Suggestions on control of Bubble Algea

[Matthew]

Looking for some advice on how to get rid of that rapidly spreading bubble algea. Water parrameters are looking good, I use a phosphate reactor and replace media monthly. When doing weekly water changes I try and siphon out as many as I can. Anyone else dealing with this stuff?

 

[Krish]

Bubble algae can be a pain! I had some and ended up removing a lot of the rock. Most people use some crabs to get rid of them, but I never tried any. Also, you can physically remove them with tweezers just be careful not to pop the bigger ones

 

[Matthew]

What type of crabs would you use? I think I must have popped a few while siphoning. My tank is no where near being taken over but I know it can be a potetial problem.

 

[Skimmy]

green minthrax crabs, and (like everything) theres only a good chance that they will eat them, some dont eat it at all. but i have seen them eat the valonia

 

[Curtswearing]

Some emerald crabs will eat small bubble algae and some won't. It's kind of hit or miss. For the medium sized bubbles, they can easily be removed manually by CAREFULLY twisting the bubble back and forth until the single holdfast breaks. If you are trying to remove a bubble that is large, always have a siphon running as the gametes will be sexually mature in them unlike the small ones.

 

[Curtswearing]

green minthrax crabs, and (like everything) theres only a good chance that they will eat them, some dont eat it at all. but i have seen them eat the valonia

Great minds think alike.

 

[snobanker]

Bubble algae can be a pain! I had some and ended up removing a lot of the rock. Most people use some crabs to get rid of them, but I never tried any. Also, you can physically remove them with tweezers just be careful not to pop the bigger ones

Hey Krish I kinda carefully poked at a piece of my bubble algae. I never realized it was such a hard little bubble. Are you saying they should be hard enough to pick off if careful?

 

[Krish]

Yeah...That's just how Curt suggests. If you grab it gently and wiggle it, it should detach from the base and you can phisically remove it. I had one huge one before and it was actually quite tough...Just don't pop it

 

[MikeS]

Yes, you can remove a good deal of it manually. Emerald crabs are hit or miss...and they are really omnivores and may develop a taste for polyps instead of algae...I'd avoid them. A UV sterilizer will help if you remove them manually, it will help kill spores before they spread...and agressive skimming will help too. Bubble alage are very stubborn, the best bet is good water quality, manual removal, and good skimming....

MikeS

 

[Fokkerdmr]

What about light? I've moved a bunch of my LR that's got quite a few (ok maybe 100 or so) bubble algae to my sump that stays dark all the time. Does anyone know if that'll end up taking care of the bubble algae?

 

[ReeferPatt]

Bubble algae can live in almost any environment. It can thrive in almost sterile water. High light, low light, no light. I've been battling it for 6-8 mos. It's some bad stuff. I have aggressive skimming, UV sterilizer, phosban reactor. What I finally did was remove the rock that had the worst of it, clean it all off, scraped it with a knive and a stiff brush and then rinsed off in RO water. Put it back in and so far no bubble algae on any of those rocks. I tried emerald crabs with no luck at all. The best natural method I found was a Foxface. I've watched him eat it. It's now under control but not gone.

Phosphates or nitrates are not the cause. I've read several articles on the stuff, they really don't know what or how. The rock in my tank is between 5 and 10 yrs old and I never had it up until 6-8 mos. ago.

Do not pop them, if you do, as was suggested above, have a siphon ready. If you can remove the rock, clean it and rince it in fresh water. And maybe get yourself a foxface or rabbit fish. I've read where some have seen the naso's eat the stuff too.

Good luck on your quest........

Patt

 

[Juanfer]

I will try with the foxface too!! but I'm not too sure about the naso though, you could also try with the Lettuce Nudibranch.

 

[ReeferPatt]

I will try with the foxface too!! but I'm not too sure about the naso though, you could also try with the Lettuce Nudibranch.

I would doubt that the lettuce nudi. will be able to bite thru the skin of the bubble. But hey might be worth a try...

 

[pfish]

tagging along for new ideas.

 

[Juanfer]

Then you have to pick the stuff out w/o popping the bubbles. Don't let any of the stuff stay in the tank, or you'll never get rid of them...this is how I've gotten rid ofmine.

 

[SueT]

I have 2 very small patches on my new rock and I tried 3 emerald crabs and they wouldn't touch it. I have tried picking it out, syphoning it out and my next adventure will be a rabbitfish. My powder blue won't touch it either. But who could get mad at such a beautiful fish...

 

[ReeferPatt]

I have 2 very small patches on my new rock and I tried 3 emerald crabs and they wouldn't touch it. I have tried picking it out, syphoning it out and my next adventure will be a rabbitfish. My powder blue won't touch it either. But who could get mad at such a beautiful fish...

When I grow up I want a Powder Blue.....

 

[KRMNAL1]

Then you have to pick the stuff out w/o popping the bubbles. Don't let any of the stuff stay in the tank, or you'll never get rid of them...this is how I've gotten rid ofmine.

Picking the stuff out is not an option for me and probably 90% of everyone who has it. Removing the rock, scraping, popping scrubbing with a brush and then rinsing doesn't work either, I know this because thats what I did when I upgraded tanks. Sure it looked good for a while but now 2 months later it is coming back and I have to re-cycle my tank I had 2 larger E. crabs and they couldn't or wouldn't keep it under control either and I had two different guy's at Blue Sierra tell me not to waste my money on Lettuce nudi's. What can one do or buy to keep these wiley lil' b@st*rds under control ??

 

[ReeferPatt]

You can try a foxface or rabbit fish, or possibily a naso tang. The cleaning and rinsing has worked for me, but I only did about 4 pcs of rock. There is nothing out there in the way of chemicals, such as phos. removers or what have ya. Noboby really knows what causes the stuff.

I've read where many people have just replaced the rock. A rather expensive alternative for sure. If you don't have a UV sterilizer it can help to prevent more. The better alternative would be Ozone. Agressive skimming, siphoning the stuff out during water changes. That's about it. Some of the nicest reef tanks out there will have it. About all you can do wants you get it is try to keep it under control. Cooking your rock doesn't work either.

Manually removing it is really about the best option. Like I said a few post before, alot of my rock is almost 10 yrs. old. The last time I added any rock was 5 yrs. ago. Never had it till about 6-8 months ago. Have no idea where it came from.

 

[trido]

My yellow tang, Naso Tang and juvenile blue tang eat the stuff like candy. I have never seen a mithrax crab touch the stuff. My fuge is infested with red valonia. If I need to clean a rock I just put it in the display. Four hours later, Its spotless.