Popping Valonia ventricosa aka Bubble Algae

[jpgillespie2]

In October of 2021, I set up 2 saltwater aquariums. One of the aquariums is a 29 gallon "mixed reef" tank and the other is a 10 gallon "coral quarantine" tank. I started each aquarium with dry rock from my local fish store. After researching, I came to the conclusion that I would cycle the aquariums with live corals because I found that they would not die when cycling the aquariums and would help establish biodiversity in the tanks. Two corals I received, both leather corals, were attached to some rubble rock that contained 1-2 small spots of bubble algae. After growing these corals for little over a year, one in my coral quarantine and one in my 29 gallon tank, I noticed the bubble algae had grown significantly in my 29 gallon tank in many different parts of the tank but in my coral quarantine, it had just grown on the same rubble rock and had not spread throughout the tank. What had I done differently? In my display tank, I manually removed the bubble algae from the rubble and siphoned it out. I thought it was coincidental. So, for science, I went into my coral quarantine tank and manually removed it from the rubble the leather coral was attached to. Fast forward one month- the two pieces of dry, now live-rock in the coral quarantine tank now had some significant bubble algae growth. We have found the bubbles don't release spores when being popped, so how did agitating the algae help it spread? If it was a coincidence, I'll post an update in a few months because I just set up another 10 gallon tank and I am going to conduct the same experiment.

 

[blaxsun]

You just had to tempt fate, didn't you...?

 

[gbroadbridge]

In October of 2021, I set up 2 saltwater aquariums. One of the aquariums is a 29 gallon "mixed reef" tank and the other is a 10 gallon "coral quarantine" tank. I started each aquarium with dry rock from my local fish store. After researching, I came to the conclusion that I would cycle the aquariums with live corals because I found that they would not die when cycling the aquariums and would help establish biodiversity in the tanks. Two corals I received, both leather corals, were attached to some rubble rock that contained 1-2 small spots of bubble algae. After growing these corals for little over a year, one in my coral quarantine and one in my 29 gallon tank, I noticed the bubble algae had grown significantly in my 29 gallon tank in many different parts of the tank but in my coral quarantine, it had just grown on the same rubble rock and had not spread throughout the tank. What had I done differently? In my display tank, I manually removed the bubble algae from the rubble and siphoned it out. I thought it was coincidental. So, for science, I went into my coral quarantine tank and manually removed it from the rubble the leather coral was attached to. Fast forward one month- the two pieces of dry, now live-rock in the coral quarantine tank now had some significant bubble algae growth. We have found the bubbles don't release spores when being popped, so how did agitating the algae help it spread? If it was a coincidence, I'll post an update in a few months because I just set up another 10 gallon tank and I am going to conduct the same experiment.

If I see them I popped them, and they don't come back. Completely eradicated

 

[jpgillespie2]

You just had to tempt fate, didn't you...?

Yep, now I’m battling it in my coral quarantine . Luckily a friend and I share an emerald crab that is a model citizen and doesn’t touch corals.

 

[All_talk]

I think here is solid scientific evidence that there are no "spores" inside the bubble. But disturbing it, popping or otherwise, certainly could distribute bits of it around.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I take a small needle and have 3/8 tubing ready and attach to end of tubing with rubber band and pop each one and siphon at same time- You will have removed all spores and foreign material in area. there is still debate on valididty of spores reproducing.
I did this with birdsnest coral and was gone 100%.
Other option is to add pitho crabs or emerald crabs (which I do not trust) which will eat them

 

[jpgillespie2]

I take a small needle and have 3/8 tubing ready and attach to end of tubing with rubber band and pop each one and siphon at same time- You will have removed all spores and foreign material in area. there is still debate on valididty of spores reproducing.
I did this with birdsnest coral and was gone 100%.
Other option is to add pitho crabs or emerald crabs (which I do not trust) which will eat them

Yea, me and my friend have an emerald crab that we pass back and forth that is good at removing bubble algae and doesn't mess with corals. He has done a good job in my DT tank at removing it. As far as the reproduction- there definitely is some aspect of reproduction being exacerbated by popping the bubbles. Whether it is growth from tissue or alleged spores from the bubbles, it does spread more when they are popped and not fully removed. Like I said in my post, it was reproducing 0% until I ruptured the bubbles. I can see why there is still debate over this.

 

[Lavey29]

If I see them I popped them, and they don't come back. Completely eradicated

I've noticed my hermit crabs seem to pop them as they are eating them and the little bit of outer shell they leave doesn't grow back

 

[gbroadbridge]

I've noticed my hermit crabs seem to pop them as they are eating them and the little bit of outer shell they leave doesn't grow back

They are a unicellular organism that spreads by cell division.
The whole spore thing is a myth, not backed up by biology.

Not sure where the myth came from.

 

[RaymondL]

They are a unicellular organism that spreads by cell division.
The whole spore thing is a myth, not backed up by biology.

Not sure where the myth came from.

This myth needs to be put to rest.

Popping Bubble Algae: Let's settle this once and for all!

Did anybody listen to this? Listen to @ 29:00 I think Richard is referring to Dr. Andrew Rhyne. Anybody know him here? Somebody had to know him. I’d love to see a peer reviewed paper about this.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[RaymondL]

Yea, me and my friend have an emerald crab that we pass back and forth that is good at removing bubble algae and doesn't mess with corals. He has done a good job in my DT tank at removing it. As far as the reproduction- there definitely is some aspect of reproduction being exacerbated by popping the bubbles. Whether it is growth from tissue or alleged spores from the bubbles, it does spread more when they are popped and not fully removed. Like I said in my post, it was reproducing 0% until I ruptured the bubbles. I can see why there is still debate over this.

Popping Bubble Algae: Let's settle this once and for all!

Did anybody listen to this? Listen to @ 29:00 I think Richard is referring to Dr. Andrew Rhyne. Anybody know him here? Somebody had to know him. I’d love to see a peer reviewed paper about this.

www.reef2reef.com

Might be a coincidence in your case? From a biology perspective it's not true about popping them and spreading.

 

[jpgillespie2]

Popping Bubble Algae: Let's settle this once and for all!

Did anybody listen to this? Listen to @ 29:00 I think Richard is referring to Dr. Andrew Rhyne. Anybody know him here? Somebody had to know him. I’d love to see a peer reviewed paper about this.

www.reef2reef.com

Might be a coincidence in your case? From a biology perspective it's not true about popping them and spreading.

I guess it depends on what you consider a coincidence. I have replicated this twice. Once in my display tank and another in my qt tank. I’m doing it thrice in another tank I set up. I have bubble algae now growing for about a month now without spreading and I am going to pop it in about 2 months of no spreading and updated.

 

[Tomik]

i had bubble algae in my 32 G tank for few months which i took the rocks and scrap them, yes very time consuming and annoying, but couldn't get red of them completely till my local fish store sold me four emerald crabs and my tank its been clean since i brought them in, after four months only one crab survived. I don't know what happened to rest, I'm assuming they kill each other competing for food.