Pearling or possibly Dinos of some sort?

Northwest_Scapes_

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,293
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
For the past 2 ish weeks I've noticed a heavy amount of bubbles coming from all my Macros (and some bubbles on some bits of hair algae). I know Macroalgae can Pearl just like Freshwater Plants but I'm not sure what it looks like exactly for Macros.
It's only on the Algaes in the Tank, although there are a few bubbles on the Gorgonian but im assuming it's from the Halymenia that's under it. None on the Sand or Rocks which is a good sign that it might not be Dinos but I thought I'd get a few other opinions.

Happy Macros or start of some sort of Dinos?
DSC04334.JPG
DSC04343.JPG
 
OP
OP
Northwest_Scapes_

Northwest_Scapes_

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,293
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My chaeto did that early on during high growth state. Lot of pearling.
Oh nice! I have noticed a big growth in quite a few of the Macros, I think you're right. I should've also said that if I tap the Algae, they do come off and float to the surface
 

AC1211

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
1,255
Reaction score
533
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
For the past 2 ish weeks I've noticed a heavy amount of bubbles coming from all my Macros (and some bubbles on some bits of hair algae). I know Macroalgae can Pearl just like Freshwater Plants but I'm not sure what it looks like exactly for Macros.
It's only on the Algaes in the Tank, although there are a few bubbles on the Gorgonian but im assuming it's from the Halymenia that's under it. None on the Sand or Rocks which is a good sign that it might not be Dinos but I thought I'd get a few other opinions.

Happy Macros or start of some sort of Dinos?
DSC04334.JPG
DSC04343.JPG
If it's not on the rocks or sand my guess is that this is positive. Any other way for air bubbles to get into the tank (like a pump taking in air or such)?
 
OP
OP
Northwest_Scapes_

Northwest_Scapes_

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,293
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My macros do the same!
Woah what! Hi Courtney! Didn't know you were on here too!
That solidifies my thought that it was pearling. Thanks everyone! I've never seen my Macros pearl this much, must be my extra dosing to bring the Red Grapes back up to color
 

Drewerd7

Dank Tank Club
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2022
Messages
64
Reaction score
94
Location
Oregon Coast
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My macros do the same!
So, "pearling" is that simply nitrogen gas or some sort of carbon gassing off and creating bubbles?!
I agree, when the macro is growing fast, especially caulerpa in my case, the ends of all the blades have plenty of pearly bubbles on the edges.
Thanks for any input.

PS: do you find pipefish especially difficult to keep? Or mostly just a stable macro tank with strict feeding of live brine shrimp?

Cheers to all you macro lovers!
 

Attachments

  • 20221116_230740.jpg
    20221116_230740.jpg
    137.7 KB · Views: 20

courtneykeeps

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 16, 2022
Messages
66
Reaction score
259
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So, "pearling" is that simply nitrogen gas or some sort of carbon gassing off and creating bubbles?!
I agree, when the macro is growing fast, especially caulerpa in my case, the ends of all the blades have plenty of pearly bubbles on the edges.
Thanks for any input.

PS: do you find pipefish especially difficult to keep? Or mostly just a stable macro tank with strict feeding of live brine shrimp?

Cheers to all you macro lovers!
The real reason for pearling is still being debated but the general consensus is that it's oxygen bubbles produced by the plant (macroalgae in this case) as a result of photosynthesis. Not entirely sure why it stays on the blades though.

Some suggest that it happens when the oxygen saturation of the water reaches its limit but I'm skeptical about that.

In terms of the pipes, I can only speak for my experience and my pipefish but apart from the frequency of feeding, they're one of the easiest fish I keep! I don't actually feed any live food. Any live food they get will be from hunting down pods in the tank. I feed them between 1 and 3 times a day (depending on how busy I am) and it's a mixture of frozen cubes that are cut into 3 and stored in a freezer bag. So whenever they get fed it's a pot luck draw! I just drop the cube in the water and let it dissolve slowly and the filter will push it around for them. The mixture has mysis, brine shrimp, copepods, 'marine nano mix', lobster eggs and some veggie mix for my inverts. These pipes will even go up near the surface for food, they give no trouble at all.

They also seem to be handling my super low 5.7-6.1 alkalinity (working on bringing it back up) and the male even regularly has eggs in his abdomen.

If you want to feed them frozen food I would suggest looking for pipes that are already eating frozen food in the shop. Get the shopkeeper to show you their eating response (pipes can eat round the clock).
 

Drewerd7

Dank Tank Club
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2022
Messages
64
Reaction score
94
Location
Oregon Coast
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The real reason for pearling is still being debated but the general consensus is that it's oxygen bubbles produced by the plant (macroalgae in this case) as a result of photosynthesis. Not entirely sure why it stays on the blades though.

Some suggest that it happens when the oxygen saturation of the water reaches its limit but I'm skeptical about that.

In terms of the pipes, I can only speak for my experience and my pipefish but apart from the frequency of feeding, they're one of the easiest fish I keep! I don't actually feed any live food. Any live food they get will be from hunting down pods in the tank. I feed them between 1 and 3 times a day (depending on how busy I am) and it's a mixture of frozen cubes that are cut into 3 and stored in a freezer bag. So whenever they get fed it's a pot luck draw! I just drop the cube in the water and let it dissolve slowly and the filter will push it around for them. The mixture has mysis, brine shrimp, copepods, 'marine nano mix', lobster eggs and some veggie mix for my inverts. These pipes will even go up near the surface for food, they give no trouble at all.

They also seem to be handling my super low 5.7-6.1 alkalinity (working on bringing it back up) and the male even regularly has eggs in his abdomen.

If you want to feed them frozen food I would suggest looking for pipes that are already eating frozen food in the shop. Get the shopkeeper to show you their eating response (pipes can eat round the clock).
Oh wow, that's very cool.
Yes, if that male is carrying eggs, they must be happy in there, carrying out their normal life-cycle processes.. no stress!
Frozen food has got to be the best we can feed our tanks outside of "live," especially how you are feeding the variety.
I appreciate your insight. Cheers
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

  • I regularly change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 36 23.5%
  • I occasionally change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 52 34.0%
  • I rarely change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 46 30.1%
  • I never change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 15 9.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 4 2.6%
Back
Top