Dark red coralline algae

saltgogi

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I recently started noticing this dark red algae on my frag plugs. It doesnt blow off with turkey baster and only a little comes off when i scratch with my nail. Is this coralline algae or something else?

7FC18EA3-BC41-40F9-8592-F8CE5E5DC51C.jpeg 6A6FB0A6-FDA1-478E-BF86-BB1900A4233F.jpeg
 
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saltgogi

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Cyano isnt it?
Thats what i thought at first too but I read that cyano is more flimsy and blows off with turkey baster. This one doesnt. I did order some chemiclean though to see if it helps
 

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I have a maroon coraline, it dominates the other colors. It does look like what I have. If it flakes off, it’s probably coraline. It might be a red turf algae, that would feel more soft than coraline. Is it anywhere else in your tank or just on that plug?
 
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saltgogi

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I have a maroon coraline, it dominates the other colors. It does look like what I have. If it flakes off, it’s probably coraline. It might be a red turf algae, that would feel more soft than coraline. Is it anywhere else in your tank or just on that plug?
On a few frag plugs. Yeah its soft so you might be right.
 

Kclizzy

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my tank has been filled with this stuff for years(2+) tbh i have regular coralline algae that outcompetes it and and will straight grow on top of the deeper maroon "coralline" algae. i am not a professional but i did put every color algae seed i could find from "coralline in a bottle" the purple helix and the pink fusion. So I always assumed this was the "pink fusion" lol

either way the stuff hasn't messed with any of my corals or parameters so i think it's safe
(that was probably an ignorant statement)

I prolly have a 50/50 split this algae and regular coralline algae
 
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vetteguy53081

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Looks like Lobophora which is semi rigid but slippery macro algae. Often confused with plating coralline, the slippery rubbery feel is a give away. It is somewhat difficult to remove. Placing the rock in an extended dark cycle is the best way such as sump area to get this stuff to subside. Fortunately it doesn't spread from rock to rock too fast. A chisel or a flexible knife like a putty blade works, but you got to get it all off.
Cleaner crew such as Emerald Crabs (best bet here), Chitons, Limpets, and Urchins will help pick at it, but it is likely to resist, but at least it will be controlled the cleaners.
 

Kclizzy

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Looks like Lobophora which is semi rigid but slippery macro algae. Often confused with plating coralline, the slippery rubbery feel is a give away. It is somewhat difficult to remove. Placing the rock in an extended dark cycle is the best way such as sump area to get this stuff to subside. Fortunately it doesn't spread from rock to rock too fast. A chisel or a flexible knife like a putty blade works, but you got to get it all off.
Cleaner crew such as Emerald Crabs (best bet here), Chitons, Limpets, and Urchins will help pick at it, but it is likely to resist, but at least it will be controlled the cleaners.
can you put a pic of what you think it looks like none of googles pics for lobophora look anything like the smooth algae we have lobo looks to grow like a variety of mushroom or yeah i guess like a plating coralline my regular coraline will plate over this algae it seems to be 2 dimensional
 
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saltgogi

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I can get the zoas off the plugs and onto new plugs but the sps that are encrusting... maybe i'll use razor blade to get as much off it and repeat until the sps encrust the plug and the algae has no room for growth?
 

vetteguy53081

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can you put a pic of what you think it looks like none of googles pics for lobophora look anything like the smooth algae we have lobo looks to grow like a variety of mushroom or yeah i guess like a plating coralline my regular coraline will plate over this algae it seems to be 2 dimensional
Now that you further describe what you have, it sounds more like encrusting coraline (see pic below)
When selecting a species of coralline you like and want to spread throughout the aquarium it is important to notice the growth rate of the coralline. Generally speaking, fast growing coralline species are encrusting, rather than plating or branching species. Even though your rock will likely be covered in encrusting coralline before branching and plating forms show significant growth, the good news is that branching and plating types of coralline are better at resisting epiphytes than encrusting forms, and are unlikely to be choked by the encrusting coralline that will otherwise dominate the aquarium. So even if everything in the tank is now covered in encrusting coralline, you can still add plating and branching forms that will grow over encrusting algae, and are at low risk of succumbing to the encrusting coralline.

1618766047459.png
 

Kclizzy

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Now that you further describe what you have, it sounds more like encrusting coraline (see pic below)
When selecting a species of coralline you like and want to spread throughout the aquarium it is important to notice the growth rate of the coralline. Generally speaking, fast growing coralline species are encrusting, rather than plating or branching species. Even though your rock will likely be covered in encrusting coralline before branching and plating forms show significant growth, the good news is that branching and plating types of coralline are better at resisting epiphytes than encrusting forms, and are unlikely to be choked by the encrusting coralline that will otherwise dominate the aquarium. So even if everything in the tank is now covered in encrusting coralline, you can still add plating and branching forms that will grow over encrusting algae, and are at low risk of succumbing to the encrusting coralline.

1618766047459.png
Thank you so much! yeah I figured there was somewhat of a disconnect in language. I got a lil frightened thinking it could be something unwanted lol. like i said I'm in no way an algae expert i've dealt with it forever but the actual species... right over my head. that picture looks spot on for what i have and what i think OP has developing as well
 
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saltgogi

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Now that you further describe what you have, it sounds more like encrusting coraline (see pic below)
When selecting a species of coralline you like and want to spread throughout the aquarium it is important to notice the growth rate of the coralline. Generally speaking, fast growing coralline species are encrusting, rather than plating or branching species. Even though your rock will likely be covered in encrusting coralline before branching and plating forms show significant growth, the good news is that branching and plating types of coralline are better at resisting epiphytes than encrusting forms, and are unlikely to be choked by the encrusting coralline that will otherwise dominate the aquarium. So even if everything in the tank is now covered in encrusting coralline, you can still add plating and branching forms that will grow over encrusting algae, and are at low risk of succumbing to the encrusting coralline.

1618766047459.png
Will sps encrust over this? And will zoas grow over it as well? I kind of like the way it looks but at the same time if it takes over the tank... i dont think i'd like it as much...
 

vetteguy53081

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Will sps encrust over this? And will zoas grow over it as well? I kind of like the way it looks but at the same time if it takes over the tank... i dont think i'd like it as much...
SPS MAY and coraline will
 

fersann

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I have the same algae, and it is disappearing now that i am using vibrant.

I thought it was coralline algae until it started to fade away.
 
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