green bubble algae and emerald crabs

[malnurs]

Ok so I have one spot of green bubble algae that i really dont wanna try to pull off and accidently pop so i bought a few emerald crabs hoping they might take care of it for me lol. well they just hang out under my rocks all day and all night and pick stuff off them. never go near the bubble algae grrr.:sure: how big is too big to pick off and risk popping?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[joecoastie]

I maybe way off, but, when an emerald crab eats bubble algae, isn't he essentially popping it? I have never had an emerald crab, but I do have a ton of bubble alge. :wink: I would love to hear feedback if the emerald crab really is popping the bubble algae when they eat it.
Joe

 

[akabryanhall]

Think about what an emerald crab that Does eat bubble algae does. It essentially pops it to eat it.So whether you pop them or your crab pops them, it matters not, at least with you pulling there is a chance of them coming off cleanly.
FYI, bubble algae has a very short reproductive cycle in which you have to pop them for them to spread. If you pop them when they are not in the right phase, which is most times, you should be fine.

Edit:second dam

 

[iceman0124]

It will pop it to eat it, so i would try to manually remove it, as with the crab, spores will assureadly get released. Is there any way you can remove the rock, then either chip a small bit off containing the offender, or at least remove it and rinse it very well afterwards?

 

[MikeB]

Bah, these things tear Bubble Algae up, they are Ninjas. The key is, get the ones that have the hourglass on the belly. It's the only ones I have seen eat it. We put two in our system, They ate all bubble algae (50+ bubbles), it was contained withing a few months and no more bubble algae. Then both Emerald crabs died. I guess not enough food. After nearly 8 month, we saw our 1st bubble algae pop up.

 

[iceman0124]

If it only one cyst....manual removal makes the most sense, out of tank if possible.

 

[Reeferdood]

Or,
you can just leave it be... I have seen bubble algae last so long that it gets encrusted with coraline! Your call but IMHO manual removal is best using a razor blade or exacto knife taking care not to pop it..