How can I save this algae, too cool to loose

[slowhand383]

Okay, I got this open brain about a month and a half ago and started noticing little red "heart shaped" tabs growing out of the rock the brain sits on. It is some type of Scinaia (forgot exactly what species). As it grew incredibly fast it was obvious that it would inevitably over take the open brain. Now the time has finaly come to decide what to do? I have since added a red and green lobophilia and am not so attracted to the other brain, thus its absence wont upset me at all. Loosing the beutiful Scinaia will!! Is it possible to somehow frag this macroalgae, and if so how? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[DensityMan]

That is a beauty.

Is all of that algae coming from a single root-point? If so you could try to gently pry the algae off the rock at the root-point -OR_ better yet, just chip away the portion of the rock the algae is rooted to.

Hope that helps.

 

[billsreef]

I would opt for either moving the brain, or chipping a piece of the rock under the algae like DensityMan suggested. You might be able to just pop the holdfast off and crazy glue it somewhere, but that doesn't always work. Having the piece of rock that it's attached to can be epoxied and you'll be sure it'll stay put.

 

[bluenassarius]

i had a piece of that algae... its VERY delicate. needless to say after messing around with it for a bit, it's dead now and hasn't grown back. oh ya, don't bother trying to frag it for trade. it doesn't ship well and doesn't respond well to fragging.

 

[slowhand383]

Thanks for the help. Taking a peice of the rock is a good idea and probally the best way to go. When the algae first sprouted it was shaped like a heart, with the pointed tip attached to the rock. It seems like its growing off of the surface with no roots at all so I would think plucking it and setting it elsewhere would do no good. Too bad for the brain though its just gotta go.

 

[Phoneguy982]

Someone here at my job has a JBJ nano with a few pieces of that in the tank. Pieces break off rather easily. He also has slime algae in the tank so I assume it likes very nutrient rich water. I was thinking of taking a piece that fell off but not sure if I want to introduce algae to my tank.

 

[Moloch_0]

Assuming it is a decently fast grower you may be able to move it so that the algae is positioned close to another rock possibly allownig it to spread. After it spreads you can chip the original "colony" off with out having to worry about it getting damaged as there would be the new growth as backup. Just a thought.