Brown Algae on Wall

[Wendy]

My tank is having these brown algae growing on the wall. It look like patches of brown spot all over the wall. At first it's smaller patches, it started about a week ago and reduced, then now my whole tank have it. Does it bring harm to my tank? Do I need to clean it.

0.5 gallon, with chaeto, crashes corals, lava rock, red coral and sea fan. Home of 5 opae.

[Varanus]

I'm not sure what exactly it is (some type of algae or bacteria) but it shouldn't cause any harm, just don't feed the tank until it is gone or reduced.

[MrsT]

Could be diatom or some kind of cyanobacteria. If you are still feeding them, you can stop now because they can eat these brown algae.
It will not harm the shrimps.

[Wendy]

OK. I'll stop my itchy hand. I am putting down my curtain to reducing the natural lights from my window. Hopefully it will reduce the growth.

Will continue the updates

[MrsT]

OK. I'll stop my itchy hand. I am putting down my curtain to reducing the natural lights from my window. Hopefully it will reduce the growth.

Will continue the updates

it took me awhile for my itchy hand to stop when I started this hobby haha I know how to feels like

[SuperProofer]

This look like how my tank started out when I first cycled it. Once I put the shrimp in, they managed to eat it all up in a couple of months. I'm sure it will go away.

[Mustafa]

The brown "algae" (most likely diatoms) are fine. The brackish water snails love eating it and actually clean it off entirely. The shrimp love it too. Don't restrict daylight to stop algae growth. That's not how it works. Just stop feeding and open your curtains again. The light and the algae/biofilm are the reason why you never have to do water changes and barely ever feed.

[SGTSHEW]

I have had these brown spots on my tank to. It seem that everyones opas and snails love these spots but mine do not. The snails avoid it and stick to the algae and the shrimp do not touch the stuff either, they stick to the algae or the chaeto. I scraped it off today because it was just starting to multiply a bit too much for my comfort. Do I need to remove the peeled sheets because they will decay? Again even peeled off my shrimp just kick it around and move on

[Mustafa]

I have had these brown spots on my tank to. It seem that everyones opas and snails love these spots but mine do not. The snails avoid it and stick to the algae and the shrimp do not touch the stuff either, they stick to the algae or the chaeto. I scraped it off today because it was just starting to multiply a bit too much for my comfort. Do I need to remove the peeled sheets because they will decay? Again even peeled off my shrimp just kick it around and move on

This is a great sign that you have to stop feeding (for months probably) until all of that algae/spots or whatever growth has greatly diminished and your "sheets" have been all eaten up (so, yes, leave the sheets in there...they're food). The fact that they aren't touching some of the natural food in there is because there is A LOT of food for them to pick and choose from.

[Wendy]

I have clean up the walls as they got blur up and it's really discomfort to my eyes. Opae is doing very well, 2 opaes even molted. I'll continue to keep my itchy hand away.

[Wendy]

Update of my tank. I clean the tank twice since April. Seems like the brown algae growth is much better in control now. Water is clear and no smell at all. No feeding as I think there's so much food in the tank for them. 2 Opae molted during this period of time. Their size is getting bigger, I think should have 1cm - 1.2cm length. I hope to have berried Opae soon.

[Wendy]

Finally!!! My first berried mama. I'm so happy that my little Opae is berried.
Can't wait for the babies. What should I do? My logic tells me no feeding, no cleaning the wall, and do not do anything to disturb the tank. Is there anything that need to do??

[MrsT]

You are learning fast Wendy. Yes you are absolutely right, the only thing to do is to 'do nothing' at all
Congrats !!!

[Nellyville41]

Congrats! Yeah all you need to do is just top off the water when needed.

[Wendy]

I realised that the mama have dropped some eggs! The clutch of eggs seems to be smaller now. oh my... I am worried there's very little egg by then She have become more active comparatively, she wonder around quite alot.