Red/Pink hair algae?

Perhaps more like this?

red-wig-rob1.jpg
 
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No offense but someone is downloading some strange pictures in there spare time. But Molly Miller blennies eat that stuff. I had it on some rock i got from the gulf and the rock had 3 molly miller blennies in it. 1 didn't make it but the other two ate that red algae untill it was gone then learned to eat mysis and brine and evrything else i feed my tank, including trying my finger. (Little bastards)
 
Also, I forgot, a friend of mine got some of my live rock and it started growing it back as well as Green hair algae. He said the lawnmower blenny he got likes the red stuff and eats it instead of the green. Just a thought.
 
I've got this stuff too. Small patch on a new frag base. Pulled it off, but clearly this stuff needs nothing but the tiniest bit to survive. I spend a LOT of time pulling out balls of this stuff but that breaks off small fragments and it shows up elsewhere... Blah.

My phosphates and nitrates are undetectable.

Any ideas yet on identification and further ideas of what eats the stuff.

I'm off to google "molly miller blenny."

Steve
 
Yeah I have no idea what a molly miller blenny.

Now if you would have said a Anelina Jolie blenny or Jennifer Aniston blenny I would have known what you were talking about
 
Cliff, I have this in multiple systems with all different lighting. T-5s, HQIs, MHs. And I did go buy a lawnmower and a sea hare and neither like the stuff. Can anyone help?

Thanks
 
I have some small starfish (not brittle stars) and I think they MIGHT be eating the stuff, but it's hard to tell.

I agree, it would be great if we could find out if something eats this stuff.

steve
 
Unfortunately, my lawnmower blenny has been unsuccessful with the red cotton algae as well. Tomorrow, i will bite the bullet and resort to all hands on rockwork. Nothing too drastic, just a little manual removal. Hope i dont make matters worse.
 
Just turn off all your pumps! I've found that each time I do a harvest it spreads as small bits of it catch elsewhere in the tank and away it goes...

Good luck.

Steve
 
Do you have other, stronger macros growing in your fuge/sump? I had some of this carpet stuff before my fuge grew outta control.

I found that it quickly went away when I made conditions right for the macro in the sump.

I was kinda bummed 'cause I had it in my planted seahorse tank and it looked cool! My tangs must have controlled it the other tanks. It turns out to be one of the more delicate algaes in my system.
 
My tangs like to chomp on it and then spit it out so it can be spread throughout the tank. They clearly don't eat it, for if a small bit is in the water column, they'll mouth it, but then spit it out.

This stuff gets caught on the several macro algaes I have growing in the DT (and fuge) and it grows on the macros too. My phosphates and nitrates are undetectable (Salifert) The stuff isn't out of control, but I fear that's a "yet" statement, for it is spreading, including on the rocks at the base of thick acros where trying to get at it to remove it is all but impossible -- yes, I've used tweezers.

I even removed a couple of rocks from the tank last week to scrub the patches of the algae, but I notice today the stuff is growing back evev where I had been scrubbing. Bottom line is that most of my rock is not removable given the stony coral growth in the tank -- even the two rocks I removed had across attached.

Ah, I guess I just add algae farmer to my list of tasks each week :)
 
Seahorsewisprer said:
Do you have other, stronger macros growing in your fuge/sump? I had some of this carpet stuff before my fuge grew outta control.

I found that it quickly went away when I made conditions right for the macro in the sump.

I was kinda bummed 'cause I had it in my planted seahorse tank and it looked cool! My tangs must have controlled it the other tanks. It turns out to be one of the more delicate algaes in my system.
Click to expand...


Interesting thought. I'm going to thin my fuge tonight.
 
Ssheipel, this is going to sound really crazy and I was born blonde, so it's just something to think about, ok?

Some of the stronger macros grow much better with some level of the basic algae requirements: NO3,PO4, FE. If one is lacking, they don't grow as well as they could. Granted, they do compete for available nutrients, when they become available, but if the available nutrition is sparse, they will grow slowly.

On the other hand, some nuisance algaes can "fix" elements better than the macros, even if one element is missing. I know when my NO3 is low, and my PO4 is up, cyano will bloom. When I fix it right for the macros and plants, the cyano is gone within a day.

OK, here's the crazy part: Some greenage growers actually add NO3, PO4 and FE! I don't add no stinkin' PO4, I just give my fish a fiesta when the PO4 gets low. But, I do add NO3 rarely, and FE frequently.

Just something to consider. You are at the crazy talk forum!
 
Suzy, that makes a great deal of sense, but I'm not about to add phosphate or nitrate to my tank either (e.g. fertilize my algae) -- and they are low, precisely because of the algae growths -- I don't use any nitrate or phosphate "sponges" or media. I also very heavily feed my tank. I will feed more though -- my fish will love your idea :)

Rainchief -- my red fuzzy algae LOVES flow -- grows very happily in the flow path of my Tunze -- which is yet another way it breaks loose and gets spread.

Oh and it grows direcly under the MH lights AND also in the deep shade under rocks.

I fear it's not algae but the spawn of the devil :)

steve
 
I have it, only in 3 spots in my fuge where there is some high water flow.

I have been removing it with a turkey baister
looks like Red cotton
 
Hmmm, mechanical filtration is one idea.....

Adding NO3 is a relatively new idea, so new that Kent doesn't even have a SW product yet! I think they will soon, though. Those guys are the king o' marketing! I'll bet we'll have to do some detective work to find out when they do! They will come up with a radical name to make us think it's something cooler than NO3!

You should wait 'till one of the big wigs recommends it!

I still wish I could have it back....it was just like a carpet for my planted tank, added color..

Good luck!
 
It's actually beautiful, yes. That's the reason when I bought a coral on a LARGE rock and spotted the algae I didn't eradicate it -- how bad can it be I thought, as I have several macros in the tank.

But not it's a RPITA to harvest and it's only getting worse a task as the it spreads.

And very funny re: Kent not even having the additive yet :)

steve
 
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