Bubble Algae?

[bugSy]

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My LR is being overrun with these things I cant identity. THey grow in low bunches and seem to be water filled sacs of red seaweed/algae??? At first it was attractive but now that it has spread all over the tank it has become a nuisance as it is competing with the spread of polyps. I tried removing them by hand but it seems as if its spreading even faster and there are just too many of them now. My cleanup crew consisitng of a queen conch, turbo snails, and blue legged hermit crab just ignores it. Can someone please help me identify this and suggest a way of how I can eliminate it without harming my corals?

[scyllaris]

Hello,Emerald Crabs eat bubble algae.This is what i use to control it.

[bugSy]

but won't the emerald crabs harm the other inhibitants of the tank?
button polyps, mushrooms, leather corals, conch, hermits, and snails?

[organicreefer]

hi bugsy,
emerald crabs have never given me a problem(yet?)in over a year in my tank.i think you will find there are others on the board with the same exp.i think it comes down to ,if they run out of algea(no shortage in my tank;) )they will have to eat something.i have 2 in my 93g.
there are alot of poeple on the board(you probly know)that are very anti crab, even hermits.to each his own,i even have the dreaded blue leggers OMG!
now, that said,i also recently had to remove a sally lightfoot from my tank because after about nine months in my tank ,he had gotten HUGE,and i was suffering from disapearing fish syndrome,and i lost (poof! gone)three small fish one a month for three months (set my watch by it )until i finally removed the slf.since then no more losses.i really cant envision the emeralds catching a fish ,they are kinda small and slow,but im sure it COULD happen.the slf was big ,and lightning fast.i also witnessed its territorial/aggressive behavior more than a few times.too bad cause the slf is an ECXELLENT grazer and very active and out in the open.
i would say if anything the slf is more of a threat to small fish(not corals at all ime)and the emeralds probly the opposite.hth

[organicreefer]

i forgot to add that i too used to have bubble algea,i added the crabs and its gone.if as you said youre liverock is being overun,i would definitely add some.they can always be removed after the job is done.



wait a minute.... ijust re read youre first post and you describe youre algea as red seawead...that is not bubble algae...sounds like a caulerpa or something?

[organicreefer]

how big is youre tank ?add a tang he'll be in "tang heaven"

[scyllaris]

Hello,I have never had a problem with emeralds,i have them in 2 of my tanks.They do a great job cleaning bubble algae.

[bugSy]

Tank is 55 gallons....but i've gotten so many mixed reviews about crabs that i will added these phosphate removers first and making sure that my nutrients are really low...ill see if the population decreases....does anyone have a picture of bubble algae? mine is red in color not green....and its not round but irregular in shape...

[quinyb]

I too I this red bubble looking stuff, but it has just appeared....I have no clue what it is either.

Kim

[BubbaWPB]

BEEP BEEP BEEP... Let's back up this bus for a minute.."Bubble algae" (Valonia) is green, not red. http://melevsreef.com/id/tbs/valonia_tb.jpg

How big are the "red bubbles"? Do you have a picture? Are the bubbles small (between 0.5 and 1.5 mm?) and release the gas if you touch them or nudge them? If so, I'm gonna guess it's more likely cyanobacteria than "bubble algae".

Either way, if you've got a true bubble algae or cyanobacteria problem, adding crabs, snails, etc. that eat it won't keep up. You have to find the cause (excessive feeding, phosphates, whatever) and address the cause.

By the way, emerald crabs eat a varitey of macro algae, but whether or not they eat bubble algae (valonia) is up the individual crab. My emerald crabs won't eat it.

[BubbaWPB]

There is also a red grape algae, but it is not very common. I've never seen it or heard of it growing uncontrollably. Here's a pic:
http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/g...tryocladia.htm

[zhenya]

Here's a good article comprising most of the bubble form algaes that you may encounter in an aquarium.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-0...ture/index.php

[BubbaWPB]

Excellent article! Thanks, Gene!