Cladophora algae

[pinkertd]

I have what I believe to be a clump of Cladophora algae growing in only one spot at the top of my large piece of malaysian driftwood, right under the lights, only a couple inches under the surface of the water. It's very pretty, and looks like moss. It is not growing anywhere else in the tank. It's a low tech planted tank. This algae even pearls! Anyone know of any reason why I should take it off the driftwood or kill it?

If you take a look at this planted tank, this is what my algae looks like: http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2000.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=1&id=74

[IceH2O]

Its a PITA to remove if its spreads would be the reason to get rid of it.

I had the same thing, I just took 5 ml of Flourish Excel and shot it right into the clump, it was dead that day.

[pinkertd]

Thanks Ice. That's what I was wondering...will it eventually spread. I figured that if I hit it with Excel it'll die. I don't use Excel often since the discus seem to not like it in the water. I'd love to have some moss grow on parts of that driftwood. Bought some weeping moss from one of the forum members once and I guess I killed that when I added Excel too.

[Sorab]

I dont find that clado is very invasive,I have let it grow on driftwood in the past because I liked the look of it, It was like yours growing close to the surface on wood in a low light tank. Its up to you I guess whether to leave it or not, I have some of it growing among some moss now, it is not that difficult to remove with tweezers if you dont like it.

[zzyzx85]

That looks like the algae that's growing amongst my moss. I recently cut back my lighting from 12 hours to 7 hours and hoping it'll go away. I did remove some of it by hand and it almost has a silk-like texture with long filaments.

[pinkertd]

Yes, it has a silk like texture with long filaments. I trimmed my bunch just for the heck of it.

[loaches r cool]

If I am not mistaken, clado has a very harsh abrasive texture, not silky. Are the filaments branching? Ive also heard some tanks get seriously infested, like growing on the substrate, snails shells, and I guess the tank had to be torn down and bleached. Hopefully what you have is not that.

[pinkertd]

The filaments do not branch. I googled staghorn, and thread, and it doesn't seem like either one of those. Maybe this weekend I can get a picture of it to post.

[loaches r cool]

Staghorn branches also and isnt nice green looking usually. Not saying it isnt some kind of clado, but I'd guess some kind of hair/thread algae. There are many types that fall under hair & thread and arent clearly documented. That looks very similar to what I had but mine seemed to get a little longer. Mine spread like mad, H2O2 spot treating for a while and the addition of some florida flagfish seemed to do the trick for me. But I would have to say that it does look very nice in your pics.

[pinkertd]

I don't need to post a pic! Mark has it growing on his driftwood in his discus tank too.....it's here: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1198802&posted=1#post1198802
So.....does anyone know if it is in fact clado?

[zzyzx85]

It's been a while since this thread was posted on but I guess some sort of update would be nice.

pinkertd: That algae in your link is indeed clado. It looks exactly like what I have growing in my java moss.

My problem is that I have clado and hair/thread algae growing throughout my java moss. It's kinda annoying because I'd like a nice java moss patch on my driftwood but I'm getting this algae on it as well. I guess I should just let it be and hope the java moss out-competes the algae.

I have DIY CO2, 2*14W dual strip T5 on for 5 hours a day. I have Flourish but I'm not sure if I should use it or not.

[mcsassy]

If I am not mistaken, clado has a very harsh abrasive texture, not silky. Are the filaments branching? Ive also heard some tanks get seriously infested, like growing on the substrate, snails shells, and I guess the tank had to be torn down and bleached. Hopefully what you have is not that.

True. I have it in my salty tank and it's coarse as stated above.