How to remove hair algae off a frag

Luckyduck · Jun 11, 2020

So there's this beautiful Tidal Garden Leptoseris at my local Petco. Yes Petco! It's $20. It's very healthy looking the only problem is that it has hair algae around the edges and on the plug. I want to get it but I DO NOT want to introduce hair algae into my tank! Is there any way I can get rid of it or should I just stay away? I do dip all of my corals with Brightwell Koral MD but I'm not sure that will kill hair algae.

jeffrey750750 · Jun 11, 2020

Snip off the whole plug, it's what I do from now on

Fishko · Jun 11, 2020

You can dip just the plug portion in peroxide to remove hair algea or like others have said pop the plug off which is never a bad idea

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

Those sound like great ideas but as I said the hair algae is growing on the outer rim of the coral too so snipping it isn't gonna work.

Albertan22 · Jun 12, 2020

Remove as much as you can manually. Take a q-tip, dip it in peroxide and dab the hair algae while you have the Frag out of the water. Leave the Frag out of the water for a couple minutes for it to take effect. Place on a Frag rack and repeat if necessary.

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

Albertan22 said:
Remove as much as you can manually. Take a q-tip, dip it in peroxide and dab the hair algae while you have the Frag out of the water. Leave the Frag out of the water for a couple minutes for it to take effect. Place on a Frag rack and repeat if necessary.

Fantastic, thank you. I cant ignore a really nice looking Lepto with a price tag like that. I think it's got some great coloration potential under good lights and a good dosing regiment.

tjclapp · Jun 12, 2020

Luckyduck said:
So there's this beautiful Tidal Garden Leptoseris at my local Petco. Yes Petco! It's $20. It's very healthy looking the only problem is that it has hair algae around the edges and on the plug. I want to get it but I DO NOT want to introduce hair algae into my tank! Is there any way I can get rid of it or should I just stay away? I do dip all of my corals with Brightwell Koral MD but I'm not sure that will kill hair algae.

tjclapp · Jun 12, 2020

I recommend scrubbing the plug with a tooth brush of wire brush, pick it off with your nails, and dip the coral

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

tjclapp said:
I recommend scrubbing the plug with a tooth brush of wire brush, pick it off with your nails, and dip the coral

Will do! Thanks

TriggerFinger · Jun 12, 2020

Post pics when you get it!!

Adamantium · Jun 12, 2020

Luckyduck said:
So there's this beautiful Tidal Garden Leptoseris at my local Petco. Yes Petco! It's $20. It's very healthy looking the only problem is that it has hair algae around the edges and on the plug. I want to get it but I DO NOT want to introduce hair algae into my tank! Is there any way I can get rid of it or should I just stay away? I do dip all of my corals with Brightwell Koral MD but I'm not sure that will kill hair algae.

Wait, tidal gardens sells to Petco? Kind of off topic, but I’d never heard this.

zoablasto · Jun 12, 2020

If you want to treat your whole tank I highly recommend vibrant!

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

Adamantium said:
Wait, tidal gardens sells to Petco? Kind of off topic, but I’d never heard this.

Right?! I saw it and couldn't believe it. I may be off of the Tidal Garden but it sure looks like one. It's a ritsey area of town so they get in nice stuff. They have a few snow storm clowns too. $70!! I'll make sure once the Lepto settles in to my tank to post a pic for you to see.

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

zoablasto said:
If you want to treat your whole tank I highly recommend vibrant!

My tank is algae less (nuisance). Had red slime for 4 days and got it under control. Now my rocks are beautious. I'm only 28 days since tank conception but things are going great. I took a lot of time in the beginning to get it balanced and it should pay off in the long run. Many many tests over the first 3 weeks. I think my Cheato and Mangroves out competed the nuisance algae cuz I do dose iron once a week and my Phosphates are a touch high @.08. Working to lower them to .05. I only need like a 1/2 teaspoon of phoslock cuz i don't want to strip all the phosphates. Filter bag is waaaay to big for such a small amount. I was trying to think of something to hold it. Told my wife what I was trying to do and she had a genius solution! Silicone loose leaf tea strainer! I bought a little yellow submarine ha! Should work perfectly.

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

TriggerFinger said:
Post pics when you get it!!

For sure!

Adamantium · Jun 12, 2020

Luckyduck said:
Right?! I saw it and couldn't believe it. I may be off of the Tidal Garden but it sure looks like one. It's a ritsey area of town so they get in nice stuff. They have a few snow storm clowns too. $70!! I'll make sure once the Lepto settles in to my tank to post a pic for you to see.

Oh, wait, it just looks like it? It wasn’t labeled as such? Lots of frags look the same, so I’m kind of doubting it was Tidal Gardens. Still cool, though.

Luckyduck · Jun 12, 2020

Yea I don't think it is a Tidal Garden but nice color none the less and the price was right. It looked a lot better before I brushed the hell out of it to get off all the hair algae lol. Petco can get all kinds of stuff I guess. I asked the guy today to get me in a tail spot blenny. He said sure thing check back in two weeks. Wonder what kind of corals they come across. We have some nice LFSs here; Petco is just inexpensive, worth checking there from time to time for me.