Hair Algae

[recall]

Does anyone have a picture of an outbreak of hair algae?? Reason I ask is that I recently bought a lawnmower blenny to relieve myself of the small batches of hair algae growing on the LR. Well this guy wont touch it. I'm not sure what hes eating. Looks healthy after a week but I have not seem him eat once. Havnt seen him eating what I think is hair algae and he also hasnt touched the "Green Marine Algae" I clipped on. Last thing i want is for this guy to die because there was no food for him.

[Mrs Smith]

Hair algae, eh? Well, you're talking to the expert. We've been battling it for nearly a year and have it finally beat into submission.

It sounds like the question you're really asking is "Is this hair algae or is it something else." The "something else" that people worry about is Bryopsis, which practically nothing, save one nudi, eats.

Hair grows in clumps at first, and it is very soft to the touch - like baby hair. Bryopsis tends to grow in feathery bunches and is much more coarse.

If it makes you feel any better, we had a Lawnmower blenny who wouldn't touch it. He preferred the film algae on the glass. If you just got him, he may still be warming up to it. If he's perched in the open, hanging out and being active, he's probably fine.

How long has this been going on? Is it a new-ish tank? What have you tried?

Danielle

[recall]

Ok, it sounds like this is definately hair algae. The tank is 6 months old. About a week after i started the tank there were two ~1 square " clumps of this algae on two if the rocks. Over the next few months these patches grew to ~ 3-4 sq ". I cleaned one off the rock and it has not come back. The other has not spread but now there are a few small patches on the other side of the tank. I figured its best to stop this outbreak before it starts but the blenny is not cooperating =]. Worst case scenario, I can just take the blenny back (or supliment food) and clean the rocks myself. Problem is, all the rock will have to be rearranged to clean this clump.

[Reef-Dood]

I knew this little fella would come in handy before I flush him!