What is it and how do I get rid of it?

[Boomer52]

Does anybody know what this algae is? I have searched the internet and any forums I could find and have not been able to identify it. It has rooted in the rocks as well as growing on pumps and other surfaces. The few corals I have are doing well and I try to keep the 80 gallon tank as clean as I can. Weekly 5 gallon water changes and monthly 10 gallons. Clean filters, skimmer, etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Boomer52

 

[brandon429]

neomeris annulata

 

[brandon429]

my old foe

searches reveal this: since 2008 Ive referred to it as the single strongest invader in reefing even above dinos. nobody can command a cure, a few get lucky. search returns w show exactly this pattern

if I had to put eighty virtual dollars on a bet of how to eliminate them, its still with a test rock, but its also with a flathead screwdriver and not much else.

I would lift out one accessible rock with the sprouts on it. Dig under it with a chipping motion, in little hammer taps, until you chip it out of the anchor point and dig it out + rock to rid all tissue. make the rock pitted because of digging out, put back, see if pops up again.

Its possible this plant is acid-etching its way into live rock via micro runners and sprouting vs fragmenting to reproduce, like the movie with kevin bacon.

we threw literally every form of chemical insult we could at them, nothing.

 

[Boomer52]

my old foe

searches reveal this: since 2008 Ive referred to it as the single strongest invader in reefing even above dinos. nobody can command a cure, a few get lucky. search returns w show exactly this pattern

if I had to put eighty virtual dollars on a bet of how to eliminate them, its still with a test rock, but its also with a flathead screwdriver and not much else.

I would lift out one accessible rock with the sprouts on it. Dig under it with a chipping motion, in little hammer taps, until you chip it out of the anchor point and dig it out + rock to rid all tissue. make the rock pitted because of digging out, put back, see if pops up again.

Its possible this plant is acid-etching its way into live rock via micro runners and sprouting vs fragmenting to reproduce, like the movie with kevin bacon.

we threw literally every form of chemical insult we could at them, nothing.

 

[Boomer52]

That may explain a few things. In November I drained the aquarium, threw out all the old rock and sand. Cleaned the sump and all equipment that comes in contact with the water. Filled the tank with fresh water and two gallons of vinegar. I let it run this way for two days. Equipment was washed with straight vinegar. Set the tank back up with new rock and sand. A few months later it was starting to come back. As you can see, it is taking over everything.

I think I know how it got back in. My fish and corals. They were in a holding tank while the main aquarium was being cleaned. I put it through a water change but the algae must have been on the stony part of the coral.

Guess I will just have to try and control it as much as possible for the time being.

Thanks for the info.

 

[brandon429]

hey if you do make headway can you update us with pics, little to no work data exists. our friend Victoria Music here had some, don't know how hers fared but this is also the rarest invader posted on any reef forum as well.

Frankly, people who keep macros probably love it/looks cool. we just hate it due to resilience the likes of which I truly do not know what martian dna it has assumed.

the marine algae database lists it as moderately challenging to keep, lol that stamp it. its moderately challenging to keep as in you can bake it at six hundred degrees for five hours and it still survives lol jk

 

[Subsea]

https://www.live-plants.com/neomeris.htm

You should harvest and sell. Live plants is out of it at the moment.

 

[brandon429]

I knew somebody would pay for that, awesome.

 

[Boomer52]

https://www.live-plants.com/neomeris.htm

You should harvest and sell. Live plants is out of it at the moment.

That's funny. Maybe I can sell them a bridge too.

 

[Subsea]

That's funny. Maybe I can sell them a bridge too.

Make sure it’s “Ocean Front Property in Arizona”.

 

[Westoncase]

Ever figure it out? Look up spindle weeds I just come across them on some website just a second ago and I remembered your post up here.

 

[Boomer52]

Yes. Thanks to the members I now know it's neomeris annulate. Now that I know its name, I have found a ton of info on it. None of it good. Tough stuff to get rid of.

 

[Boomer52]

Update. I read somewhere that Algaefix by API marine has killed the neomeris annulate in a few tanks. I have been using it for about six or seven weeks now. I started out using the dosage specified on the bottle which is 1ml per ten gallons of water. In my case that is 8ml every three days. Once I determined it was not harming my corals and not doing much to the algae, I increased the dose to 10ml per ten gallons. I have also been manually removing it as well. While it has not killed the neomeris annulate, it appears to have slowed its growth. Hopefully between manually removing it and the Algaefix, I can keep it under control or eventually kill it. Still open for any other suggestions.

 

[brandon429]

glad to know any ways of battling it, nice persistence!

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

This site says it likes low flow, calcium, and temps between 78-86 F. Maybe increase your flow, let your calcium drop, and lower your temp to 76?

I had some randomly come up in my tank but they would always turn white and die within a week roughly. Never did well with the calcified macros actually. I don't have any iron in my water though, along with the other trace nutrients like boron and zinc.

 

[Andrew Zimmerman]

I have had this algae for 13 years. Always had my phosphate and nitrates at zero. When I raised my levels it slowed the growth way down where it is manageable now.

 

[brandon429]

update pics pls