Green Dust Algae

4414 Views 15 Replies 7 Participants Last post by jg2013, Dec 26, 2013

jmr201

Discussion Starter · Sep 24, 2007

I have had some trouble with this algae for a while and it was transferred from my home tank to the tank I have set up at my university. Now since I am a biology major I have grown very interested to find out exactly what this algae really is. So I took some samples and with the help of three professors we have identified this algae. It is a Chlamydomonas spp. This is a biflagellate algae meaning it has two flagellum. Flagella are used for motion for those who may not know what they are. We have not been able to identify the exact species because it requires genetic testing that my professor may conduct because he happens to use Chlamydomonas in his research experiments. Now I have heard talk of zoospores but this is inaccuarte. The algae itself is motile. This algae does have a tendency to settle on things like glass which is normal. This explains why wiping the algae from the glass has no effect. It is not the spores from the algae but the algae itself that reattaches to the glass. I have also seen where green dust algae was named as Ankistrodesmus but in my case it is not and I think this is inaccurate. I have read many descriptions of green dust algae and seen pictures and it looks identical to mine. Now I can not offer anyways to get rid of it but at least now we can all be more knowledgable as to the name of the algae. It would also be wise to stay away from common names such as GDA, BBA, GSA, BGA because while helpful it can also lead to confusion. A good way to begin referring to algae would be to include the common name as well as the scientific name to eliminate confusion. If available use scientific names and hopefully I will be able to identify more types of algae so that we may know their scientific names and refer to them in an appropriate manner. This also helps with knowing the scientific names of fish to eliminate any ambiguity when ordering or asking about fish. I hope to next be able to identify a type of BBA. Since BBA appears in different colors (as do many alga) hopefully we can distinguish between the different types with thier appropriate names. Thanks!

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Tdon1md

· #2 · Sep 24, 2007 (Edited)

Not to be cynical but identifying them by their scientific names with no more information on controlling/eliminating them will be helpful to non-educated schmucks like me how exactly? And I'll try to keep an open mind!:icon_wink
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mistergreen

· #3 · Sep 24, 2007

cool, good to know.

eh, I don't mind GDA, GSA or BGA terms. It's quick & easy to remember.

jaidexl

· #4 · Sep 24, 2007

The problem with this is that most unwitting algae growers don't own a microscope or have access to genetic testing. I've grown BBA for months before realizing it was actually Oedogonium and not Audouinella, who knows which of the >475 described species of Oedogonium it was (excuse me if it's more now, I'm not that algaeducated). And that error was on eyesight alone, I'd be worthless deciphering Ankistrodesmus vs Chlamydomonas.

mistergreen

· #5 · Sep 26, 2007

oh! you can get a cheapo microscope @ toys r us for $20.. it's not the best thing in the world but you can see things as small as a protozoan.

jmr201

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 26, 2007

It is not worthless. It is called education. Some people might be interested to know what exactly it is. For those who do they will enjoy it. Correctly naming things is important for biologist and I thought I would share the knowledge with any fellow biologists out there. If you don't care then don't reply with "I don't care, it won't help me.". It is for educational purposes. And I also didn't ask anyone to buy a microscope so they could identify it. I was merely stating that in time we might be able to come up with a system of better identifying and talking about our algae since it comes in many different forms. This is better than a really broad catch-all name.

Tdon1md

· #7 · Sep 26, 2007 (Edited)

Dude, I was right there with you, hanging on every word, thinking to myself, wow, this guy really dug deep. I was about to respond with a "Thanks so much for all the info. I appreciate all of your hard work!!!" But then your post turned ugly. It happened right here.............

jmr201 said:
It would also be wise to stay away from common names such as GDA, BBA, GSA, BGA because while helpful it can also lead to confusion. A good way to begin referring to algae would be to include the common name as well as the scientific name to eliminate confusion. If available use scientific names and hopefully I will be able to identify more types of algae so that we may know their scientific names and refer to them in an appropriate manner.

If you want to call Algae by it's scientific name and that's helpful to you, I applaud, support, even venerate you. BUT DON'T FLIPPIN TELL ME HOW I SHOULD REFER TO STUFF. I TAKE IT AS A HUGE INSULT, ALMOST LIKE YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THEN ME, SEATED HIGH ATOP A PERCH IN A CRYSTAL PALACE CUZ YOU HAVE ALL THIS KNOWLEDGE AND I HAVE NONE!

Fact is I'm kinda like a sponge right now trying to learn everything I can about this marvelous, beautiful, addicting hobby. I read all I can get my hands on and try my best to apply the things that seem most beneficial first. But I don't like my in-experience and lack of knowledge rubbed in my face.

<Steps down from the soap box, wipes his brow, and nods his head thinking "yeah, I think I just about covered all the territory I wanted to....">
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jaidexl

· #8 · Sep 26, 2007 (Edited)

jmr201 said:
It is not worthless. It is called education. Some people might be interested to know what exactly it is. For those who do they will enjoy it. Correctly naming things is important for biologist and I thought I would share the knowledge with any fellow biologists out there. If you don't care then don't reply with "I don't care, it won't help me.". It is for educational purposes. And I also didn't ask anyone to buy a microscope so they could identify it. I was merely stating that in time we might be able to come up with a system of better identifying and talking about our algae since it comes in many different forms. This is better than a really broad catch-all name.

I wasn't calling your methods worthless, not sure who you directed that one at. And I wasn't suggesting you ask everyone to buy a microscope, I was just stating a fact, take it or leave it, most aren't going to buy one even if you ask.

Side note: If you want another challenge, there is a recent "what is it" algae thread with an image of some bright green tufts with a similar form factor to BBA... er, Audouinella. I really want to know what that stuff is, I plan on using it in a scape whenever it hitchhikes it's way to me.

jmr201

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 28, 2007

It wsan't written in a tone of "i'm better than you"! I just wanted to stress the importance of proper naming. I mean I had to get some Siamese Algae Eaters, so I went to the lfs and ordered some. Well they had they listed under three different common names. So the owner order all three just to see wich ones were the correct ones. But if fish companies sold by scientific names then it might help eliminate some confusion (although I realize it still might not). I really wasn't trying to tell anyonw how to do anything, it was a suggestion and meant in the nicest possible way

. I am really not like that, on a high perch. Please don't be mad!! I mean I still refer to common names because it's easier, but I also try to learn scientific names too. Again please don't take it the wrong way it was not meant in a negative way.

JenThePlantGeek

· #10 · Sep 28, 2007

How tough is it to ID algae down to at least the genus name without a microscope? If ID without a micro is possible and easy, I'd love to learn the scientific names of algae. If not then it'd just be guesswork (much like trying to figure out which moss is which - nearly impossible, but you can get a good guess) and it can cause more confusion than it cures if you guess incorrectly. Thus far I've not seen too many sites or books or any good solid way of getting a scientific name ID, just because it's such a broad spectrum and there is SO much variation. Are you saying that ALL green dust type algae is Chlamydomonas spp. - or is that just the one you observed?

You're absolutely right about it eliminating confusion - it really is a good idea to slowly but surely learn the scientific names of plants and fish, and after about a million times of spelling Cryptocoryne incorrectly, it's finally sunk in for me! :hihi:. If you don't know the scientific names then it certainly doesn't mean you're stupid. The info is out there and if you want to you can pick it up eventually or not as it suites you.

If the scientific names of algae start to become more available, it'd be great to start using them! Do you have any books or sites you can point me to?

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jaidexl

· #11 · Sep 28, 2007

I definitely agree about fish. It's far too easy to use scientific names rather than adding more confusing generic terms. It's futile for stores to put out care sheets if they can't label the fish properly or educate the buyer before they take their money.

I wasn't disagreeing, like you should just give up on people learning taxonomy, it could do nothing but good (my last response came off a bit cocky, edited to avoid a firestorm) . But when someone like myself starts to realize the vastness of variations, as Jen mentioned, many of which have to be deciphered on a molecular level, then all of the forms one species can take on throughout their life cycle (marine algae for example), it's starts to get a bit daunting to even think about it. But I think if we could at least get the right genus and maybe narrow it down to a handful of species in that genus, then it could be a big help as long as we could identify specific causes and solutions. Though, I personally feel it would be a more useful venture for environmental impact studies than for the hobbyist.

At this point, I think it's getting fairly easy to recognize causes and solutions regardless of the type. Once you have so many algae fights under your belt, it gets a lot easier to nail down what changes induced it, whatever it is, and reversing those changes is easy enough.

That said, I would still be all for soaking up whatever info you could give on identification and classification, but I would still need to get a microscope before I was comfortable identifying anything in my own tanks beyond the common names.

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Carissa

· #12 · Sep 28, 2007

If there are any resources out there that can help someone identify algae using a microscope (i.e. pictures to compare with, etc.) that would be great. I would buy a microscope in a heartbeat. But without any information I won't know what I'm looking at.

jaidexl

· #13 · Sep 28, 2007

You can find a lot of them online, although lots of it is buried in PDFs under loads of jargon. And, of course, you must know what species you're after first or you're just staring at a bunch of little green aliens.

SCMurphy

· #14 · Sep 29, 2007

If we were writing for publication the scientific names would be a good idea. If we are writing online in a forum asking for help, then an acronym for the 'class' of algae that is to be fought off should be adequate to convey the meaning. It makes life easier for everyone who is not a biologist, phycologist, limnologist, or ecologist who still has algae in their tanks that they wish to eliminate.

jmr201

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 5, 2007

To Jen:

The type of Green spot algae I have encountered is Chlamydomonas spp. I'm not so sure of everyone else but I tend to think that it is the same based on descriptions. I can also tell you that is has a very pungent smell when doing a water change. I will try to make desscriptions, as I can, that will help us to identify the algae without using a microscope (which is darn near impossible). Descriptions can even be down to the way it smells or the way it looks when disturbed. GDA (Chlamy.) has a very distinct look to it when disturbed. I will try to get (good) pictures when I can.

To everyone else who responded:

Thanks for your posts and support. If anyone would like to send me samples of algae, PM and I'll get you the address. Algae is actually quite useful because they are indicators of a lack or surplus of nutrients. Certain types of algae will tell you what deficiencies you have. It is a natural test kit!! And it is totally free!! Can't get much better than that! :hihi:

G

· #16 · Dec 26, 2013

I think I have the same algae problem. Did your Chlamydomonas show circadian rhythm? In my aquarium the water is cloudy during the day and clear at night. How did you get rid of your Chlamydomonas problem?

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