Cyano and Bubble Algae

[kimmeewoo]

I don't have any first-hand knowledge of bubble-algae eaters, but my mexican turbo snail eats cyano. It's not his first choice of food, but he does eat it sometimes.

Kimber

[NewTankGirl]

I have an outbreak of cyano and bubble algae. Is there anything that will eat these types of algae?

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Teresa

[Goodbread]

i just recently had a HUGE cyano outbreak. I cut down on feeding for 2 days, and kept the lights out for 2 days. my tank is now crystal clear.

not sure if you have corals or anything but this worked great for me.

jay

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[Bamm Bamm]

emerald crabs are reef safe, cool looking and they also eat bubble algae... I need to get a few myself come to think of it..Dan

[Aragorn]

I'd like to 2nd Bamm Bamm's statement. We've got an Emerald in one of our tanks that "knocked down" the bubble algae in no time. As for cyano, I recommend a couple of Queen Conchs. They're voracious and quite cool looking too!

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Buckaroo Banzai, circa 1978

[SKRIZ]

Cerith snails and mexican hermit crabs will destroy cyano.

[ravenmore]

cyano is not the problem - it's the symptom of another problem....that being too much of some kind of nutrient in the water - either phosphates or nitrates most likely. Your test kits may not indicate they are very high, but this would be because the cyano is acquiring these nutrients fast enough to keep them from showing up on your test. (kind of weird way to look at it, but cyano in this manner is actually improving your water quality by pulling these nutrients out of the water column where they can affect fish and other aquarium life).

The thing is, if you introduce these cyano predators without looking at the nutrient problem you will simply end up with another issue - like another kind of nussance algae or just having high phosphate or nitrate levels. Cyano predators are fine, but you need to add something to remove the nutrients such as a macro algae (one of the species of caulerpa is the most common macro algaes).

If your tank's new (as your name indicates) cyano and other problem algae/diatom blooms are a normal part of the maturing process.

Another good cyano eater are queen conchs and strombus grazers from www.ipsf.com. The latter are closely related to strombus gigas (queen conchs) but stay small and reproduce in captivity. Hermits find both tasty, however(as do a lot of people).

-Mike

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[This message has been edited by ravenmore (edited 02-14-2001).]

[Schottman]

Emerald Crabs are great for bubble alagae and also great for just keeping your rock ship-shape. I would have to agree with Ravenmore on his position that your cyano is just the result of another problem. You may be over feeding.

Schottman [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

[hcp28]

Also you may want to try pointing a powerhead in the direction of the cyano, I've found cyano tends to take up residence in spots where water flow is poor. HTH

Henry

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Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall down an open manhole and die.
-Mel Brooks

[Staghorn]

Keeping your PH high, 8.40 - 8.45 will get rid of it.

[Tank]

Can't say enough about my Sally Lightfoot's.They eat both cyano and bubble, only problem I have heard of is that I guess when they get big they can become a problem as far as becoming predatory tward fish, but I have had mine for around 7 months now and have had no problems.

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