Help ID this

[abushr]

My friend has some stuff growing in her tank. It's not slime algae....she's trying to decide if it's algae or bacterial. It's growing on rocks, and on the antanae/feelers of one of her crabs.

Not sure how to treat it since she doesn't know what it is.

 

[Krish]

I can't really make out anything from the pictures. Any chance to get a better shot??

 

[Frankie]

Looks like diatoms. Water changes and carbon regiment in need more then likely.
Get her water parameter test results and post them here so we can figure this out. Not enough info to go on just yet.
How old is this setup?

 

[BackwerdsMan]

Wow... I've never seen anything like that growing on a crabs feelers. Are you talking about that deep red stuff?

 

[mojoreef]

Its the new "Huggies" for crabs


Mojo

 

[Burke]

If it's red and fuzzy (like cotton balls), the only think I found that eats it is turbo snails. I get out breaks when I loose all my turbos. I haven't seen it grow on live things before.

 

[abushr]

Yes it's kinda fuzzy...sorta like a moldy moss. She has it growing on some of her rocks & a plant also. I'll tell her to get me her water perameters. She said she doesn't have any turbo snails....I'll tell her to pick some up.

It's the strangest thing. Not slimy like red slime....kinda fuzzy loss moss. I'll ask to see if she has a better pic.

Thanks!

 

[LeslieH]

Normally crabs & shrimp constantly groom themselves to keep stuff from growing on them. This hermit may have lost it's grooming appendages - that's why it's overgrown. When the crab molts the algae will be shed along with the old exoskeleton.

 

[Boomer]

Need a better pic but my bet it is coralline algae.

 

[LeslieH]

Need a better pic but my bet it is coralline algae.

Soft & fuzzy coralline algae? That's a new one! :- D

 

[Boomer]

:lol:
I missed that soft and fuzzy remark