Bryopsis Algae (Bryposis plumosa), Bugger of a plant

[mutley29]

I've got got a small but ever enlarging patch of this stuff in my tank, does anyone know if theres a natural muncher for it.
My Tang, Algae Blennie, Snails and crabs won't touch it and it's starting to spread .

I've cut lighting period, feeding all levels are zero (with the obvious exceptions) it came out of no where on a frag rock and has colonised surrounding LR, it looks like hair, but the blades if you will, look like small feathers.

Please help nothing is working and its attached to several large rocks


It's starting to make me angry, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


Any/All help appreciated

Anton

 

[Anonymous]

it looks like hair, but the blades if you will, look like small feathers.

That to me does not cound like caulerpa, but rather bryopsis.

Bryopsis is rather difficult to control, there are not many critters that will eat it, none that I would say were "garaunteed" anyway.

I would be vigilant in hand removing every speck you can get out.

 

[mutley29]

Thats the stuff, and it"s a pain in the ASS

any recommendations?

Anton

 

[Anonymous]

A small tactical nuke?

 

[cdeakle]

A small tactical nuke?

:lol: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Bryopsis can be a struggle to get under control.

I would start by removing by hand as much as you can.

Here is a page I found in the reefs.org library about Bryopsis that has a few tips. http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/alga ... yopsis.htm

 

[mutley29]

Thanks for the info Laura, anyone know where i might be able to get my hands on one of those SeaSlugs?, i don't have any nudibranchs just cukes.

Although i may take Gratefuls advice, i'll just borrow one from work, they'll never know

Final solution i think may be to remove the affected rocks and scrub the stuff off or let it dry and die

What say you???

Thanx

Anton :?

 

[Anonymous]

I beat the stuff - finally.
A couple rocks that were really bad - I boiled.
For the rest of the rocks I pulled it off manually, then brushed the area with a toothbrush. Every time it started to come back, I scrubbed the area again. Some spots I had to scrub a half dozen times. I put a phosphate pad in my sump...
No more bryopsis.

Jim

 

[mutley29]

So, from what everyone says Phos is helping this green fuzzy blob grow in my tank, the problem i don't understand is that i have zero readings across the board, and i've just had them checked at my LFS as well.
Maybe it's the fact that it's right at the top of the tank under my MH's and is sprouting up in different places now

Does light starvation have any affect on this stuff, as it would be easier to cover all the affected areas than take them out and scrub them, on that note how much light starvation can Acros and other corals handle before it has a detrimentle affect on the coral.

Going to start taking out rock work tomorrow after i stop at lowes on the way home and pick up a stainless wire brush

Thanks everyone

Anton

I'll try and get a pic, it's difficult as it's right at the back of the tank

 

[elpescado]

Bryopsis sp., Order Bryopsidaceae, Family Caulerpales.
This troublesome "macro" algae isn't necessarily fed by phosphates (though it will use it if present). It will also use nitrate, iron, organic phosphate precipitate, and other organic nutrients.
You will need to try different methods and by process of elimination, figure out just what is the underlying cause in your particular case.
You can play with lighting intensity, spectrum, durration, water temp, organic nutrient load, trace elements, water motion, predation by herbivors, etc. etc. etc.
Sorry, but there is no safe "quick fix" to this problem.
Good luck.

 

[GSchiemer]

The Fiji Rabbitfish (Siganus uspi) will eat it, but my first suggestion would be to remove the rocks; Scrub them with a brush and keep them in an unlit sump for a few months. Stop the spread now before it gets out of control.

BTW, I'm not sure a tactical nuke would even work. I always say that in the event of a third World War, the only things left will be cockroaches and Bryopsis.

Greg

 

[Juck]

and Cher.

 

[Anonymous]

Biological controls are hit and miss IME.

I got rid of it by harvesting, blowing off the rock where the algae rooted (collected detritus seems to help it thrive), and then covered what was left with kalk paste. YMMV.