Trouble growing plant frags of micro algae in display tank

[Ari’s reef surf]

Hey guys I had some questions regards to growing micro algae frags in my display tank!
For starters I have 36 gal tank
With 1 clownfish and 1 lawnmower blenny with regular snails and hermit crabs.
I recently added 3 different micro algae’s to the tank about a week ago. And it seems that I have critters munching on them faster than they can grow. I imagined it was the hermit crabs or snails at first but they were not as interested as my copepods. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with copepods eating plant frags that were alive and killing them. In one of the pictures with the red algae on the leftish you can see a copepod on it right now. Currently moved my two of my algae’s to my quarantine tank to see if they can even recover. Let me know what you guys think to tips or tricks

 

[jeffchapok]

Could be copepods I suppose. I haven't had any luck growing macro in my display tank, but I have 2 tangs and they totally destroy it.

I also think macroalgae needs a different lighting spectrum than what we typically use in our DTs. I grow tons of it in my refugium under a cheap grow light, then transfer a bit at a time to the DT, where it gets eaten within a day or two.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Welcome to R2R! The macro algae should be ok with You tank inhabitants. sometimes it takes a while to take off in a new environment.

 

[reddevilant]

The copepods won’t/can’t eat it I believe unless you have some amphipods. Definitely looks like there could be bite marks and it could be either fish as sometimes food, or nuisance algae, gets caught or grows on the macros. I’m pretty sure I saw one of my larger damsels almost cut some ogo piece in half because a piece of frozen brine shrimp was stuck on it lol

 

[Ari’s reef surf]

The copepods won’t/can’t eat it I believe unless you have some amphipods. Definitely looks like there could be bite marks and it could be either fish as sometimes food, or nuisance algae, gets caught or grows on the macros. I’m pretty sure I saw one of my larger damsels almost cut some ogo piece in half because a piece of frozen brine shrimp was stuck on it lol

That is very interesting you mentioned amphipods, I thought I had tons of copepods in my tank but possible there could be a ton of amphipods. Are they known to feed on micro algae’s?

 

[Ari’s reef surf]

Could be copepods I suppose. I haven't had any luck growing macro in my display tank, but I have 2 tangs and they totally destroy it.

I also think macroalgae needs a different lighting spectrum than what we typically use in our DTs. I grow tons of it in my refugium under a cheap grow light, then transfer a bit at a time to the DT, where it gets eaten within a day or two.

Thanks for your input I might just keep them in the quarantine tank unless the develop some new growth.

 

[Ari’s reef surf]

Welcome to R2R! The macro algae should be ok with You tank inhabitants. sometimes it takes a while to take off in a new environment.

Thank, I will give it some time. All my tanks are all under a year old too so I’m sure the tank is continuously developing too

 

[paparoof]

Whenever I have red ogo in my tank, I find (what I believe are) munnid isopods all over it. They really seem to love it.

 

[reddevilant]

That is very interesting you mentioned amphipods, I thought I had tons of copepods in my tank but possible there could be a ton of amphipods. Are they known to feed on micro algae’s?

I don't have amphipods myself so I can't say for certain but when doing some research on if they'd be beneficial to add to my macro tank I did come across some people saying that they can munch on some of the softer, non-calcified algae.

 

[Ari’s reef surf]

I don't have amphipods myself so I can't say for certain but when doing some research on if they'd be beneficial to add to my macro tank I did come across some people saying that they can munch on some of the softer, non-calcified algae.

Well maybe you could help identify. I have tons of these living in my course sand. I was assuming there beneficial, but not so much I can’t keep my macro algae in the display tank growing.

 

[reddevilant]

Well maybe you could help identify. I have tons of these living in my course sand. I was assuming there beneficial, but not so much I can’t keep my macro algae in the display tank growing.

Yup, those definitely look like amphipods. If you still have some macros in the tank you can get a flashlight and check the tank at night when they come out to see if it’s definitely the amphipods that are eating it.

 

[ClownWrangler]

Yup, those definitely look like amphipods. If you still have some macros in the tank you can get a flashlight and check the tank at night when they come out to see if it’s definitely the amphipods that are eating it.

When searching for macro algae on ebay, I filter out the postings with the word "frag" for this reason. I once put a frag of algae in a miniature EM flask with a 1/2 inch opening and the next day it was gone. I suspect amphipods are the culprit. There are many different types with different food preferences. Selling "frags" of algae is a joke when you think about it.