Attack of the Algae!

[Reefdude5]

Well, It's like one of those sci fi stories, attack of the killer hair algae! A sea fan (not sure what spp. It's kinda red, stiff, looks like the dried out ones, no polpys. I bought it from my LFS a couple days ago. Well the few strands of hair that were on it are now a great many strands! It was a very expensive on also. I want to get the algae off but I don't want to hurt it... (really Austin, you don't want to hurt it?) now I'm talking to myself! Too late! Anyways, should I gently brush it with say a tooth brush, dip it in something, I'm out of ideas!

[dark horge]

First of all, some gorgonians can look positively hairy when their polyps' very long tentacles are all out and extended. They will retract when disturbed, though. Are you absolutely sure that's hair algae? If so...

If the sea fan is truly dead, take it out and soak it for a minute in stiff kalkwasser. Then rinse it in saltwater (throw the rinsewater away) and return to the tank.

If the sea fan is possibly alive in some parts, then you can try to to surgically swab only the dead parts with vinegar --or else manually scrape the algae off, followed by a rinse with saltwater
(rinsewater to be thrown away).

hth, and others may have ideas.

[Reefdude5]

I thought gorgonians weren't supposed to come out of the water. It definatly is hair algae. And do you mean scape the algae off with vinegar?

[Spanky]

Austin,

Can you get a ID on that thing? Most all gorgs shed their skin. That's the way they clean themselves. If that's the case, then just wait and see.

BUT, it's also common for hair algae to grow on any dead places on them too. The dead tissue feeds the algae.

Look at it close and try to tell if it's dead or alive.

Jerel

[dark horge]

I said "take it out" if you were sure it was dead.

Physical scrape-off is done with an implement (guitar pick, razor blade, etc.) and again obviously where there is no living tissue left. The vinegar swab involves soaking a cloth wad with vinegar and then applying it to one algae-infested area and leaving it there for a bit. This is all done while the gorg is still sitting in the display --unless you are running a nano (in which case a gorg is pretty out of place) the acidity won't affect the whole-tank pH. Then, next day, move on to the next patch. Some people scrape then swab.

Works best while the pumps are off, so the vinegar doesn't get rinsed out right away. Again this is all about a patchwork of dead and live areas... If there's a WHOLE branch that's healthy, I'd just as soon cut it off and attach it to a rock via plastic cable tie, and let it try to grow

Generally speaking gorgs don't withstand emersion too well, but I've done it unintentionally at times, and the specimen turned out none much worse for wear. It depends how healthy the specimen is and how dry the air is and how long it's hung out there...blah blah blah


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Many gorgs are among the hardest inverts to keep happy in a tank. Make sure your water params are okay by them and you have an accdeptable food for them, before taking any gorgs on.


horge