Name this algae

[David M.]

Came back from Christmas vacation and had this algae growing. It's huge bubbles, hollow, and filled with air. In the light its silvery green and real bright. Never seen it before in my 4 years in the hobby.

 

[joshkirkland83]

Bubble algae

 

[David M.]

Don't think so. Bubble algae is much smaller.

 

[David M.]

The smallest piece there is the size of a quarter, the biggest is about half the size of my fist.

 

[joshkirkland83]

I beg to differ.

 

[David M.]

Still doesn't look like that though.

 

[Wiz]

Definitely does not look like bubble to me. & I agree I have never seen this in my 10 years.Time for some research

 

[joshkirkland83]

Still doesn't look like that though.

Ok then. I have no idea.

 

[David M.]

Yea super weird stuff

 

[Eckolancer]

Looks like you are feeding steroids to bubble algae. I have seen some bubble algae get to about a Nickel size but never that big.

 

[ksanfranfan]

It is bubble algae but which species I am not sure. It's definitely not v. ventricosa. Maybe borgesenia forbesii but the shapes of the bladders look different.
My guess would be valonia aegagropila or fastigiata.
Dictyosphaeria would also be another guess.
In my experience with bubble algae, the vesicles usually turn silver when they have ruptured and have released fluid. They may still have their shape sometimes and maybe have air trapped inside but the bubble is in decline and released its spores.

 

[SaltyJD]

Wow.....that's amazing, never seen anything like that before.

 

[ksanfranfan]

Also the ones you have a photo I believe are unicellular. Those such as the one of the others have posted are Valonia ventricosa which is a single cell type of bubble algae.