Identification needed

[MItchell]

hello,

I had a tank with this algae problem, actually not sure if its algae.
These brown hollow branches start forming just below water mark and spread quickly, appearing all over the tank in a matter of days. They attach tightly to glass, plastic, sponge. etc. and are very tough to scrape off. Its transparent with small round black "spores" in the branches, I believe these act as seeds to spread it. I got rid of it by scrubbing down the tank.

I was wondering how I could prevent it from re-appearing?

Thanks,
Mitch

[Cheetah]

My Guess is that you have a tank invested with Hydra...... Not good to have in a fry tank, but I've heard that some ppl actually like to have these in their tanks..... They are quite smelly little beings..... In my experience, you got rid of them in the only way I know.... scrubbing the tank (allthough there are some fish that will eat Hydra)..... Also in my opinion Mitch..... I have only found them in tanks where I do not do my fair share of water changes...... but could probably be some other source as well.

[MItchell]

I looked at some pics on the web, Mine is not the same. Mine grows along the glass, at max it might be protruding 1mm fromm the glass.

[Cheetah]

Exactly as you describe it!.... that is Hydra.... I've also Googled images of it, but what they show there is microscoped multi magnifications of it..... It is a jelly-like substance that clings (very tightly) to the glass forming a network of "veins" on the glass, brownish in colour and protruding about 1mm from the glass..... If you look at them through a strong magnification glass, you can actually see the little Pollypses at the end of each "worm" like branch.....

Can anyone else be more descriptive, or offer an alternative ID??

[Zoom]

I recall once someone mentioning you connect a 9v battery to the tank somehow to get rid of it... larch ... your googling skills are required here.

[larch]

Its transparent with small round black "spores" in the branches, I believe these act as seeds to spread it. I got rid of it by scrubbing down the tank.


One of the interesting aspects of this animal is it's method of reproduction known as budding The small knob on the extended hydra is actually a baby growing out of the body of the parent.

So those "spores" you were seeing was most likely them reproducing.


http://server.gladstonefamily.net/pics/hydra.jpg

Picture is magnified though wont look like this to the naked eye. Dwarf and a pink gourami will eat hydra. Some snails will eat them too.

[johan008]

Mollies will also eat them and from what I hear is that you can't just get rid of them by scrubbing the tank because they live on your plants and your subtrate aswell