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Bryopsis
Last updated on November 17th, 2023
About Bryopsis
Bryopsis is a nuisance macroalgae similar to green hair algae. The main difference in identifying bryopsis is that each strand feathers out like a fern.
Bryopsis is a reef tank algae that spreads quickly. Like other algae, bryopsis consumes nitrates and phosphates to grow, but is rarely eaten by reef inhabitants. This makes it particularly difficult to eradicate.
What Causes Bryopsis:
Bryopsis is often sprouted from a small piece of bryopsis that was on a coral, shell, or rock that was added to the reef tank. Phosphates and nitrates in the reef aquarium allow this algae to continue to grow in the reef aquarium.
How to get Rid of Bryopsis
The fastest way to remove bryopsis from your reef tank is to remove the rock from the aquarium and hand remove as much Bryopsis as possible. Then you may want to keep the rock in a quarantine system (without copper or any other medication) and starve it of any light to prevent the bryopsis from growing and die off. This can be done with a cardboard box around the aquarium. DO NOT try to remove bryopsis algae from the rock while the rock is in your reef tank. If a small piece drifts away, the bryopsis can spread to the rest of your reef tank.
Another low-cost method is to greatly elevate the magnesium in the rock's quarantine tank (NOT THE DISPLAY TANK) to somewhere between 1600 and 1700ppm. This will assist in killing off the bryopsis algae.
However, the best treatment for bryopsis seems to be using a Fluconazole Aquarium Treatment. One thing to watch out for is that when algae dies in the reef tank, it releases the nitrates and phosphates it absorbed in order to grow. If you treat with fluconazole, make sure to handle these excess nutrients and remove algae before it dies as possible.
Vibrant Aquarium Cleaner is another additive that claims to help with the removal of bryopsis. Vibrant contains bacteria that can help reduce nutrients in your reef tank, making it more difficult for brypsis to grow.
For a "best bet" solution to removing bryopsis, you can remove the rock, and clean it by hand outside of the reef tank. Then treat the rock in a dedicated quarantine tank with magnesium and fluconazole, while starving the quarantine take of light. All of this combine will be your best bet to fighting bryopsis algae.
One way to reduce nitrates and phosphates entirely, is by keeping a good refugium with cheato macroalgae and a strong refugium light. This algae will grow, and consume both nitrates and phosphates from the reef tank. Starving bryopsis of phosphates and nitrate, preventing it from growing.
What Eats Bryopsis
Though it is unlikely for cleanup crews to help fight bryopsis, it is possible. Standard algae eaters such as Yellow Tangs / Bristletooth Tangs as well as Rabbitfish may help, but bryopsis is not a preffered meal for them. There have been positive reports of Emerald Crabs eating brysopsis. You may need a large number of them, however, that may be worth it to end bryopsis in your reef tank!
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