Lyngbya

Details

Scientific Name: Lyngbya spp. (cyanobacteria)
Identification: Dark stringy cyanobacterial growth that can trap bubbles and spread across substrate and rock surfaces.

Pest Management

Treatment: Siphon and physically remove mats, improve flow, reduce dissolved nutrients, and correct root-cause husbandry issues.
Prevention: Control nutrients, avoid overfeeding, and maintain consistent maintenance and circulation.

Description

Lyngbya is a reef aquarium nuisance that can spread if early signs are ignored.

Identification: Dark stringy cyanobacterial growth that can trap bubbles and spread across substrate and rock surfaces.

Treatment / Management: Siphon and physically remove mats, improve flow, reduce dissolved nutrients, and correct root-cause husbandry issues.

Prevention: Control nutrients, avoid overfeeding, and maintain consistent maintenance and circulation.

Reference Photos

File:Lyngbya.jpg reference image
Lyngbya cyanobacterial filament mass, representative growth form. Photo credit: NASA. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

File:Simplefilaments022 Lyngbya.jpg reference image
Microscope view of Lyngbya filaments, supporting identification. Photo credit: Pentecost, Allan [Artist] (2016) at Freshwater Biological Association [publisher]. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Share the knowledge