I would remove them personally as they can spread at a good rate especially if broken open , If I am correct in thinking they can reproduce asexually .. if that is the case it can cause the water perameters to go out of wack .....Mithrax crabs graze on these ....Siphioning them out is the best way to remove them with out breaking them open
here is an excerpt from
www.wetwebmedia.com
Hey Gang! How's it going? Well I hope! Quick question for Anthony, (or anyone that can ID this bubble algae(?),
<Correct... Valonia or a like genera>
I've read that these bubbles are BAD news.
<Correct... never rupture these cells in the tank... they may be in a reproductive/spore state. Simply tie a toothbrush to the end of a siphon and siphon them away while scrubbing to suck juice from ruptured cells>
The larger bubbles are fairly easy to siphon off the rocks, but the groups of smaller bubbles grow very tight & compacted in areas about the size of a half dollar in a single layer, and are harder to remove. Is there a critter available that'll eat this stuff?
Thanks for the help,
Scott In Denver
<An enormous amount has been written about bubble algae in the WWM archives and abroad on the Internet. There are few foolproof predators (some tangs and Mithraculus crabs help but are not without their own dangers/aggression). Frankly, the strong growth of all of these algae you've shown us (bubble, Bryopsis, Kelp, etc) is suggestive of nutrient control problems current or pending in your system. Do consider if the skimmer has been working well enough and if feeding/water changes are appropriate. Else, it could catch up to you down the road. I also forgot to mention in your other e-mail today that Elysia crispata (Lettuce nudibranchs) can help control Bryopsis algae. And the thin bright green algae in this messages picture is Neomeris... a very handsome and desirable species. Best regards, Anthony
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/grnalgfaqs2.htm
HTH :mrgreen:
