Odd growth on bogwood

[mrtom]

I'd be intrested in identifing this growth on bogwood. It appeared two months ago.
Any movment is due to the efect of pump.

Dropbox - 180 L tnk .MTS

Dropbox - bog growth notice plant growing from bogwood at the end of clip .MTS

I'm not at all convinced it is algae....thoughts welcome

 

[Henry]

Looks like something from a John Carpenter film. Flamethrower it!

 

[Samuran]

So when the pumps are turned off it doesnt move?....

 

[mrtom]

correct
Dropbox - odd growth on bob wood. pump off.MTS

 

[Samuran]

I've got to agree with Henry...

No idea what it is, hopefully one of the more knowledgeable members will have a look.

 

[BigTom]

Some sort of Thorea like algae would be my guess, but I'm well out of my comfort zone.

Thorea - Google Search

Lots of plants. | Page 2 | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Darrel?

 

[Henry]

I'd put my money on you being correct, Tom.
Freaky looking thing. I'd be hesitant to attempt taking it out, in case it fought back!

 

[mrtom]

Other informed opinion from tropica.dk
Thanks for your mail and the videos. This is much better. I have, once again, shown the videos to one of our aquascapers. He doesn’t think it’s a plant but rather some kind of cnidariae – an animal species found in aquatic or marine environments. It may be a so-called hydra (within the cnidariae species). Apparently, it sometimes happens that these animals get into an aquarium if, for instance, the fish have been feed with alive food. Of course this is just a possible explanation and all very theoretic but none the less very interesting.

 

[BigTom]

Google shows the Thorea having lots of very fuzzy 'hairs' on them, could you get a close look at a piece?

Neue Rotalgen - aquamax

The above link is in German, but google translate does a good job with it.

 

[mrtom]

I can get a microscope though it may be a couple of days...

 

[BigTom]

A good close eyeballing might be sufficient.

 

[mrtom]

no fuzzy hairs, smooth surface.

 

[Samuran]

does it do anything if you poke it with a stick?

 

[mrtom]

Well the fish are ingnoring it !

 

[BigTom]

Hmm, well that's me out of ideas. My 'hairy' criteria might be wrong though, looking again at Alan's photos the Thorea looks pretty smooth at normal magnification.

 

[dw1305]

Some sort of Thorea like algae would be my guess

I'm pretty sure that is the right answer. Could be a valuable plant for the extreme aquascaping community, £20 a tentacle perhaps?

cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Alan's photo (from Tom's linked in post) is here, we think that your plant is this grown out:

cheers Darrel

 

[mrtom]

Hi all,
Alan's photo (from Tom's linked in post) is here, we think that your plant is this grown out:

cheers Darrel

Ah yes dw1305. I'm well impressed! Can you identify? I see it emerging elswhere in my tank and now how do I trim / maintain this ?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Can you identify?

I had no idea, other than it is a Red algae (Rhodophyta), and they are mainly marine, but Alan thinks it is Thorea hispida.

This looks likely from the German page Tom linked <Neue Rotalgen - aquamax>.

cheers Darrel