# Algae Id



## Hamza (27 Apr 2014)

Hi,

This is the first time I am encountering this algae in my tanks.
I skimmed through a couple of algae databases and couldnt find it there.

This is a very soft kind of algae that attache on a small point and sways with the flow. Its seem something close to cyanobacteria.







Any help on identifying and eradicating it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

P.S. As per forum rules, here are the details..
Tank specifications - 70x40x40cm(110l nominal) - with present extensive hardscape(60-80l roughly)
Lighting - PLL+T5(86w total) - Daily photoperiod : 8hours
CO2 - Pressurised 1.3bps for 24x7
Filtration - Home made canister/1200lph media capacity of 13liters
Fertilisation routine - EI rated for upto 20g tank
Plants - predominantly HC cuba, HM, mosses n ferns
Water changes 50-70% weekly


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## macek.g (27 Apr 2014)

maybe desmid?


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## Vivian Andrew (28 Apr 2014)

Hi Hamza,

Check the below link, you might get some Information

http://www.aquariumplants.com/Articles.asp?ID=111


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## Humbert (28 Apr 2014)

Hi
pls check this resource out in case you haven't seen it yet - but your algae also does not appear there
http://aquariumalgae.blogspot.ro/

I've also never encountered the algae in the picture and indeed the closest think to it is cyanobacteria, although cyano is sort of a slime, whereas in your picture it looks like the piece is holding together (not a slime); and also cyano is of a darker colour than your algae.

to be honest, the picture reminds me of a marine algae, not a freshwater one.
are you sure it is an algae and not some sort of "plant" that could have hitchhiked its way into your aquarium?

anyway, in case it is cyano, pls note that I have had very good results in killing it on several occasions with human antibiotics, more precisely erithromicine;
the cyano dies in a couple of days, no adverse effects on the tank, but pls do a massive water change afterwards to eliminate the dead algae, otherwise you will have an ammonia spike which could lead to other issues; dosage I've used is about 200mg of erithromicine per 10 gallons of water.


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## Mr. Teapot (28 Apr 2014)

Agree it does look incredibly like a saltwater macro algae, but perhaps it could it be a small dislodged sheet of BGA or GDA? The only other suggestion is it could be a liverwort of some description

I don't want to go off topic, but is antibiotic use in our tanks fair on the rest of us?


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## macek.g (28 Apr 2014)

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/micrasterias-laticeps-how-to-fight-it.29733/


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## macek.g (28 Apr 2014)




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## dw1305 (28 Apr 2014)

Hi all,
From the pearling picture it looks like a green alga with very fine filaments, it isn't BGA. It may be a _Oedogonium sp., _although they tend to be brownish (they develop an oxidised iron coating on the filaments). <http://www.micrographia.com/specbiol/alg/filamen/fila0200.htm> 

cheers Darrel


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## Hamza (28 Apr 2014)

I have already been through quite a few algae databases online and couldnt find it there.

@Humbert and @Mr. Teapot ..Could you tell me the name of marine macro algae it resembles?
It certainly isnt dislodged BGA/Dust algae. As I carry out extensive maintenance of this tank every week, clean the glass, brush off all the hardscape along with water change. After water change when I siphon it out, there remains no bits of this algae, then it starts reappearing again in new locations within 2 days, but very little, hardly 12-15 bits pop up randomly. Somehow its under control till now, but still I would very much like to eradicate it.

It definitely isnt a livewort either, its fairly soft brittle yet with a defined structure of maybe I can say a cloth, even though it sways even in the highest water movement zones, but easily breaks off when I try to pick it with forceps.


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## dw1305 (28 Apr 2014)

Hi all,





Hamza said:


> name of marine macro algae it resembles?


_Ulva lactuca.
_
cheers Darrel


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## Mr. Teapot (28 Apr 2014)

Hamza said:


> Could you tell me the name of marine macro algae it resembles?



Without doubt, not a marine algae. As far as I know, they all die within a very sort time when exposed to freshwater… the look of it only.

- Just seen Darrel's reply above!


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## Humbert (28 Apr 2014)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,_Ulva lactuca.
> _
> cheers Darrel


I had no idea of the name of the marine algae I was mentioning, but now I know thanks to Darrel )

@Hamza: of course, chances that it actually is Ulva lactuca are very very slim - in that case, I would be very curious as to how that got into your tank )


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## Mr. Teapot (28 Apr 2014)

Wow, just read on Dr. Google… some marine algae can live in areas of freshwater (obvious caveat of don't believe everything you read on the interpipes). It would be amazing if it turns out you have seaweed in your tank!


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## dw1305 (28 Apr 2014)

Hi all, 





Mr. Teapot said:


> Wow, just read on Dr. Google… some marine algae can live in areas of freshwater (obvious caveat of don't believe everything you read on the interpipes). It would be amazing if it turns out you have seaweed in your tank!


 I've just found it that there are some green freshwater thalloid algae very similar to both_ Ulva _and the first image. This is a UK native one, <_Monostroma bullosum_>.

The later pictures seem to show a filamentous green algae.

cheers Darrel


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## Mr. Teapot (28 Apr 2014)

I think Hamza needs to grow some in a jar and see what it turns into!


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## Humbert (28 Apr 2014)

very interesting stuff is going on here 
Hamza, is there any chance you can have the algae identified by a properly trained biologist?
it would be quite interesting if it would turn out that it is indeed a seawater weed


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## Mr. Teapot (29 Apr 2014)

Hi everyone, had a few extra minutes to do some google research on seaweeds in freshwater. Quite a few species grow in freshwater as well as marine environments. Here's a couple of pictures of _Ulva flexuosa - _British native seaweed in the upper reaches of the Thames.


 


No more 'Googling' today as I have to at least get some work done! Found it all really interesting as before yesterday I wouldn't have believed seaweed would live in freshwater.


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