Small Cell Amphidinium @ 400X???

Dweezilz · Mar 13, 2023

Are these Small Cell Amphidinium Dinos? I've been suspicious for the last month (see other posts) because the brown uglies have lasted 3 month (6 month old tank), however besides a stray Dino here and there in GHA I didn't find anything besides Diatoms. Until today that is when I finally found a clump of brown goop on return spouts so I put that under the scope and sure enough it seems there's hundreds and hundreds of what appear to be veryt fast and very small looking Dinos. Video and pictures are 400X. I'm guessing this is a problem! It's odd I'd have these since the Dino guide says rarely seen in aquaria. It says to treat like other Dinos and not like Large Cell Amphidinium. They will the self destruct after 9 days of darkness.

Is this a confirmed ID and what are my options to eradicate? Luckily it's a Fowlr so I could do 9-10 days of darkness. Does that mean taping cardboard to the glass or will lights out suffice? It's in a 'darker' corner. What else can I do besides that. I need to raise Phosphates too because they seem to be close to 0 if not 0. Nitrate is 13.5. (see other post for full water params). Not sure how to raise those either but will research. Any help on that would be great too.

Amphidinium Dinos!

youtube.com

taricha · Mar 13, 2023

Yes, that video is small cell amphidinium. I'm guessing the picture is with a slide cover that is squishing the cells a bit and changing their shape to round.

Dweezilz · Mar 13, 2023

taricha said:
Yes, that video is small cell amphidinium. I'm guessing the picture is with a slide cover that is squishing the cells a bit and changing their shape to round.

No slide cover but my highest magnification lens is in the water on the slide so maybe squishing them. Any advice to get rid of them? I don't think the tank is over run yet because I really can't find many in the sand or water. They seem mostly stuck on my power heads and return nossel and overflow combs and maybe on the glass to some degree.

Dweezilz · Mar 13, 2023

Dweezilz said:
No slide cover but my highest magnification lens is in the water on the slide so maybe squishing them. Any advice to get rid of them? I don't think the tank is over run yet because I really can't find many in the sand or water. They seem mostly stuck on my power heads and return nossel and overflow combs and maybe on the glass to some degree.

Dweezilz · Mar 13, 2023

Scratch that...just took a sample of some of the fuzzies on the rocks...they are there just not in huge numbers like the other spots.

taricha · Mar 13, 2023

I'd run a uv and not worry too much.

Dweezilz · Mar 17, 2023

taricha said:
I'd run a uv and not worry too much.

So I got my setup for UV and posted a question on the Mack's group about dosing NeoPhos since my PO4 is 0 and they said that Small Cell A's don't go into the water column much so UV is not as helpful with them. The Dino ID PDF you wrote says that LCA doesn't go into the water column, but SCA acts like the others so use the standard treatment.

What's the scoop? Now I'm confused about the UV. I hope I didn't just waste $300 buying my setup for the UV I'm planning to start this weekend.

taricha · Mar 17, 2023

Dweezilz said:
The Dino ID PDF clearly says that LCA doesn't go into the water column, but SCA acts like the others to use the standard treatment...plus what you told me mirrors that thought.

Right. Small cell amphidinium is a faster better swimmer, it is more mobile and it attaches higher up in the tank and it can form short stubby strings. All of these are indicators that it goes into the water to some degree. As opposed to large cell amphidium which tends to stay extremely low in the tank on the sand or very close to it.
UV has been effective against this type, but it's a matter of degree. It is not as strong an effect as osteopsis, it can require some encouragement to go into the water more, such as short blackouts, or blasting off of the surfaces.

Dweezilz · Mar 17, 2023

taricha said:
Right. Small cell amphidinium is a faster better swimmer, it is more mobile and it attaches higher up in the tank and it can form short stubby strings. All of these are indicators that it goes into the water to some degree. As opposed to large cell amphidium which tends to stay extremely low in the tank on the sand or very close to it.
UV has been effective against this type, but it's a matter of degree. It is not as strong an effect as osteopsis, it can require some encouragement to go into the water more, such as short blackouts, or blasting off of the surfaces.

Thanks taricha! Since I already have the UV (I could return it) I'm gonna blast the rocks before bed and run over night at a higher rate to avoid zapping my copepods and then dose PO4 too since it's 0 and shouldn't be. Do you recommend dosing silicates too? Should I scrape the glass too? I've heard yes/no to that. It's crazy that the hobby in general seems to not really have a firm handle on these little suckers!

taricha · Mar 17, 2023

I like conservative approaches.
Get PO4 in the normal range.
Go UV, blast surfaces, (no idea why scraping or not scraping glass would be advised)
Can add Si if you want, but hold off on that first. see if UV + blasting surfaces + occasional short blackout does much first.