Dark green hairy stuff on rocks

IDK how it started but I luv the way this dark green stuff looks on the rocks. I'm guessing its algae? How do I get it to spread to other rocks and how do I encourage it to grow?

 

Most people want to know how to kill algae, not grow it. I like unusual people like you. (Not meant as an insult.)

Here is a link that will help you determine what form of algae you have. It will also tell you some of the things this algae likes. Most of us do something to eliminate it's likes, but in your case you can use that same information to help it propagate. Have a look, and see what you can determine.

 

I'm not sure what one of those it could be. Here is a photo of it.

 

 

Yeah, I can't tell from the pics. Sorry.

Maybe you can describe it to me a little better.

What shade of green is it?
Is it really fine long hairs? Short and bushy? Kinda scraggly?
If you pull some off and dangle it out of the water, then separate the fibers can you see it better and describe it more?
Is it slimey and slippery and not really hair like at all but more like a thin coat of jelly?

 

Yeah, I can't tell from the pics. Sorry.

Maybe you can describe it to me a little better.

What shade of green is it?
Is it really fine long hairs? Short and bushy? Kinda scraggly?
If you pull some off and dangle it out of the water, then separate the fibers can you see it better and describe it more?
Is it slimey and slippery and not really hair like at all but more like a thin coat of jelly?

Its very slimy feeling. Like the moss you'll find on rocks at a waterfall's base. Very dark green, and it looks like very short hairs but I think it is growing longer because when you put a powerhead over it you can see the hairs moving like grass does when the wind blows.

 

Well, if I was a guessing person, and sometimes I am, I would guess this to be beard algae. As it grows and matures, you maybe able to identify it better. Any other "plants" in the tank? If not, you can probably leave your lights on a little longer to promote more growth, but that may trigger other less desirable algae as well, and being as today I'm that guessing person, I'm guessing if you don't do anything different than you are doing right now, it's going to be quite happy. That's why it came to live with you in the first place after all. It will just take it a little time to decide other rocks look like good homes too.

Those are my guesses. Lets stay tuned for other folks who'd like to take a crack at guessing. And maybe someone that has a confident identification as well.

 

Thinking about it, most of the rocks with it were taken out for a few months and then put back into the tank. I took them out before so it would be easy to clean the tank. 80ish black convict fry turned out to be very messy. Hopefully still having 5 tiny black convicts (>1") an adult black convict(M), a baby texas cichlid, and a matured blood parrot will cover the bio-load the algae needs.

 

It is algae. If you want it to grow (lol most people don't like it) then just keep the light on more, or if it is near a window then, keep it open.

 

If you're still getting nitrates before water change time, it's probably getting enough. It doesn't seem to have any competition.

 

It is algae. If you want it to grow (lol most people don't like it) then just keep the light on more, or if it is near a window then, keep it open.

The rocks look so much better with it than bald. Seems the juvenile convicts favor it more as well.

 

I tend to like algae, too. I think it adds to the look of a tank and figure it's living off of nitrates in the water, so it does some good there. And, some fish and other critters like to munch on it, so that's a plus, too.