Aquabliss
Member
Anyone had this problem algae and beat it?
How?
Thanks
Rob
How?
Thanks
Rob
Dictyota Algae
- Thread starter Aquabliss
- Start date
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Rod Buehler
Well-known member
If your tank is large enough, most Foxface rabbit fish will eat it, and my blond naso also eats it, but as with anything in this hobby, it can be "hit or miss"
Good luck
Good luck
Aquabliss
Member
Not really it's a 40 gallon, guess I could buy a small one then sell after it cleans up as a last resort. Just read the Siganus Doliatu/Two Barred Rabbitfish may work well.
This stuff is bad, been reading everything I could find on it the last day or two.
I had it a while now but it was not a real big problem until I used my dawn spin brush on it in the tank a few weeks ago (wrong thing to do).
Dolabella sea hares are supposed to wipe it out real good and I've found two places online that sell them.
I am going to call around today and see if I can find one locally (Seattle to Vancouver BC being local, lol).
Thanks
Rob
This stuff is bad, been reading everything I could find on it the last day or two.
I had it a while now but it was not a real big problem until I used my dawn spin brush on it in the tank a few weeks ago (wrong thing to do).
Dolabella sea hares are supposed to wipe it out real good and I've found two places online that sell them.
I am going to call around today and see if I can find one locally (Seattle to Vancouver BC being local, lol).
Thanks
Rob
Last edited:
Aquabliss
Member
Bought two online, they both arrived today and are doing ok as far as I can tell so far. Moving around slow on the sandbed but eating hair algae as they check things out.
They have not moved onto any rock with Dictyota yet.
Hope they do not venture into a powerhead.
Cute!!!
They have not moved onto any rock with Dictyota yet.
Hope they do not venture into a powerhead.
Cute!!!
Jan
Well-known member
what a freaky looking creature that is! 
what does Dictyota Algae look like?
what does Dictyota Algae look like?
Aquabliss
Member
Lol, I don't know why, I think underwater dairy cow.
Not the best pic but here is the Dictyota algae.
Not the best pic but here is the Dictyota algae.
Fyi
From LiveAquaria:
Caution: This species secretes or releases toxins that may kill fish in the aquarium. The species may release toxic compounds when stressed, or release toxic compounds when it dies. LiveAquaria.com cannot accept responsibility for any loss that may occur should this animal poison the aquarium.
From LiveAquaria:
Caution: This species secretes or releases toxins that may kill fish in the aquarium. The species may release toxic compounds when stressed, or release toxic compounds when it dies. LiveAquaria.com cannot accept responsibility for any loss that may occur should this animal poison the aquarium.
Aquabliss
Member
From a current marine bio/mariculture student:
Some species produce a purple ink which was long assumed to be toxic. It's not. The biggest risk they pose is if you allow one to rot in the tank it will cause your water quality to drop.
Some species produce a purple ink which was long assumed to be toxic. It's not. The biggest risk they pose is if you allow one to rot in the tank it will cause your water quality to drop.
podboy
Active member
Have you had any success eliminating your dictyota problem?
This algae is the new plague. I have personally seen it in local LFS's, online retailer pictures, and on coral frags I purchased online and locally. I am amazed but not suprized at it's ubiquitousness.
I have an outbreak myself, that I could probably have eliminated if I had known what it was when I started. The problem with this algae in smaller systems is that very little will eat it, and the fish that do eat it need large systems. The other problem is that it seems to thrive in lower nutrient high flow/high light areas.
I had a Dolabella sea hare that wouldn't eat the stuff. It eventually died (from what I assume was simple lack of food), and did not nuke the tank. It even remained in there for ~twelve hours after I realized it was dead. You definitely want to remove it if it dies as they are large creatures.
Mithrax crabs are purported to eat the stuff, but the two I purchased would rather grab at my sps polyps then do their job.
I am currently thinking about upgrading to a larger tank, in part because I can find nothing to eat it in a small one. Hopefully, something can be found, as I see this algae being very problematic in the near future for all nano-reefers and smaller reefs. When I started into this hobby over a year and a half ago, It did not seem as prevalent as it is now.
We desperately need a snail for this stuff.
One individual posted that they had success with raised magnesium levels. (the new technique used to eliminate bryopsis). Others have stated it made no difference. There are of course, many different species of dictyota as well, which makes the problem even more difficult.
This algae is the new plague. I have personally seen it in local LFS's, online retailer pictures, and on coral frags I purchased online and locally. I am amazed but not suprized at it's ubiquitousness.
I have an outbreak myself, that I could probably have eliminated if I had known what it was when I started. The problem with this algae in smaller systems is that very little will eat it, and the fish that do eat it need large systems. The other problem is that it seems to thrive in lower nutrient high flow/high light areas.
I had a Dolabella sea hare that wouldn't eat the stuff. It eventually died (from what I assume was simple lack of food), and did not nuke the tank. It even remained in there for ~twelve hours after I realized it was dead. You definitely want to remove it if it dies as they are large creatures.
Mithrax crabs are purported to eat the stuff, but the two I purchased would rather grab at my sps polyps then do their job.
I am currently thinking about upgrading to a larger tank, in part because I can find nothing to eat it in a small one. Hopefully, something can be found, as I see this algae being very problematic in the near future for all nano-reefers and smaller reefs. When I started into this hobby over a year and a half ago, It did not seem as prevalent as it is now.
We desperately need a snail for this stuff.
One individual posted that they had success with raised magnesium levels. (the new technique used to eliminate bryopsis). Others have stated it made no difference. There are of course, many different species of dictyota as well, which makes the problem even more difficult.
Aquabliss
Member
Yes some really good success but elimination no. Just saw a piece floating around in the tank and have noticed a small patch growing inside one of my powerheads. I'll be cleaning that out tommorrow. Getting close to elimination I hope.
My Dolabellas would not touch it at first either. They started eating it about the 5th or 6th day. I am guessing they started starving and had nothing else to eat so they started in on the dictyota.
After about four weeks they had most dictyota gone and then I started feeding them spriulina pellets every other day to keep them alive.
I am going to go to giving them pellets everday for awhile starting tommorrow.
They've done well and I don't want to lose them.
If anyone wants one and can make a good effort to keep them alive let me know. I'd like to pass them both on, but just one for now.
I live in Lynden but would be willing drive and meet someone in Mt Vernon.
Rob
My Dolabellas would not touch it at first either. They started eating it about the 5th or 6th day. I am guessing they started starving and had nothing else to eat so they started in on the dictyota.
After about four weeks they had most dictyota gone and then I started feeding them spriulina pellets every other day to keep them alive.
I am going to go to giving them pellets everday for awhile starting tommorrow.
They've done well and I don't want to lose them.
If anyone wants one and can make a good effort to keep them alive let me know. I'd like to pass them both on, but just one for now.
I live in Lynden but would be willing drive and meet someone in Mt Vernon.
Rob
podboy
Active member
Glad to hear yours are eating the stuff. Mine tried it and after that didn't seem to want to touch it.
Out of curiousity, where did you purchase your dolabellas?
Cute little critters though.
Out of curiousity, where did you purchase your dolabellas?
Cute little critters though.
Call me crazy, but this sounds like the perfect thing to grow in a refugium! Once the water quality increases, things like Chaeto or Caulerpa species have a harder time pulling nutrients out of the water. They really like "richer" environments. So, here's an algae that grows really well in our reef tank environments. Give it a refugium and more light than the main tank and I bet the algae in the refugium outcompetes the algae in the main tank!
podboy
Active member
The more light part is going to be a problem for poeple like me with a 250w mh over a 40br. Also, it seem to grow in very high flow areas the best.
Certainly wouldn't hurt to try that if ones tank already has it, but I have my doubts about being able to easily provide an environment that will cause it to outcompete the main tank.
Certainly wouldn't hurt to try that if ones tank already has it, but I have my doubts about being able to easily provide an environment that will cause it to outcompete the main tank.
Aquabliss
Member
Aquabliss
Member
I've now tried the raised magnesium level approch on the dictyota.
The dictyota loved it, thrived.
Just grinding it out now with bi-weekly clean ups and water changes.
:doubt:
