What is this green bubble that popped up??

[paxton.rock]

This green bubble popped up on my zoanthid. It started TINY and gre to this size in about 1.5 months. It is the ONLY one in my tank. No more have ever popped up. What the heck is this?

 

[CoralB]

Welcome to the not so wonderful world of BUBBLE ALGAE!!! . You want to get those out of your tank ASAP before they overtake it .

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

This green bubble popped up on my zoanthid. It started TINY and gre to this size in about 1.5 months. It is the ONLY one in my tank. No more have ever popped up. What the heck is this?

Bubble algae - it tends to be pretty invasive, so most people remove it. With just one, manual removal should be pretty easy.

 

[omenemo]

How do you remove it? I have a crazy looking one!

 

[The_Paradox]

How do you remove it? I have a crazy looking one!

You can pluck them out with tweezers if it’s just a few.

 

[Reeflix]

Just watch out as of you pop it it will release hundreds of spores in the tank. I would go in there right next to the algae with a pump, try to pick it off with a toothpick or something, when it come off suck it up. If by any chance it does pop, the pump will be right next to it so that it will suck up the spores. It is debated if they do release spores, but better safe then a tank full of bubble algae

 

[omenemo]

Just watch out as of you pop it it will release hundreds of spores in the tank. I would go in there right next to the algae with a pump, try to pick it off with a toothpick or something, when it come off suck it up. If by any chance it does pop, the pump will be right next to it so that it will suck up the spores. It is debated if they do release spores, but better safe then a tank full of bubble algae

Thanky you. Ya know it’s on a shell that I lightly glued but you can see I’ve got some green star polyp. Wonder if I can remove it and do it outside of the tank in some reserve tank water for safer removal..

 

[Boehmtown]

I've had a couple tiny bubble algae spots in my tank for 3 years, I always keep an emerald so that might be why there's only ever a couple at a time

 

[biecacka]

You can pop it. They myth of it spreading has been debunked. Some fish eat it, they would have to bust it to eat it, most people who remove it inadvertently pop some on accident.

corey

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Just watch out as of you pop it it will release hundreds of spores in the tank. I would go in there right next to the algae with a pump, try to pick it off with a toothpick or something, when it come off suck it up. If by any chance it does pop, the pump will be right next to it so that it will suck up the spores. It is debated if they do release spores, but better safe then a tank full of bubble algae

NONONONONONO!!!
THEY DO NOT RELEASE SPORES IF YOU POP THEM!!
Pop them all you want, it will NOT make it spread.

 

[Reeflix]

oh good! like I said, it is debated, and I guess it got debunked,

 

[CoralB]

oh good! like I said, it is debated, and I guess it got debunked,

Who debunked it ??

 

[Reeflix]

somebody said that when you pop it it doesn’t release spores

 

[Reeflix]

I also read that they have to be a certain size to release spores

 

[jackson6745]

If it doesn’t release spores how does it spread from rock to rock so easily? I don’t buy that debunking

 

[Reeflix]

I guess it doesn’t release spores when popped, it definitely releases spores on its own though. I don’t fully buy it either

 

[Asm481]

I use a hard plastic reusable straw cut at an angle so I can scrape the bubble of the rock. The straw is fitted tightly into vinyl tubing so while I scrape the siphon is sucking up debris. Once in a while the tube clogs with a bubble where I just squish it and go on. You can cover a big area cleaning out unwanted algae and debris.

 

[Pistondog]

The bubbles are tougher than they look, easy to twist off with tweezers if you can get at it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Who debunked it ??

Its still a toss up.
Ive seen both sides debated and this video is one.



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.
Had to do this in the past 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

 

[Pistondog]

Decide for yourself. From the wiki, the bubbles have multiple nuclei. A nucleus will become a child cell and form new bubbles. No mention of spores.

Valonia ventricosa - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org