What. Is. This. Moss.

[Squeakfish]

It's driving me crazy! It's taken over my 40 and destroyed a mat of riccia I had. It grows on everything, feels like hair, but it's not hair algae. I've had to toss mats of java moss to the colombians because of this awful stuff! It's INFURIATING. It gets EVERYWHERE! :angryfire::angryfire:
It looks like thin, bright green moss. Feels like hair. Is NOT algae. What is it, and how do I kill it dead?

[petluvr]

Cladophora algae maybe?

[cam191919]

sounds like hair algae to me, take pics if you really doubt it tho

[Squeakfish]

I've had hair algae, I know it isn't that.
Will have pics tomorrow, just too tired right now.
If it's Claudophora, how do I make use of it and turn it into a marimo ball?

[LeahK]

My understanding is that hair algae comes in all kinds of fun varieties :)

I've got a wad of something that sounds similar to what you're talking about growing in my 20. It doesn't grow on surfaces, like some algae, but in a big wad like java moss will do when it's not tied down to anything. It almost looks like java moss from far away, but up close it looks sort of like a ball of green cotton candy.

It only appears in my 20, which gets direct sunlight, so I've just assumed it's a variety of hair algae. But I'll be interested to see your pics and hear what others have to say.

[seetharam]

Check the link below.... does it look anything like this ?

http://gwapa.org/articles/algae/#cladophora

[Squeakfish]

Yea, I'm pretty sure it's cladophora. Oh how unfortunate.
None of my tanks get direct sunlight, so there must be something else causing the outbreak.
How do I roll it into a ball then?

[jackiomy]

Check the link below.... does it look anything like this ?

http://gwapa.org/articles/algae/#cladophora


Very useful link. Thank you!

[petluvr]

Yea, I'm pretty sure it's cladophora. Oh how unfortunate.
None of my tanks get direct sunlight, so there must be something else causing the outbreak.
How do I roll it into a ball then?
I don't think you can marimos occur naturally in the downspouts of waterfalls if I am not mistaking.

[bluekrissyspike]

i don't think you can make it into a moss ball either. i get that on everything i get from my lps. i just remove it manually. i know they say moss balls are the same thing as that but i'm not convinced. when my moss balls loose 'threads' they grow into little balls, they don't keep growing into long strings.

[Squeakfish]

i don't think you can make it into a moss ball either. i get that on everything i get from my lps. i just remove it manually. i know they say moss balls are the same thing as that but i'm not convinced. when my moss balls loose 'threads' they grow into little balls, they don't keep growing into long strings.

I was joking about making it into a ball; there's no way it's the same type of Cladophora.

[BettaFishMommy]

hmmmm..... could you use one of those little tea strainers things thats round with holes in it to contain mosses until they intertwine enough to form a ball? or would that be too much of a no light situation for it to work? i know that's not really what this thread is about but its what popped into my noggin right now, lol.

[cam191919]

or just throw it into a tiny glass bowl, lol

[Squeakfish]

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u314/squeakaddict/101_0469.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u314/squeakaddict/101_0472.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u314/squeakaddict/101_0473.jpg

So, Cladophora?

[jenazen69]

That the same stuff for sure. Get it out before it chokes the life out of your plants.

[FrostyNYC]

A toothbrush is a great tool for getting clado out of a tank. The bristles catch onto the clado and pull it right out.