Toxic Algae? - Peppermint eats and dies

[hfmann]

What is this stuff. While it was getting wiped out by a heard of astreas, I noticed several of the snails keeled over and never recovered. Then the other day, I saw this peppermint shrimp going at it and 5 minutes later he was dead. The lawnmower blenny seemed to eat it with no apparent adverse effects, yet.

I've scraped and siphoned as much of it out as I could, but there's a lot of left in rock crevices.

If indeed it is toxic, what course of action should I take?

Thanks,
Hal
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going green

 

[Will C1]

that looks like hair algea to me. what are your tank params like? how long has the tank been running and how long have you had the snails and shrimp?

 

[madrefkepr]

Dinoflagellates can be toxic to snails, IIRC. I'm not saying that's what you have there, but it almost looks like it in some places. Kind of hard to tell from the picture if what I am seeing are trapped bubbles. Does kind of look like hair algae too, like Will mentioned. Could be both, as I am finally getting rid of a dino outbreak, which had a lot of this funky yellow-green almost macro looking stuff in it.

 

[hfmann]

Thanks for quick response.

Dave - what's IIRC mean. Don't know that acronym.

This certainly isn't the normal dark green bryopsis or derbesia hair algae I've had to deal with in the past. This yellowish brown stuff is almost gelatinous. No bubbles per se although there are a few strands of other algae currently in the tank with the classic bubbles in them. I think that lighter colored stuff on the algae is really some sand particles. Sorry about the poor pictures (I'm getting better at that - believe it or not ) I had just completed a rock blasting. All the algae is quickly disappearing though with the beefed up janitorial crew.

All water params good as measured with fresh LaMotte test kits.
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0 (very active 5" dsb - many bubbles and worm holes evident )
ph = 8.4 (two meters recently calibrated agree)
temp 77 degrees F
1.024 salinity

Never expected to have an algae outbreak this time round. Link below gives the whole bloody saga. Although dsb and setup this time is about 3 months old, LR is 7 years old, salvaged from my "crashed" reef. Surprisingly there was an awful lot of life that survived on that rock and sand even through the crash.

To get the algae under control, I've been adding to the Astrea heard, also have Nerite, Cerinth, Nessarius, strombus macalatus, for about 1 month.

Running refugium with calerpa on opposite 12 hour photoperiod, dosing 1/2 strength KW for all topoff. All water is RO/DI.

A small "flock" of 6 peppermint were put in about 3 weeks ago. They all disappeared pretty quickly. Now, I know why. The poor guy shown above was a surprise short term survivor. I wondered why he was so bold out in the open during the day.

Circulation in this 125 gallon tank is about 500 gph from the sump with another 500 gph on in tank powerheads controlled by a wavemaker timer. ETS Skimmer is producing reasonable foam, nothing dramatic.

Appreciate all the help. Thanks
Hal
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Chilean Forum

 

[Will C1]

the yellow green algea in the pic looks just like the hair algea in my tank it darkens with age and growth the new stuff as it spreads look lighter green /yellow. my turbo snails are making quick work of it but its gonna take some time for it to all clear out. my entire back wall 72" x22" is covered in it. it waves at me in the current :lol: . your snails should clean it up if it is infact hair algea. good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Hal, your flow seems a bit low, though not likely to be the exclusive cause of this algae outbreak. How old is this setup? Are you overfeeding? How many fish do you have?

Louey

 

[hfmann]

Will,

Back and two side walls were thoroughly covered with the stuff too. Although I had a few snails and hermits, the addition of the blenny had the first noticeable effect on it. The little guy really went at it with a vengeance but couldn't begin to keep up with it. So over the last two weeks, I've added 18 Astreas to the the compliment of other snails. They were really knocking it down fast. But I did find that several of themseemed to "get sick" from eating it. They started on the algae and then quickly fell down. I put them back on the glass and they were visibly much weaker in adhering to the surface. The next time they fell down and I put them back against the glass, they attached but stopped eating. In all three cases, even though at the end their shells were resting on the sand and I had them propped up against the glass, they just couldn't maintain attachment and they gradually keeled over and expired. Will, have you had any problems with mortality caused by your algae?


Louey, I've just started the reconstruction. So right now, it's only got 4 small Green Chromis and the lawnmower blenny for fish. I added a cucumber to the compliment of other invertebrates. Next two fish, a royal gramma and purple firefish, are in quarantine and won't go in for a month.

Adding a small fighting conch today. Finally found a local store who's only got one left.

I'm going to turn on my closed loop circulation tomorrow after I get the white pipes painted black. That'll add another 500 gph circulation. Then in another week I should have a rotating return installed on the sump return adding to the the turbulence.

Don't know if I should be concerned that some of this stuff still lingers or not? I'm not putting any more peppermint shrimp in until it's all gone though..

Hal
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schrom strain

 

[Will C1]

chances are the snails got into some of the bad stuff. the hair will outcompete this bad algea soon and that will be all you have, at least this happened in my tank the 120 is only 4 mo's old now and i only have hair now all cyno and diatom's are gone and this is when i added my snails. i might go get a lawnmower my self.

 

[hfmann]

Sounds like at this point, I just need patience!
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Friend Advice Forum

 

[Will C1]

yep you got it. just keep water quality high, do water changes. and it should go away slowly but surely.