What’s on my Zoas?

[Parsely]

I just got my first corals, some zoas from my LFS. I noticed while looking at a couple of them there appears to be some other things. I’m new to this hobby so I don’t know if it’s normal or not.

One has a green bubble tucked in near the stalks. The other has what looks like maybe a Xenia head to me.

Is this normal? And what should I do?

 

[Brucealmighty]

I'd agree with you chap, that you have a bit of xenia, as for the other, I'd say it's a bit if bubble algae if you have herbivores in the tank it's a gonner if you don't it can be quite evasive depending on nutrients, beaware popping them can make them multiply faster get some algae eaters in, they will get rid of it for you.

 

[Parsely]

I'd agree with you chap, that you have a bit of xenia, as for the other, I'd say it's a bit if bubble algae if you have herbivores in the tank it's a gonner if you don't it can be quite evasive depending on nutrients, beaware popping them can make them multiply faster get some algae eaters in, they will get rid of it for you.

It’s a small tank just 13.5 gallons so I have pretty limited options for algae eaters. My cuc is just hermits crabs, Nassarius and trochus snails. The only live stock is a pair of clowns. Will those guys tackle it? Should I try to remove it manually?

 

[Brucealmighty]

Might depend on the size of the crabs vs the algae bubble too air on the side of caution while it's easily nipped in the bud so to speak try get it off yourself without popping it, I guess it would be useful to add I have had zoa's outside of the water for minutes at a time with no great damage albeit they haven't just jumped tanks but they're resilient little buggers believe me I have a few

 

[kevgib67]

It’s a small tank just 13.5 gallons so I have pretty limited options for algae eaters. My cuc is just hermits crabs, Nassarius and trochus snails. The only live stock is a pair of clowns. Will those guys tackle it? Should I try to remove it manually?

Pick up an emerald crab and say good bye to that bubble algae.

 

[Parsely]

Pick up an emerald crab and say good bye to that bubble algae.

Will my hermits take care of it, I already have 4 of them

 

[kevgib67]

I don’t believe they will but I know in my tank over the years emerald crabs have done a great job. Good luck.

 

[Parsely]

I don’t believe they will but I know in my tank over the years emerald crabs have done a great job. Good luck.

Ok I’ll search for one of those then! Thank you

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

beaware popping them can make them multiply faster

This is FALSE! Popping bubble algae does not make it spread.

OP, remove the frag from the tank and pry/pull the piece of bubble algae off the frag plug. Put the frag back into the tank. End of story

 

[Brucealmighty]

This is FALSE! Popping bubble algae does not make it spread.

OP, remove the frag from the tank and pry/pull the piece of bubble algae off the frag plug. Put the frag back into the tank. End of story

I guess we all have different experience with this algae, my experience says don't pop the dang stuff ever because I had a plague of it in my first tank but I guess it was a different kind of green bubble algae because I popped them all

 

[jabberwock]

I guess we all have different experience with this algae, my experience says don't pop the dang stuff ever because I had a plague of it in my first tank but I guess it was a different kind of green bubble algae

Don't pop it in the tank...

 

[jabberwock]

I just got my first corals, some zoas from my LFS. I noticed while looking at a couple of them there appears to be some other things. I’m new to this hobby so I don’t know if it’s normal or not.

One has a green bubble tucked in near the stalks. The other has what looks like maybe a Xenia head to me.

Is this normal? And what should I do?

Yes, things like this are normal if not altogether good... Managing hitchhikers is part of the deal.

 

[Parsely]

This is FALSE! Popping bubble algae does not make it spread.

OP, remove the frag from the tank and pry/pull the piece of bubble algae off the frag plug. Put the frag back into the tank. End of story

I will attempt this tomorrow thank you. Luckily I haven’t glued the plugs to the rocks yet so shouldn’t be too hard!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I guess we all have different experience with this algae, my experience says don't pop the dang stuff ever because I had a plague of it in my first tank but I guess it was a different kind of green bubble algae because I popped them all

It's not "my experience", it's proven science.

 

[Parsely]

It's not "my experience", it's proven science.

Just got it off with a pair of tweezers, thanks for the help!

 

[Brucealmighty]

It's not "my experience", it's proven science.

WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND CORRECTION!!!!!!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND CORRECTION!!!!!!

YOU'RE WELCOME!!!! (why are we shouting?)

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Just got it off with a pair of tweezers, thanks for the help!

You're welcome! I've found bubble algae to be the easiest "nuisance algae" to deal with.
(Quotes around nuisance algae because I've seen it sold on decorative macroalgae websites... Lol!)

 

[Brucealmighty]

YOU'RE WELCOME!!!! (why are we shouting?)

Why are we? Perhaps you can use a little more tactful words before writing off the experience I have had with this algae and then I would be less annoyed by your rudeness and your calling my experience FALSE comments

Secondly I do believe popping one in your tank will be fine yes but hopefully someone with a load of them in their tank won't read this thread and think it's fine to pop the lot of them in their tank destroying the water quality completely in a nano aquarium