Algae ID

[Ryan S]

I know there are a few small aiptasia... And a coating of cyano... But what is the large red macro-algae looking algae sticking out of this green zoanthid frag, on the right?

 

[Max Ivers]

It looks like Bryopsis covered in Red Cyano

[davelin315]

Looks to be more green than red in the picture and resembles bryopsis in both the growth pattern and the fronds, but it's difficult to tell with the picture. Brush the cyano off and get a better picture.

[Ryan S]

Looks to be more green than red in the picture and resembles bryopsis in both the growth pattern and the fronds, but it's difficult to tell with the picture. Brush the cyano off and get a better picture.

 

2 more. If it is bryopsis. What should I do? This is the only frag I have in the tank with it I think. Should I cut off as many good zoas as I can, glue them to a new plug, then toss the rest of this plug with the aiptasia and bryopsis?

 

 

[Incredible Corals]

Fresh water dip the entire thing. That should kill everything except the zoas. Dip it for 5 minutes. Make sure the fresh water is the same temp as the tank temp.

[epleeds]

i would just take a dremel, cut off a good piece and throw the rest in the trash. Is it really worth it for a few extra zoas. those will multiply in no time.

[Origami]

I'm not all that sure that a freshwater dip will kill off bryopsis, which is what this looks like. Since it seems to be on a single rock, I'd pull it and, using a dental pick and a pair of tweezers, manually clear off as much as you can. Swish the rock off separately afterwards to clear off any loose fragments. If you're able, you can QT the piece for a few weeks in a separate system, watching for further growth which you'll then manually remove. If you can't QT the piece, you might put it back in your tank - just watch it closely and when you see some growth, remove the rock and pick it clean again.

 

Bryopsis does seem to respond to elevated magnesium levels by dying off. I'd manually remove as much as I can now that it seems to be fairly contained, though.