Large Dark Red Spots

[jagillham]

Hi all,

I’ve had these two blood red spots on some slate for quite a long while, which I pretty much had ignored.

I have today noticed a few more of these spots around the tank. I’m assuming maybe some kind of algae, but my google searching didn’t seem to help.

The tank has been running for a couple years, and I have just in the last few weeks started to dose EI. I’m having some issues with the CO2, and have a fairly inefficient atomiser going. I’ll be converting to some kind of reactor soon.

Generally there is a lot of algae in the tank. I was having issues with very green string algae which I’m on top of now. However I’m still seeing little green hairs on a lot of things, and some black beard algae more recently. The flow is very good, so I think / hope it’s just a matter of dialling in the CO2 to help.

Any suggestions or identification on the spots or more generally welcomed.

 

[Courtneybst]

I found these in my last setup too! Some on the rocks and the glass. Have no idea what they were.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I’m assuming maybe some kind of algae, but my google searching didn’t seem to help.

Brilliant, I think you have something quite rare, and it is a <"Red Algae (Hildenbrandia rivularis)">. I've never seen it, but I've seen some of the marine species that look very similar.


Hildenbrandia rivularis (Liebmann) J.Agardh Rio Seracino, Cascine di Buti, Pisa, Italy
© Fabio Rindi (f.rindi@univpm.it)

Have a look at <"Krusten-Rotalgen im Aquarium - Hildenbrandia rivularis | WIKI"> you will need Google Translate.

cheers Darrel

 

[jagillham]

Thanks @dw1305 - an interesting read!

 

[DaveyG]

I have something similar in my aquarium.

 

[three-fingers]

Now I want this algae in my tank lol! Very interesting, I'm sure my nerites and plecs would eat it faster than it could grow though, unlike the BBA which they basically ignore once established.