'valonia is full of spores'

[rgasco1]

'valonia is full of spores' i was reading a thread on this earlier and a few people claimed that this was only a myth. They claimed that it is just a large single celled plant and that once popped it is through and will not spread. Is this a true statement. I really hope it is.

 

[TippyToeX]

Much has been said about the danger of liberating spores when popping the vesicles of bubble algae. This is particularly true for members of Order Valoniaceae, but even then, the vesicles are said to be a sporulant risk only when having reached at least a third of their full size. Even if spores escape when you botch the job of vesicle-removal ('vesectomy', anyone?), those escapee spores have to run the gauntlet of herbivorous filter feeders, filtration equipment, and the wild lottery of hitting a good, unoccupied spot to settle and grow. Those spores will eventually be released anyway if you don't remove the vesicles.

'Bubble' Algae: Selected Descriptions, Controls and Comments

 

[Sk8r]

Well, (tongue in cheek) if you pop the stuff you will find new growths, but you will also find new outbreaks if you don't. I'm sure it probably does, but I'm pretty cynically convinced there's already enough in the tank to make life miserable once the conditions are right for its growth, and it will just keep on until one convinces some critter to eat it. I don't think you can pick enough of it off without breaking the bubbles sooner or later, so there goes your test. (Seriously, I'm sure people with microscopes know the real answer, but practically speaking, I'm looking at one of the rabbit fish species that is known to eat it.

 

[rgasco1]

this is pretty much what i had thought. thanks for the information. I had one in my tank and took out the rock to remove it. hoope this was the only one but i doubt it.

 

[NeilPearson]

I've popped lots of them

 

[rgasco1]

did u notice an even bigger outbreak after popping them