Kenshin Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I have a single piece of rock that has been growing bubble algae. I didn't know it at the time but as its continued to grow larger and spread on the rock. I did some research because I've never seen this type of algae. So I was looking for some advice on this. What can I do to get rid of it? I dont want it spreading in my tank. Should I not bother and dispose of the rock. Please let me know. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 (edited) If the rock can be easily removed and not missed, i would remove the rock. If you want to keep the rock and manually remove it, just be very careful removing them paying close attention to not pop them (Popping them with result in more as the spores are released into the water column) the best way that i know of is to manually remove each one via siphon and tweezers, if you inadvertently pop one the siphon is there to capture the spores released. Also Emerald crabs will usually do the trick but they are after all a crab and can't be trusted I've caught emeralds snacking on some of my Euphyllia's Edited June 25, 2015 by ChrisQ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bevo5 Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I had a few bubbles pop up a couple months ago and go an emerald crab. Knock on wood I haven't seen any more bubbles - BUT I did catch the emerald red-clawed eating a new acan. Literally just peeling bits and pieces of it off and chowing down. I caught him and donated it back. About a week earlier I saw him at night munching on the leg of a bristle star - the pervious owner of which was scurrying away faster than I've ever seen a bristle star move. I thought that was kind of funny...and I have a zillion of those stars so didn't care much. ANyway - that's neither here nor there for your issue. I'd remove the rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 (edited) I had a few bubbles pop up a couple months ago and go an emerald crab. Knock on wood I haven't seen any more bubbles - BUT I did catch the emerald red-clawed eating a new acan. Literally just peeling bits and pieces of it off and chowing down. I caught him and donated it back. About a week earlier I saw him at night munching on the leg of a bristle star - the pervious owner of which was scurrying away faster than I've ever seen a bristle star move. I thought that was kind of funny...and I have a zillion of those stars so didn't care much. ANyway - that's neither here nor there for your issue. I'd remove the rock. yep, Emerald crabs snacking on our precious corals is unacceptable in my book! Never trust a crab! Mine made the mistake of running along the front glass one day i walked into the room, i said you're mine!!! and got him, good luck removing one once there in the tank, its tough Edited June 25, 2015 by ChrisQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 so yeah, if it's a small rock any easily removable, i would just remove the rock asap and not let it spread any further bypassing adding a new addition to your tank that can potentially cause more problems. You always have the option of the manually removal process i spoke of earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsonmfg Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I have to agree if you can toss the rock get rid of it, Valonia can be a total PITA, I have some in my tank still and I used emerald's to keep it to a couple bubbles here and there, then one night I found him pulling polyps so I had to take care of him. Manual scraping with a good siphon will usually do the trick it just takes time and you have to stay on top of it or it can get out of control and once that happens you'll never win. Fish, crabs or whatever... If it messes with my corals it get dealt with. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Toss the rock and get that crap out of your tank as quick as possible. If thats not a choice you want to make i personally would ignore the siphoning bit and instead when you do your water change and drain a bunch in the bucket, pull the rock out get some brush with metal bristles and scrub it off as good as possible in the bucket of dirty water, then have a container on the side with enough saltwater to submerge it, I would also add some peroxide to that water too and give it a good rinse before putting back in the tank. this way your isolating the rock from display when spores can potentially be released vs hoping that the tube will suck the millions of little bastards up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackice Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Wow that pic is funny. Just the right size to dip in butter hole. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteRock Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 If you can toss the rock I'd do that. Emeralds may help keep new growth at bay but most likely wont eat big chunks. I've personally never had any issues with emeralds, but I buy the smallest ones possible. If you keep the rock, you can rubber band a tooth pick or a kabob skewer to the end of a syphon tube and break em all up as you suck it out. Best to do it in sections and clear an entire section before moving on. IE, don't do a light cleaning of the entire rock each time in favor of clearing a smaller section each time. I once had a yellow tang that would eat it too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteRock Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Remind me never to mess with Arsonmfg's corals 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxicurls Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I've had about as big an infestation of this as you have ever seen, most likely. If it does take hold, I would suggest rabbitfish. I find magnificent foxfaces are the safest and very effective. Most tangs won't touch it, & emerald crabs usually don't do much of anything positive. Urchins will scrape the rock & theoretically keep the baby bubbles from maturing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenshin Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm gonna just toss the rock. That sounds like the easiest thing to do for me. I don't want to risk my other rock to get infested with this. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 I've got a magnificent strain of bubble algae...it grows bubbles the size of golf balls. Actually they look pretty cool, and Ive had maybe a dozen or less in the tank for about a year now:) Emerald wont even sniff em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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