marimo moss balls and hair algae

[tranceFusion]

My Mom's 5g tank has a bunch of moss balls in it and recently some kind of hair algae seems to be cropping up - attached to the drift wood and among the java moss. the filaments of the algae looks pretty much identical to the moss balls but it is not quite so densely packed.

I realize the moss balls are a type of cladophora algae so I am wondering if the appearance of the hair algae to the tank is cause by the moss balls?

 

[Que]

I don't know but my marimo balls have hair algae growing in/on them as well.

Q

 

[Mgamer20o0]

no i dont think so

 

[Marinemom]

Float some hornwort(it's cheap) in the tank. It is a fast grower and will suck up the nutrients outcompeting the algae. I did this in my tanks and most or all of the algae is gone.

Marinemom

 

[H3D]

Marimo balls have caused hair algae to form in every tank I placed them in.

 

[jackiomy]

I have hair algae in my 20 gallon that I have a moss ball in. But I also have them in my 40 gal and 3 gal and no hair algae. The jury is still out for me.

 

[H3D]

Not for me. The moss balls are definitely the culprit. I do think this problem can be avoided by keeping them in a low light tank with lots of movement.

 

[phanmc]

Even though they be from the same genus doesn't mean they will attract or grow into a similar species, it just doesn't work that way in nature. Mutations may occur but that is extremely rare and will be an entirely new organism.

The surface area of the marimo balls are ideal for algae however, since they're very sponge-like and can trap nutrients for algae.

 

[H3D]

Marimo balls are hair algae it doesn't need to mutate. The little hairs they are made of will attach to anything if the marimo ball touches it for long enough. I just pulled one out of my tank and the entire bottom was attached to the gravel.

 

[phanmc]

There are different kinds of Cladophora, marimo balls (Aegagropila linnaei) is quite different from the kind encountered in typical aquariums. I've had marimo balls for a long time and never had it become invasive. If you clean it periodically and keep a balanced tank it doesn't become unruly.