Is this bubble algae?

[Nicolas Sabrun]

What do you all think?

Is this bubble algae or something else? It just popped out everywhere and out of nowhere in my refugium

Sorry for the crappy cell pics

 

[EriksOasis]

Yes appears to be bubble algae. Manually remove as much as possible without popping the bubbles. Also a emerald crab will take care of some of it I believe.

 

[devilhunt1231]

As above it most likely is bubble algae from the general appearance although it's difficult to see 100% from the photo's, just check that the individual bubbles aren't connected together with a stalk because if it is then it could be something like grape caulerpa.
Gary

 

[DSC reef]

Looks to be bubble algae

 

[BlueCursor]

Don't worry about popping them when you remove them. Urban legend that they reproduce by spores. Bubble algae is a single cell structure and reproduces by cell division (the bubble splits off a baby bubble).

Also, emerald crabs always pop the bubble when eating it. Like any other cell, you break the membrane you do serious damage.

 

[Greybeard]

Don't worry about popping them when you remove them. Urban legend that they reproduce by spores. Bubble algae is a single cell structure and reproduces by cell division (the bubble splits off a baby bubble).

Opinions on this vary... For instance, this article appears to contradict you.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/

Much has been said about the danger of liberating spores when popping the vesicles of bubble algae. This is particularly true for members of Order Valoniaceae, but even then, the vesicles are said to be a sporulant risk only when having reached at least a third of their full size. Even if spores escape when you botch the job of vesicle-removal ('vesectomy', anyone?), those escapee spores have to run the gauntlet of herbivorous filter feeders, filtration equipment, and the wild lottery of hitting a good, unoccupied spot to settle and grow. Those spores will eventually be released anyway if you don't remove the vesicles.

 

[BlueCursor]

In all my LFS visits and pics online, I have never seen anything other than Ventricaria ventricosa and Valonia macrophysa. Both of these, as with most things referred to as bubble algae, are single celled and do not reproduce by spores. Only multi-cellular plants can reproduce by spores.

 

[DSC reef]

Don't worry about popping them when you remove them. Urban legend that they reproduce by spores. Bubble algae is a single cell structure and reproduces by cell division (the bubble splits off a baby bubble).

Also, emerald crabs always pop the bubble when eating it. Like any other cell, you break the membrane you do serious damage.

I have to disagree as well. Popped bubble algae before and it ended up all over the place in the tank.