Bubble algae and Emerald Crabs

[kttsf]

Does anyone knows how to get rid of bubble algae beside adding Emerald Crabs ? I think those Emerald are cute but I heard so many stories about them eventually eating frags and even small fish. I used to have a few bubble algae here and there in the tank but now it grows more and more. I want to take care of it before it getting worse. Does bubble algaes really harmful? Thanks.

 

[hdchay]

red sea sailfin tangs will eat buble algae if your tank is big enough to keep one. There are other tangs that eat bubble algae, but the sailfin is far the best from what i researched online.
i got a blue tang and i did see it pick on bubble algae. But the ones i have are red bubble algae and not green.

 

[650-IS350]

What ever you do, DO NOT pop the bubbles... from what I have read everywhere... doing so releases more spores which would just jenerate more bubble algea that will overrun your tank.

I had a couple of bubble algae that came with a couple of frags...
I just popped them out of my tank, scrub it off completely and the pieces of rock were rinsed with FW.... Ive added those frags a month or so ago and not see any since then.

 

[MrMikeB]

I would not say they are really harmful, just many people do not like the look of it.

As far as emeralds eating fish and coral, I have not seen this and have over 15+ in my 150. They do constantly prune the rocks of any vegetation and once in awhile that pruning nips off a polyp or two on a SPS, but they are not eating it - just trying to get some algae off.

Most algae is caused by extra nutrients in the water, some phosphate, and of course light. You can control most of its growth by limiting any of those ingredients that can cause it to grow in the first place. I have heard people carefully removing those bubbles manually as another method.

 

[kttsf]

I wish I have room for a red sea sailfin tang. The bubble algae I got are the green one so I don't think tangs like them, my hippo and yellow never touch it. Yes, I also heard that u should never pop it but some of the new growth bubble getting bigger and bigger and I don't know what causes to be bigger than before?

 

[Bebo77]

get a foxface.. or get a knife and cut it out... the knife trick worked great for me and the bubble algea did not spread...

 

[Qwiv]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9409765#post9409765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hdchay
red sea sailfin tangs will eat buble algae if your tank is big enough to keep one. There are other tangs that eat bubble algae, but the sailfin is far the best from what i researched online.
i got a blue tang and i did see it pick on bubble algae. But the ones i have are red bubble algae and not green.

Red Sea Sailfin Tangs would be from the red sea, which has a higher salinity than the typical reef tank. FYI.

 

[650-IS350]

Doubt tangs nor foxface have strong enough mouths for bubble aglae that is why some people say to get emeralds since there claws are strong enough to pierce and tear bubble algea... but the question begs, " if they tear it, dosn't that help that bubble algae spread its spores "...

 

[Qwiv]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9416379#post9416379 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by delsol650
Doubt tangs nor foxface have strong enough mouths for bubble aglae that is why some people say to get emeralds since there claws are strong enough to pierce and tear bubble algea... but the question begs, " if they tear it, dosn't that help that bubble algae spread its spores "...

I have had tangs that could bite your finger off if you let them.

Here is some good info on bubble algea
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php

Popping them isn't as bad as everyone says. The ones behind rocks in your tank, that you don't see grow until they pop all by themselves. Crabs and fish pop them when they eat them.