White Algae ID

[Myrtle]

Whatever this one is, it's quite attractive (at least at this size!) but I'm struggling to get a fix on it.
The tank is a low tech nano, not very old and contains 3 juvenile B. imbellis. There are a lot of fast growing plants as well as this Java fern.
I'm not terribly fussed by it but I hate having unidentified lifeforms!

 

[MichaelJ]

I've never seen this before. But it's an interesting one... Its hard to get a sense of scale from the picture btw... it almost looks like a root system... I think there are white hair algae's but can't say if this is it. Cant wait to hear what others have to say.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Myrtle]

It's on a medium sized Java fern leaf; the clump is probably about the size of the end of my thumb and I'm sure it wasn't there a few days ago (I may be wrong!). I wondered if it had bleached as its very close to the surface?
More context:

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi @Myrtle

I'm pretty sure that it's a form of Staghorn Algae (Compsopogon caeruleus). Please take a look at the following:

Staghorn algae - | Aquasabi

Red algae in the aquarium

www.aquasabi.com

It's a common invader into our tanks.

JPC

 

[Myrtle]

It's also slimy to touch, well silky really!

 

[Myrtle]

I had wondered that but the colour threw me!

 

[Myrtle]

It's quite attractive really, in an odd way.

 

[MichaelJ]

'm pretty sure that it's a form of Staghorn Algae (Compsopogon caeruleus). Please take a look at the following:

Good catch @jaypeecee.

It's a common invader into our tanks.

I've had countless tanks with countless types algae, including staghorn, but never seen anything white like this before...

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Myrtle]

The third image down on the Aquarium Science page looks almost identical and mentions sometimes looking almost white. Well, if im.going to get algae, at leat i got a pretty one!

 

[MichaelJ]

The third image down on the Aquarium Science page looks almost identical and mentions sometimes looking almost white. Well, if im.going to get algae, at leat i got a pretty one!

Yup! thats it!

Cheers,
Michael

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi Folks,

You will no doubt find the following an interesting read:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/edn3.139

Bit of an eye-opener, eh?

JPC

P.S. If I've made an error here, it will have to wait until tomorrow before I can correct it. Please be patient with me!

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi Everyone,

I guess the link I provided above came as no surprise to people. I do believe that I may have mentioned this elsewhere on UKAPS.

JPC

 

[Myrtle]

Hi Everyone,

I guess the link I provided above came as no surprise to people. I do believe that I may have mentioned this elsewhere on UKAPS.

JPC

Admittedly, a lot of it went over my head! I meant to go back and re-read it and promptly forgot, sorry. Now I have though and, as you say, it isn't surprising, but this part caught my attention "Also, we posit that aquaria may serve as an unintentional ex situ conservation site for freshwater red algae that are vulnerable to water pollution due to anthropogenic disturbances.". It hadn't even crossed my mind that algae could be threatened in any way!

 

[sparkyweasel]

It hadn't even crossed my mind that algae could be threatened in any way!

I keep threatening mine, but it doesn't seem bothered.