Lobophora variegata - brown wafer algae

[jjz_13]

This stuff is slowly spreading across the rocks in my tank. It took me a long time to figure out what it was, but I finally found it on wetwebmedia. Has anyone had any experience with this and how to take care of it?

Guys at wetwebmedia mention to just pull it out via tongs and tweezers, but everyone seems to agree that this doesn't really solve the problem. It just comes back. I've also read that a Naso Tang will sometimes take care of it or a foxface (Siganus Virgatus).

My nitrates and phosphates are both at zero. I don't currently have a test kit for silicates, but I'm not sure how I would have gotten silicates in my tank anyway.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks

 

[HBtank]

I went for the Virgatus.

It is munching on it now, seems to be it's favorite of my multiple bad algaes so far. Seems like I could peal it off if I wanted to, but have not bothered yet as it is now food

 

[jjz_13]

Thanks for the info, HBtank. How long have you had the foxface? Did he get in there and just start working on it or did it take some time?

I've never had any luck with predators attacking nuisances. Emerald crabs never touch the bubble algae. Peppermint shrimp never touch the aiptasia.

Anyone else have anything to add?

 

[Ooulophilia]

I had a tank with this in it, it was not a very big problem but sort of unsightly in my opinion. After throwing various fish/inverts at it I threw in a diadema urchin - he mowed it down. I pulled him after he had eaten it all as he was knocking stuff over - kind of a stop gap measure, but did the trick.

 

[jjz_13]

Thanks for that.. I'll check out the urchin also. I don't have too many prized corals yet, so that may be the way to go...

 

[HBtank]

Yeh I thought of an urchin after researching, even brought one home. And sat there and decided there really was no place for it to move around and took it back..lol Sounds perfect for you if you are not stocked yet.

Anyways, as for the rabbitfish, it has immediatly starting eating 3 nusiance algeas, and I expect it will finish up with my bubble algae. When i put it in the the tank I saw it sample every type of algae in the first hour, seeing what it liked best. It is in herbivoir heaven

 

[MCsaxmaster]

Herbivory will take care of it. It's a somewhat unpalatable algae, so many herbivores may not care for it. Rabbitfish usually work, as mentioned. Naso tangs will usually eat it, but they get huge so I wouldn't necessarily recommend a Naso sp. tang. Manual removal works too. Become your own herbivore. Hey, that should be a catch-phrase or something......something.

cj