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Re: Algae problem, please advise (2nd attempt) "pompom" algae



Hi group!  Been a while since I posted.  Had to make time for this one:

>First of all, I'm having some trouble identifying the algae in question,
it looks like 
>green fur- balls, like little cheerleader's pompons, growing on my plants, 
>driftwood, tubing etc. What kind of algae is this?, I know it's not rare,
I just 
>don't know the name.

I don't know its Sci name (don't care to either).  But I do know this
scourge.  Its relatively slow growing but once its established its too late
to control it by manipulating water conditions.  Not even my vaulted
Florida Flagfish can handle it!   I don't believe its a real algae, my gut
tells me its some sort of photosynthetic fungi (if there is such a thing).
It tends to pop up in aged aquariums.  It has one weakness;  very hungry
algae shrimp.  Particularly pregnant shrimp; the pregnant females really
seem to go for this "algae".  THey eat it down to and remove the attachment
nub.  That is one reason I don't think it is a true algae.  The pregnat
shrimp may be after the proteins in its structure.

The good news is it  takes very few pregnant females to do the thorough job
on a fair sized aquarium.  The bad news is pregnant algae shrimp are hard
to find and when you do, they don't stay pregnant for ever.  I'd go with
the hungry shrimp route.  Takes many more but they do work.

http://www.floridadriftwood.com
Most Attractive African Driftwood