Sargassum

[Delphinus]

Anyone ever try to transplate any? It seems rhizomal. Can I cut one the rhizhomes (runners) and secure it somewhere and hope it will take?

And a second question. Will a yellow tang pretty much decimate sargassum in a display tank? I am kind of imagining that the possibility exists...

[Troy F]

My yellow tang wouldn't touch it. Can't comment on transplanting it as the only thing I ever did with the stuff was remove it. I'm fairly sure it is unkillable.

[Delphinus]

Is it a bad thing to have in a tank? I figured it can't be much different than caulerpa. Does this stuff go sexual at all?

[Troy F]

Mine never did, it grows rapidly and is easy to prune so it must be soaking up some nutrients. The only thing about it I don't like is; it's kind of ugly. I don't think it is unicellular like caulerpa but I don't know a heck of a lot about it. I have oodles of it in my new system, I'm sure it'll start taking off as soon as the other alga is consumed/removed.

[christyf5]

One of the guys at J&L mentioned that the stuff does go sexual and can muck up your tank. He said it wouldn't kill anything but it would make your tank rather unsightly. He suggested keeping it in check with regular pruning.

Christy smile.gif

[SuperFudge]

Tony,

My purple nor yellow will not touch the stuff.

It will transplant and grow easily.
The best thing about sargassum is that it is so much easier to harvest it from your tank,being that it doesnt have the root system.

Marc.

[Bob I]

I used to have some as you know Tony. Then I got a Sally Lightfoot, and he ate it all. I guess anything that destroys Bubble Algae would just think of sargassum as a light snack. :(

[DJ88]

Tony,

the best I have seen for clearing this stuff out is hermits and emeralds.. can't say about tangs tho. Some do I think while others don't.. maybe Emily and Troy can add in on this one.

With that said tho, I can't see a bristle tooh style tang eating it. ie Kole, Chevron, lavender. They are more the rasping style of eaters. diatoms smaller aglaes. etc.

[Delphinus]

Actually, the issue is I DON'T want it to be eliminated, and am hoping the a yellow tang WON'T completely go to town on it. I kind of like it, for now ...

[DJ88]

oh I know you want it.. just mentioning things I have seen eat it. smile.gif and the tags I think WON'T eat it. smile.gif

[Delphinus]

Thanks. I don't have any of those, though. tongue.gif But I do have a yellow that I want to move into this tank in question. What is your prediction about this guy, (yes it will go to town on the stuff?) ?

Ever try transplating any?? If I can move some into a 'fuge then I will be happy with that.

[DJ88]

I don't know that a yellow will eat that stuff. Its not the filamentous algae they seem to crave.. but you never know.. try taking a piece and see if the little guy eats it.. A tasty snack so to speak. smile.gif I'd shoot for fuge first.. then tank after it has overgrown fuge. then you can see if Mr Fishy eats it.. :D

[Delphinus]

Do you want any more sargassum Bob? I am starting to have a bit of a crop of this stuff. If you would like a cutting, let me know (I guess that can be my little experiment to see how well I can transplant the stuff, although, it looks like it should transplant OK if it's the same thing Superfudge has?)

That's an interesting point you bring up though. I also have a nice little crop of bubble/valonia and I was thinking of picking up an emerald to clean that up. Looks like if I want to keep any it will be a "refugium plant only" after I've got that guy.

Thanks Christy, Superfudge, Bob, Troy, DJ88. You guys have answered all my questions.. smile.gif

[ 04 July 2002, 07:32: Message edited by: delphinus ]

[ldzielak]

I have had too many battles with what I was told is "Sargassum" To knowledge I have never found a fish to touch it yet. I have found it thrives on my rocks and is calcarous. Allan @ J&L told me the only way he found to get it out was to hand pick it off using tweasers. Can't tell you how many friends have laughed at me while I sat over a bucket of old water from a water change an pick this stuff off grinding the roots out.

When I let it get big, I get what looks like buds, or seed pouches. I always remove them, but I keep waiting longer each time (just being and idiot, waiting to see if something is realy going to happen) So for now nothing is spreading and I just keep it in check for now.

Lee