Toxic algae ????

[rhynobar]

Hi there,

I was just curious if anyone has heard of or experienced 'toxic algae' in their systems which has killed algae eating inhabitants ?

I have a 70 gallon tank been running for over 18 months. All parameters are good.
Currently have clowns, chromis, peppermint shrimp various LPS corals all happy and healthy. Have been battling turf algae and of late GHA and a bit of green bubble algae.

About 2 months ago I lost a healthy looking lawn mower blenny, in the last month I have lost all my turbo snails ( all nassarius still healthy as they don't consume algae rather detritus) and the last couple of weeks I lost 2 foxface rabbit fish within 36 hours 1 week apart. No apparent marks or white spot was noted.

Any help or experience shared would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ryan.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Unlikely anything would eat an algae that is toxic to them.

Any pictures of what you call turf algae?

 

[rhynobar]

It's fairly bad .. am thinking of full tank break down .... [emoji21]

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I'd be asking why the algae in an 18 month old system?

 

[rhynobar]

It's a good question .. 1 that is above my skill level ... nitrates are close to 0 phosphates very low with hannah.
Dosing nopox and skimming wet. RODI for top up and NSW for changes.
Only feed half cube and alternate with pellets.

Any ideas ... actually tried up flow algae scrubber and could only produce red algae after 3 months.

Getting over it to be honest.

Appreciate your feedback

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Don't let it get you down, its just a hobbie, not a contest. Do the best you can & try to keep learning.
Many problems , & the cures are a mystery because information is so conflicting.
I can only relate my experience to you.

In regards to algae scrubbing; I had algae & cyano. It dissappeared for good after my downflow algae scrubber matured. I throw the algae off the screen into the water sometimes to feed the fish & no algae grows in the display other than coralline.
You had only red algae growing on your upflow?
What sort of red algae? Whatever it was, it was already in your tank to start with. But red algae is not normal on a scrubber screen.
The efficiency of the scrubber plays a big role in whether or not its effective. The light spectrum & intensity is everything.
The way I see it,my scrubber just provided an optimum environment for algae to grow in & it out competed the display algae.

A scrubbers not the only answer. Many people run great system without algae filtration & apparently have no algae issues.

There a cures to get rid of algae. I'm no expert at all on this because I got rid of the problem with a scrubber. But I would be tackling the algae issue first & then see how you tank goes from there.

My scrubber screen

 

[rhynobar]

Hey mate,

Appreciate the words of encouragement .. I get frustrated when livestock die .. your tank looks AWESOME by the way. Think am gonna start again ... wife just gave green light for a second BIGGER tank, so can house current livestock and clean up old tank .... [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Take it easy ay
Ry.

 

[fish farmer]

What kind of lights are you running over this tank?

Were there any major changes to your tank maintenance, feeding more, etc when the algae starting showing up?

 

[rhynobar]

T5.. tubes changed out 4 months ago
I had a anemone commit suicide in a power head about same time ago .. 4 months... got most of him out ?

Thanks for reply
Ryan

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You appear to have calurpas and bryopsis as well as common gha. The brown stuff or suspect.But no. No harsh poisoning algaes.
However that may be distasteful to snails so may have starved.
Rabbit fish in the wild eat a toxin filled algae to deter preadators and fils who eat them get a mild buzz as it’s a psychotropic.

Calurpas do have a mild something to deter other algal growths like corals will do.

Bryopsis is pretty impossible to control with nutrient reductions.

I’d honestly use reflux hd fluconazole and zap that stuff.

Somthing in your setup isn’t working. Personally is stop the nopox if your nutrients are low.

Grab a diverse new cuc. Mostly herbivores. Turbos turbans etc.

 

[Dr. Reef]

Dinos are also miss id as algae and is toxic. CUC will try to consume it and will die over time.

 

[rhynobar]

Hey salty ,

Thanks for all the info mate.
Will look into all of that.

Would you hazard a guess as to why both rabbit fish did not last more than 48 hours .

I bought a clown fish at the same time and he his healthy and happy.

Thanks again.
Ry.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hey salty ,

Thanks for all the info mate.
Will look into all of that.

Would you hazard a guess as to why both rabbit fish did not last more than 48 hours .

I bought a clown fish at the same time and he his healthy and happy.

Thanks again.
Ry.

No that’s an odd one. And yea I’ve had mystery death like that.
Somtimes it’s salinity issues , somtimes acclimation tonthebsystem. Once I had one that passed and I’m pretty sure it’s becuse the fish was in the copper wall of the lfs and possibly passed in my system cuz it couldn’t handle the bacteria and normal funk

 

[lapin]

Toxic algae? Maybe. I have an issue with tux unchins. I have had 3 die all from different vendors. Various sizes. Each was purchased a month apart. They last about 2 or 3 days. Scrub the rock for a day or 2 then poof ... dead. I have a pencil thats just fine. All varieties of snails are fine. Lawmower is fine. Emerald crabs are fine too. Its a mystery to me.

 

[rhynobar]

I was told the last foxface I put in .. they were running low copper.
I thought all lfs did that.

Thanks heaps for the info...Legends [emoji106]

I must say this is one of the better forums.

Will be researching fluconazole.
Not sure where to get it in Oz.

You've all rekindled my love of this hobby.
[emoji16]

Cheers.
Ry.

 

[brandon429]

removed

 

[rhynobar]

Erm.... thanks Brandon.

So i just saw what Fluconazole is also used for ???? Ha ha looks like wife is off to the chemist (drug store).

So do I just make sure is 100% pure Fluconazole ??

Thanks
Ry.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

So i just saw what Fluconazole is also used for ???? Ha ha looks like wife is off to the chemist
Ry.

What ???

Can't you get it at Bunnings ?

 

[rhynobar]

Oh really . They sell at bunnings ?
What's it sold as

 

[rhynobar]

I see you are a fellow Aussie ... is this an Aussie forum
Where ya from ..I'm sydney