of LR I put in the tank.. GRRRR!!!

What is the easiest way to get rid of them? Wonder if a Blenny would take care of them...

 

[reefrunner69]

The reports I have seen...nothing will touch it, it's too tough and wirey. Personally, I'd take it out and take a steal brush to it....but wait and see if someone can positively ID it or has other experiences.

 

[Biggen]

but wait and see if someone can positively ID it or has other experiences.

Sounds good to me. But if all I get is bad news, the steel brush is coming out...

 

[cmor1701d]

Kevin,
You may be seeing the pics but I'm certainly not. Is the site broken again?

 

[reefrunner69]

Kevin,
You may be seeing the pics but I'm certainly not. Is the site broken again?

Nope, but the style your currently using is. We re-uploaded the files that were causing problems and it was resolved on the style I use (black soul) but apparently not for fisubtext. For now try switching styles and we'll get fisubtext up and going tomorrow.

 

[reefrunner69]

Styles that work:
BlackSoul
fiappleblue
fisubice

Styles that do not show attatchments
fisubtext
subsilver
phpvb2

 

[cmor1701d]

Change my style and I now can see the pics. Even the ones I uploaded

 

[steve-s]

I would also look into bushy coralline....

Cheers
Steve

 

[Biggen]

That looks exactly like the black stuff, Steve. Thx!!

I have a message into Dr. Ron to see what he thinks. I have been pouring over the aquarium boards on the net and haven't come up with anything conclusive. I'll let you all know what he thinks it could be.

 

[Biggen]

Here is the response I got from Dr. Ron Shimek:

Hi,

Well, I really can't help you. Identification of small foliose algae from images is damm near impossible. One really needs to look at the microscopic structure of the stuff. There are simply a lot of diffierent varieties that have similar growth forms found in various seas, and a lot of these can find their way into our tanks and grow there. Such algae are common in the real world, but they haven't been ecologically investigated very much.

Personally, if I were you I would worry not at all about what exactly the stuff is. In most cases, snails don't eat this kind of alga. In fact, very few animals of any type do; red algae often have chemicals in them that deter predation. The natural predators are likely herbivorous fishes, but I really don't know of any animals that eat these algae reliably. If it bothers you, I suggest you scrape and siphon it off the rocks.

Good luck!!

Not great news unfortunately. I have been doing some research and it seems that the red stuff may be Asparagopsis taxiformis and that Mexican Turbos (Turbo fluctuosus) seem to eat this stuff. At any rate, even if they don't eat it, it won't hurt to throw some in as I don't currently have any in the tank now.


Hmm... Man I really hate to try and remove the rocks and scrape this stuff off. Moving rock work around the inside an acrylic tank can be troublesome. I might as well start putting matching scratches on the outside.