Moss Balls Introduced Hair Algae?

I recently added a couple of moss balls to my 5.5 gallon betta tank (they sent 4, so I put 2 in the 5.5 and 2 in the 10g). Now, a few weeks later, I have noticed algae has started growing in my 5.5. This morning, it looks like long strands flowing in the breeze on the back wall. I assume it's hair algae. The only thing new or different in the tank is the moss balls.

This tank has been set up for some years. It gets a 30-50 percent water change per week. Inhabitant .. 1 betta that is 2 or 3 years old now.

Is there a way to get rid of it without killing the moss balls? Should I chunk them as apparently they had hitchhikers? (Ordered them online through Amazon, seller Aquatic Arts). Makes me nervous as I JUST ordered plants last week from Aquatic Arts directly. I haven't really noticed hair algae in the 10 gallon. Not sure what eats it, but I have some nerites, ghost shrimp, and a DG in the 10g.

 

"Moss" Balls are balls of algae, not real moss. Requires certain conditions to form into balls, and those conditions are rarely present in aquaria so sometimes they break down. So yes, it is likely that it came from the moss ball, and yes, any chemical treatment for algae is guaranteed to kill the moss ball. The only way to get rid of it without killing the moss balls would be physical removal with scraper or scrubber pad.

 

Right ... I guess Cladophora Balls was too long. *grin* Darn .. you mean there's no magical little critter that will eat it? Figures.

I guess I need to decide if I want to toss the moss balls *sigh*

 

I had the same problem with marimo moss balls, but only the big ones....the nano balls never had hair algae problems! I still have the big and small ones in the tank, the shrimp eat the algae anyway but the nano marimos seem to be better

 

I had been wondering the same thing, thanks! I have about 6 nano balls in my 20 gallon and I've noticed hair algae when my 10 gallon which has no moss balls has none. I've been just removeing it by hand because it likes to grow In only about 2 spots thankfully!

 

That algae grows by feeding on something, you might want to check nitrate levels.
I slowed mine down by adding some hornwort. Once the hornwort took hold, the algae stopped. (all in reference to moss balls)