Any idea what this lichen looking thing is? Pic inside

concept3 · #1 12/15/2006, 01:06 AM

It's rather leathery in texture and is an extremely slow grower, however it's slowly taking over the bottom rocks and is starting to slowly creep over a few other spots. I've tried peeling them off, and they seem to come off in small mats. They do grow back after a while.

Any ideas on how to:
1. control it
2. eliminate it
3 destroy it

The tank is very low nutrient, I can't grow any kind of HA or macro, but Valonias do grow occasionally if that means anything

Thanks!

Mache62 · #2 12/15/2006, 08:20 AM

tagging along as I have the same thing growing in my tank..

JCURRY@WESKETCH · #3 12/15/2006, 09:34 AM

Looks like a species of Padina macro algae (scroll algae).

Ha Ha Merv has algae.....Merv has algae!

Phyl · #4 12/15/2006, 09:43 AM

Jeff... that made me LOL (I wasn't brave enough to tell him he had algae-- nutrient poor. *snicker*).

RichT · #5 12/15/2006, 10:04 AM

Ahhhh, yes it is an algae. But Jeff has indicated it's a macro algae and not a micro algae. And I believe Merv's proclamations were directed towards "Hair Algae" which I believe is a micro variety. So having said that, I believe his proclamations are still valid.

So there!

(don't worry Merv, I got your back (I'll be by to pick up them free frags later

))

JCURRY@WESKETCH · #6 12/15/2006, 10:05 AM

It's not raining out. Get back to work slacker.

concept3 · #7 12/15/2006, 10:22 AM

I also have the dreaded GSP growing everywhere. Oh I can't wait for the new tank to get done! I'll finally rid myself of GSP, that MACRO algae lichen thing, Montipora caps and a few zoos (how did they just appear in my tank?)

so, any ideas on control. Someone said naso tang, but I'd hate to get the TP on my tank!

JCURRY@WESKETCH · #8 12/15/2006, 10:25 AM

A Regal Angel will take care of the Zoas, try using a tooth brush & siphon hose on the GSP. The macro I have no idea, but Nasos get big, very big.

sharks · #9 12/15/2006, 10:34 AM

Merv kill it while you can! I had this a couple of years ago and though hmmm that looks kind of cool. Then it took off and spread across a third of my reef. It was a real pain to get rid of since I let it go for so long. Physical removal was the only option. No fish or invert I tried would touch it. My urchins would use it as a hat but that just added to the problem of it spreading around the tank.
Do a search on lobophora algae for more info. Here is a Google image link…
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=lobophora
~S

JCURRY@WESKETCH · #10 12/15/2006, 10:37 AM

This is the algae ID site I use most often:

http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/g.../algaepage.htm