to remove the bubble algae that my emerald crab ignores, I use a needle and syringe from an ER, or hobby store (often these are used for precise glue applications). I puncture the bubble with the needle and draw up the spores into the syringe. When an emty shell is all thats left I pull it out with my fingers or tweezers. Every 4 or 5 months I notice a bubble big enough to deflate in this manner.