- Location
- Connecticut
I am conducting a microscopic analysis of the red slime and other colored surface in my aquarium while the red slime is retreating. I am curious about what exactly is going on.
The picture is from a piece of red slime from my sump. Two things that I found interesting were that it seems my red slime consists of Spirulina (enlarge the photo and you can see the tightly coil filaments) and that there are both green and red versions of this Spirulina. I found a reference for Spiralina subsalsa which was collected as a red mat but then turned green in the laboratory. The species name subsalsa suggests something edible.
The number of species in the slime mat is probably too large to say Spirulina = red slime, although I have come across samples that were nothing but. Red slime might be complicated collection. I plan on sharing more photos and videos. Maybe the forum will have a collective breakthrough on understanding red slime.
