What Is This?

Hi,

Recently my tank has started to become overun with this purple like stuff, Its sort of like algae and a bit a like a coral, it has spiky arms and it is a greeny purple colour.

I have added a picture, so you can get an idea of what it looks like it grown only on the plants and looks hideous in the tank.

Thanks Jakester.

In the pic the algae stuff is the grass like thing coming off the edge of the leaves.

thats hair algae, i had a problem with that in my tank. a few ottos should take care of your problem.

AFAIK otos don't eat hair algae, at least mine don't anyway, amano shrimp are great algae eaters, I had a small breakout of hair algae, bumped up the number of amano shrimp I had from 5 to 10 and voila, no more hair algae, at least not that I can see anyway

That looks more like Black brush algae rather than hair algae. Ottos will not touch any hair/brush algae types but true Siamese Algae eaters can and Japonica shrimps can.

However, in my experience, doing quick regular water changes (20-25% every other day) for about a week and reducing the lighting period gets rid of it pretty quickly. Basically, this occurs doe to excess macro nutrients like Phosphates and Nitrates even in low light and water changes ensure that these excess nutrients are removed or reduced and it starts to suffer. I wont fo into too much detail but have you tested your water for Nitrates?

Nim

You said it's only growing on the plants?
That would indicate to me that the plants are being targetted because they aren't being given everything they need.
Going to need some info.
Size tank?
Lighting?
Co2?
What fertilisers do you dose?
Current stocking of plants and fish?
Water changes?

There is alot of algae in the tank but this is more like a creature and has tentacles, the pic isn't clear. But a while back I found a large single strand, I think that whatever they are they can eat fish and get quite large.

Thanks for your replys

Tank details

50 litres
Nutrafin Co2 kit
36 watt T5 Light
Tetra Plantamin (regular dosing)
water changes fortnightly

Fish:
12 Cardinal Tetras
2 Amano shrimp
1 Otto
1 Golden Gourami
1 Pineapple Swordtail

Something with Tenticles sounds more like Hydra in freshwater but I doubt it could get large enough to eat fish. The pic however does look like black beard/brush algae unless you can get a closer pic of the strands? or use a lense to make sure what it is.
But since you have the likes of Golden Gourami, there is little chance that Hydra might survive a gourami so we will really need to see detailed pics unless someone here know what else could it be?

Freshwater Aiptasia lol

Nim

I have just googled Hydra, and it doesn't look much like it, its more of a purple colour, although its not alot like hair algae ( as I have that aswell lol) or black brush. Maybe staghorn perhaps?

I have just looked up staghorn algae its more or less identical to the stuff in my tank.

Thanks Jakester

Nim said:

Basically, this occurs doe to excess macro nutrients like Phosphates and Nitrates even in low light and water changes ensure that these excess nutrients are removed or reduced and it starts to suffer. I wont fo into too much detail but have you tested your water for Nitrates?

Nim

Click to expand...

Sorry, but I disagree with this statement entirely. The nutrients you mention will feed algae, along with all the other nutrients that are necessary in a planted tank. Have a read of the EI sticky at the top of this forum, which consists of running nutrients to excess in a planted tank, with nigh on zero algae.

You may be mixing up what causes algae with what feeds algae.

IMO, you have a case of staghorn algae. This could well be due to CO2 related problems, be it CO2 acting as a limiting nutrient, or fluctuating levels.

Dave.

Dave Spencer said:

Nim said:

Basically, this occurs doe to excess macro nutrients like Phosphates and Nitrates even in low light and water changes ensure that these excess nutrients are removed or reduced and it starts to suffer. I wont fo into too much detail but have you tested your water for Nitrates?

Nim

Click to expand...

Sorry, but I disagree with this statement entirely. The nutrients you mention will feed algae, along with all the other nutrients that are necessary in a planted tank. Have a read of the EI sticky at the top of this forum, which consists of running nutrients to excess in a planted tank, with nigh on zero algae.

You may be mixing up what causes algae with what feeds algae.

IMO, you have a case of staghorn algae. This could well be due to CO2 related problems, be it CO2 acting as a limiting nutrient, or fluctuating levels.

Dave.

Click to expand...

Dave,

I would not agree to it myself if the EI method was used. CO2 will be the limiting nutrient where it is not artificially injected into the tank and so taking nutrients to excess will be of no use. I have not read too much in details about EI and I will someday but if one already has a limiting nutrient then the best they can do is to try to reduce the nutrient that are in excess rather then keep them and others in excess that will feed plants and algae both alike. I should have mentioned an imbalance of nutrients instead of "Excess".

Nim

Thanks very much for your replys. Last week I decided to clean the Co2 ladder as I had not done so for a while. Since then the bubbles have not been moving up the ladder or staying in it. So yesterday I took it out again and gave it another clean but the problem continues. The tube is in the right place however the bubbles still just rebound off the first bubble stuck in the first rung and rise straight to the surface. So obviously this has made the Co2 level drop significantly, therefore causing algae.

Jakester

jakester said:

Thanks very much for your replys. Last week I decided to clean the Co2 ladder as I had not done so for a while. Since then the bubbles have not been moving up the ladder or staying in it. So yesterday I took it out again and gave it another clean but the problem continues. The tube is in the right place however the bubbles still just rebound off the first bubble stuck in the first rung and rise straight to the surface. So obviously this has made the Co2 level drop significantly, therefore causing algae.

Jakester

Click to expand...

That probably would explain it all. I dont know how the ladder works as I have always used diffusors so it might be worth considering getting a proper diffusor that ensures CO2 is dissolved. Alternatively, if your CO2 system is pressurized or not one of the yeast method one then you could move the CO2 airline into the intake of a canister as I found this works almost as good as any diffusor with no wastage at all.

Once you have your CO2 sorted, it would be best to remove the algae physically as much as possible (if leaves are heavily laden then the leaf itself should be removed) and the plants should take case of it from there on. Once the pants start to grow well, the algae will start to get restricted. But the CO2 issue must be sorted out first.

I am sure someone will come up with a better idea but this was till my scope

Nim
ps: Regarding my previous post, I did not know you had CO2 running

Hi, filtering my tank I have an interpet mini internal powerfilter. I have just put the co2 choobing into the inlet through the media box and up to the outlet there are tiny bubbles now coming out the outlet. Is this method efficient for the diffusing the Co2 or does it not work in and internal filter?

Nim said:

ps: Regarding my previous post, I did not know you had CO2 running

Click to expand...

Nor did I.

Staghorn, like BBA, can be closely associated with CO2 problems.

Jakester, using undiffused bubbles in your filter may eventually take their toll on your pump impeller. Using a ceramic diffuser with the bubbles blown around the tank by the filter discharge is the best method for you. Personally, I don`t like to see all the bubbles, so I diffuse it in the intake of my filter on one of my tanks.

The key to CO2 is to make it non limiting, and stable. These are more difficult to achieve using DIY CO2.

Try dosing Flourish Excel. Normal dosing should take care of any persistent staghorn algae for you.

Dave.