Dino ID

[watkinsmd]

Hello Everyone--

I'm hoping I can get some help in identifying and getting rid of an annoying pest in my tank. I think these are dinos but would like to confirm.

Been battling this for a year now. First it started out as snot on my rockwork but that's now cleared up after significant effort. Now they appear to have moved to my sand. They appear as a brown dusting on my sand and if I leave them long enough, bubbles will appear in the brown dusting. Daily sand vacuuming just results in the mess coming back and I've spent a fortune in salt doing water changes. I tried lights out for 3 days and it knocked them back but inevitably they returned.

I suspect they are Ostreopsis; what I am seeing under the microscope looks exactly like what I'm finding online. The magnified pic (80X) shows grains of sand with the dynos. It's not the best pic but they look like little footballs and they move. Also to note, I have lost a ton of snails that end up dying after eating them off the glass, sand, or rocks. Interestingly enough, I've got bumble bee snails and they seem unaffected.

Any help would be much appreciated on identifying and getting rid of these. I've got a Red Sea Reefer 525xl for tank size reference. Parameters are all okay. In fact, if I go down to zero NO3 and PO4, the dyno problem only gets worse.

 

[KJ]

Not a Dianoflagellatestes it is a Diatoms.

 

[watkinsmd]

Not a Dianoflagellatestes it is a Diatoms.

Don't think so--been through my share of diatom cycles with new tanks. Also, diatoms don't move on their own.

 

[KJ]

Don't think so--been through my share of diatom cycles with new tanks. Also, diatoms don't move on their own.

Did you check Silicate level in your tank? Diatoms not always appear in new tanks the feed on Silicate!
#refsquad
DIATOMS:

Diatoms are just a natural things that happens in a new aquarium and will normally will subside with in a few weeks to a couple months.


ID: This Algae normally forms on the sand, glass and rock work of a new tank. It has a variety of colors from a dark reddish color to tan, brown and green. On a lot of occasions there will be oxygen bubble's trapped in the algae from photosynthesis.

HOW TO CONTROL IT:
Medium to strong flow across the sand bed and rock, and watch the amounts of Silicate being added to the system ( top off water and water change purity is the main cause for silicate being introduced to the system )

NATURAL HERBIVORES:
Astrea snail, Turbo snail, Tangs, Trochus snail, Almost all blennies.

 

[Steve Erekson]

Do they move like roombas or do they appear to pivot in a circle around a point?

 

[watkinsmd]

Do they move like roombas or do they appear to pivot in a circle around a point?

They move more like a Roomba but there are a few that go in circles, but that could be random. Attached is a short video where you can see both types of movement. I also noticed that they appear to be contracting to propel themselves with a jet rather than with a whip. Unfortunately, the microscope I have on hand isn't powerful enough to see any sort of whip or tail. For reference, the large object is a piece of fine sand. Link to Dino Video Here

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like diatoms but behavior of osteo dino. Either way for both:
First- Check phosphates and nitrates to assure theyre not elevated.
Here is full program:
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly