wisebonzai
New member
I have a small coral with this on it. This species, specifically, and it's growing only on one rock. Should I worry? Should I remove that rock (actually it's a coral, hard, dead).
Renee
Renee
Bubble Algae - Ventricaria
- Thread starter wisebonzai
- Start date
You can pick them off pretty easily if you have a lot of patience. Key is to wiggle it loose without breaking it (loosing all the reproductive spores on the inside). I occasionally see them in my 50 gal but something keeps them in check there. My 29 gal is overrun with them for over two years now.
As long is there are nutrients they favor in the water, they will grow and multiply. Some scavengers can pick them off when the are smaller but very few will consume them once they are larger size.
Plus the species name you reference is capable of reaching very large size. I suspect the species I have in my tanks is Valonia as they tend not to get very large (only about 3-5mm in diameter before busting) in the 29. Though I have had one in the 50 that got to be a deep dark glossy green and nearly 3/4" diameter before I picked it off and removed it.
If it is dead, I would remove the rock before trying to remove the bubbles. Then rinse the rock with other water to aid in the possible spores that remain on the rock.
Good luck YMMV.
As long is there are nutrients they favor in the water, they will grow and multiply. Some scavengers can pick them off when the are smaller but very few will consume them once they are larger size.
Plus the species name you reference is capable of reaching very large size. I suspect the species I have in my tanks is Valonia as they tend not to get very large (only about 3-5mm in diameter before busting) in the 29. Though I have had one in the 50 that got to be a deep dark glossy green and nearly 3/4" diameter before I picked it off and removed it.
If it is dead, I would remove the rock before trying to remove the bubbles. Then rinse the rock with other water to aid in the possible spores that remain on the rock.
Good luck YMMV.
wisebonzai
New member
Thankyou so much What I ended up doing, is before I got your advice, I opted to just trash the coral. Should I see it arise again, I know what to do. 
Thankyou for answering...I will just pry them off should they arise on my good rock. I really don't want to trash the good stuff. It's growing corals so well.
Renee
Thankyou for answering...I will just pry them off should they arise on my good rock. I really don't want to trash the good stuff. It's growing corals so well.
Renee
wisebonzai
New member
Thanks so much for that info. Would it hurt my inverts? It's back! the bubble algae is back on another coral now and I can't toss that...it's got my favorite Xenia on it.
Renee
Renee
Twisted
Premium Member
I actually have has bubble algae for some time now, and it was getting really bad. I found my phosphates to be extremely high, so started combating that. It took me months of gradually useing phosban, reducing my feeding, and then recently started adding a liquid phosphate remover, and I added 4 emerald crabs, which i think one died quickly.
My phosphates are way down, not quite gone, but way down, and i have seen quite a bit of decrease in bubble algae.
If it continues to disppear at this rate, I should be bubble free in the near future.
Not sure which treatment to blame, but I think it was the phosphate removal.
My phosphates are way down, not quite gone, but way down, and i have seen quite a bit of decrease in bubble algae.
If it continues to disppear at this rate, I should be bubble free in the near future.
Not sure which treatment to blame, but I think it was the phosphate removal.
It seems to me all your efforts beyond the emerald crabs were for a reduction in phosphates. So yes, I too think that may be what is helping - remember I'm a MOTO. Ha ha.
In my 29 I noticed I have it less after I added Hermin (Melissa and Dan's monster hermit crab. He nearly eradicated it and in the process turned over nearly every rock and coral every day. So I was anxious to return him to his owners and then within a week the bubbles started to return. However, they appear to have reemerged, peaked, and now appear to be waneing somewhat. I'm not doing anyting to reduce phosphates in this tank beyond when Hermin was in there when... back last fall? I am pondering creating my own phosphate rx after seeing some of Dan's ideas. Also I may get a phosphate pad and put it in the fluval now that I think of other ways to reduce phosphate.
Thanks Dan (shelbysdaddy)!
Ha ha. In my 29 I noticed I have it less after I added Hermin (Melissa and Dan's monster hermit crab. He nearly eradicated it and in the process turned over nearly every rock and coral every day. So I was anxious to return him to his owners and then within a week the bubbles started to return. However, they appear to have reemerged, peaked, and now appear to be waneing somewhat. I'm not doing anyting to reduce phosphates in this tank beyond when Hermin was in there when... back last fall? I am pondering creating my own phosphate rx after seeing some of Dan's ideas. Also I may get a phosphate pad and put it in the fluval now that I think of other ways to reduce phosphate.
Thanks Dan (shelbysdaddy)!
