Designer bubble algae!?!?

Salty.Reefer · Jan 29, 2017

i have been watching this grow on my rock for the past couple weeks. I do have standard bubble algae that I believe I'm winning the war on but this is something totally different! It looks like it grows and has a similar form to bubble algae but at a slower rate. It is only in this spot too and dose. It seem to be spreading. Has anyone else seen bubble algae like this if that is even what it is!? I kinda like the look of it! The white and organge is really bright.

cloak · Jan 29, 2017

Check this out.

http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2087

Salty.Reefer · Jan 29, 2017

cloak said:
Check this out.

http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2087

Interesting. Thanks! Seems to describe it well but the pictures and on google images are just off. This is really purple. You may be right though. I was considering removing them as the article perscribed.

gar732 · Jan 29, 2017

I have a large cluster of it in my tank, I thought it looked cool so I left it alone. As you've said it does grow pretty slow so getting rid of it if need be won't be a problem. I am seeing it popping up in other places but again, I'm not worried since it grow so slowly. It does seem sensitive to water conditions same as corals would be. I had a swing that effected many of my corals and this algae was effected as well. Now that things are back on track it's looking better. It has a kind of lite pink iridescence on top where it gets the most light and also those orange spots through out. Pretty cool IMO.

Salty.Reefer · Jan 29, 2017

gar732 said:
I have a large cluster of it in my tank, I thought it looked cool so I left it alone. As you've said it does grow pretty slow so getting rid of it if need be won't be a problem. I am seeing it popping up in other places but again, I'm not worried since it grow so slowly. It does seem sensitive to water conditions same as corals would be. I had a swing that effected many of my corals and this algae was effected as well. Now that things are back on track it's looking better. It has a kind of lite pink iridescence on top where it gets the most light and also those orange spots through out. Pretty cool IMO.

Thanks! That's pretty cool. You have pictures?

Tahoe61 · Jan 29, 2017

Botryocladia skottsbergii.

gar732 · Jan 29, 2017

Sorry no pics, I'd have to try and get some. That article says there are 48 different species of that genus so maybe I have one that is less invasive. I've had it in my system for at least a year or more and I can get rid of it in less than 5min. The algae they are describing sounds more like the green bubble algae.