# Long, black, and stringy algae



## Kai (Mar 31, 2003)

Hi all,

I had to tear down my old planted tank largely because of a massive algae outbreak. I move out of my folk's house and left my 29 gallon tank with them. When I came back about 2 months later, the entire tank was filled with this weird black algae. It was long and curly, and grew largely on the leaves of the plants. I literally could not see the plants at that point.

So yea, I was wondering what kind of algae that was, and how I can prevent it from overtaking my new tank.

Thanks in advance


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## kor4ever (Feb 26, 2003)

Check here for algae identification:

http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm

I think you have brush algae.

Felix


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## Kai (Mar 31, 2003)

Oh yea, it's brush algae. Thanks  Looks like I'll need to keep a couple SAE's around, just in case.


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## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

That sounds more like hair.
Does it begin on the edges of leaves? Gets long, and inch or more, sometimes curly like, uh, leg hair?

A pair of rosy barbs ate this in my tank within a matter of hours 90% was gone. By morning all gone. They will eat plants when all algea runs out, so I feed steamed lettuce on occasion when I see them nipping plants.


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## Kai (Mar 31, 2003)

I can't really remember. I do believe it was curly and each individual strand was quite thick, maybe 5-7 times the thickness of a human hair.


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