Valona, aka bubble algae

[sfsuphysics]

Just wanted to keep the rare thread as much ontopic as possible, comments are fine, but need to curtail discussions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9097346#post9097346 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nova67
what is the best way to get rid of it

The offensive material

With this amount, there are three things I would do, either
1) try to remove the rock, then try to pry them off one at a time, they're fairly strong little shells that they have

or if removing the rock isn't possible

2) Try to pull them off one at a time, taking care not to pop, some of the more wedged in ones might be a bit difficult, so I would suggest getting a syringe or baster of some sort and pop the bubble whlie sucking the juices out then remove the skin. Then deal with the other outbreaks as they happen.

or

3) leave those in the cracks alone, they won't harm anything

 

[lovethereefer]

try a scribbled rabbitfish they are notorious for eating valonia

 

[DarkXerox]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9098042#post9098042 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lovethereefer
try a scribbled rabbitfish they are notorious for eating valonia

See now I don't understand why popping them is bad, when the rabbitfish do the same when they eat the valonia? Is it just that they keep foraging in the tank so that you don't see the valonia anymore?

 

[tuberider]

I have a huge emerald crab that does a number on that stuff.

 

[MrMikeB]

I am with tuberider, I have the green emerald corps who have continuously canvas the tank looking for these buggers. I literally have placed rocks in the tank with a couple just to find them gone the next morning, and have not seen a recurrence since.

 

[josh holt]

tuberider and mrmikeb how many emrald crabs do you have? my tank is 125 gal. i put two in there a few months ago and they eat everything but the valonia. the rocks in my tank that have the most i have taken out previously and completly dried them out and it still came back.

 

[MrMikeB]

Well I love inverts, so I am not suggesting my qty is the norm, but I have over 20 emeralds in a 150 gallon setup, with another 10 ruby crabs, another 8 sally lightfoot, and about 100 hermits of different sizes and types (all of this in addition to the snail collection). I actually have to feed them every couple of days but the rocks are brilliantly clean.

 

[Sparkss]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9098283#post9098283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarkXerox
See now I don't understand why popping them is bad, when the rabbitfish do the same when they eat the valonia? Is it just that they keep foraging in the tank so that you don't see the valonia anymore?

That is what I heard. They actually usually prefer the smaller ones anyways, so as soon as the sprout from the released spores the fish (or crabs) eat it up.

As for a Scribbled Rabbitfish.. didn't they also tend to like to eat zoas ?

 

[sfsuphysics]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9098283#post9098283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarkXerox
See now I don't understand why popping them is bad, when the rabbitfish do the same when they eat the valonia? Is it just that they keep foraging in the tank so that you don't see the valonia anymore?

An article I read suggested that there is a maturity point for valonia where before that time it's not "infectious" as far as spores. So it could be that one was popped, then those spores went about, and after that the new ones were gobbled up before they had a chance to pop.

 

[dots]

Good theory and probably explains why when I have never seen the plague that is eluded too if you do. I scratch it out ASAP, and havn't had a real problem with it. The only time I have is when it goes unnoticed and a colony thrives.

I have had numerous Emeralds and never did I see a one eating it, so it may not be the prefered food and may eat it only if all other sources are exhausted.

 

[prodman]

I would remove as many as you can pop the rest and employ a rabbitfish to keep it under control.

 

[tuberider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9099828#post9099828 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by josh holt
tuberider and mrmikeb how many emrald crabs do you have? my tank is 125 gal. i put two in there a few months ago and they eat everything but the valonia. the rocks in my tank that have the most i have taken out previously and completly dried them out and it still came back.

I have one in my 42g, but were talking about Karl here, he's like Barry Bonds on steroids.

 

[MrMikeB]

I must be starving my emeralds... they never leave much of anything algae like in the take. Getting a rock with a bit of macro is a well received treat for the little critters.

 

[Mike de Leon]

I also had a bad outbreak. I have removed most of the rocks that are infested and only left some with a few on them. I removed everything visible and actually washed some portions in running water to attempt to remove spores. Some of the base that the corals are on also have them. I scraped them off and washed the base in running hot water. I thought that I would lose some sps colonies as the hot water actually got on them them but luckily it looks like everything's ok. I would like to add something now to control any kind of growth. Since I am also keeping the tank fallow for three months the only choice I have are the Emeralds. I hear they get very big however.

Cheers!

 

[darcitananda]

wow, that's a lot of valonia. as someone mentioned, popping them just releases spores, so more grow. in the past i have successfully been able to remove them by allowing them to get big and just pulling them off the rock. once they are "mature" they are less tender and less likely to burst. i think problems with invasive algae are really due to insufficient nutrient export though. maybe you can try growing macros in your sump/refugium on a reverse daylight cycle?
also, i've had some success using kalkwasser paste after removing invasive algae. this seems to help prevent it from coming back in those spots, at least for a while.

 

[DarkXerox]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9100635#post9100635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dots
Good theory and probably explains why when I have never seen the plague that is eluded too if you do. I scratch it out ASAP, and havn't had a real problem with it. The only time I have is when it goes unnoticed and a colony thrives.

I have had numerous Emeralds and never did I see a one eating it, so it may not be the prefered food and may eat it only if all other sources are exhausted.

Yeah see this is what worries me about getting an emerald, because they always seem to decide one day that "oh that war coral looks tasty" or "mmmm purple monster, ill eat that". My peppermint shrimp did kind of the same deal in that he used to gobble up aiptasia, but now hes a fatass that just eats the shrimp intended for the fish.

While on the algae subject, can anyone shed light on the algae that I posted in this thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1031115

Think and emerald would chow down on that? I can't remove it manually because of how deep it grows into the LR and how coarse it is.

 

[sfsuphysics]

If I'm not mistaken that looks like the same turf used on PGA championship courses!

I wouldn't plan on any crabs chewing on it, I've use tweasers to reach into crevaces to pull out as much as possible. Don't know how that'll work there.

 

[fingerwrinkles]

One thing that has worked for me in the past with Valonia is to remove them in conjuction with water changes. If the infestation isn't too bad, just use a short, bevel ended piece of rigid 1/4" ID airline tubing inserted into a comparably sized siphon hose. The beveled end helps to pluck them off the rock while the suction created by the hose removes any spores that are released when cleaning.

Of course if the infestation is really heavy, then the take the rock out and scrub it approach is more efficient.

 

[josh holt]

well i added four more emrald crabs today. i guess now just wait and see. i may scrape the rock clean and then the crabs can get to them when they are small.