Any idea what alage this is?

jsbzmcdaniel

New member
I have a few spots of this alage on my rock and its seems to spread. It encrusts on the rock. I tried to brush it off with a tooth brush but it doesnt come off. I am a little concerned that its going to keep spreading so any suggestions would be appreciated.

26473Alage.jpg


Jim
 
Jim, I'm pretty sure it's called Lobophora. It's a plating macro algae and very hard to get rid of. None of our clean up crew will touch it but there are a few fish that do eat it. Triggers I think but not sure.
 
Any other suggestions Rod / Jose? I really dont want to pulll the rocks out where this stuff is at cause it would me a total reaquascape project :(. I feel that its came in on a plug from a aquaculture sps.
 
Re: Any idea what alage this is?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6972938#post6972938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jsbzmcdaniel
I have a few spots of this alage on my rock and its seems to spread. It encrusts on the rock. I tried to brush it off with a tooth brush but it doesnt come off. I am a little concerned that its going to keep spreading so any suggestions would be appreciated.

26473Alage.jpg


Jim
SALLYLIGHTFOOT CRABS eats Lobophoras. I have lobophoras in my tank gold ,browns ,redish, my Sallys. keeped them trimed.
 
I guess I will have to give them another try. I just hate the fact that they knock everything down, and eat the coraline alage. :(

I know there are many species of urchins and would like to know which ones you feel would do the job that are not such a PIA. :)
 
I have something similar, but the coloration is much more beautiful. Mine is red, green and yellow sworls. This is only one section of it I have left...The other area was on a rock of a digitata colony I recently sold.
Same thing?


lobosmall.jpg
 
Its hard to tell by the pics Mike. Mine is turd brown and encrusted to the rock. When there is a void in the rock it tends to plate. Its slick to the touch but very very difficult to remove by brushing it off. I have no other alage in the tank anywhere and my TDS, PO4, & NO3 are both 0. Its got to be feeding off something other than nutrients.
 
Mines the same way Jim...very slick, very hard...I'd have to chip it off...Almost coralline-like.
 
Yep....I thought it was early stages of coraline thats why I left it. After looking close I noticed it was starting to encrust over the coraline thats when I started to get concerned.
 
I'd try the lightfoot crabs, they can't hurt anything else. They've done a hell of a job of some turf algae I've just gotten the better of.
I did have some stuff like that on a wild zoo rock, I had it close to a power head and it disintegrated. Don't know if that's an option for you, that looks like it's on the bottom of your tank.
 
Jim,
I think I've got a little of the same stuff....and I think it came in on an aquacultured coral also. Anyhow, FWIW, I don't think my urchin touches the stuff...(I've got Dave's urchin) If he does, it's not much munching at all. I think maybe I'll try a sally....I've got one in my softie tank and it's a pretty cool and well behaved inhabitant.

Jeff
 
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