Once that happens, properly maintaining the tank will become more difficult and levels of toxic chemicals might rise, too. Also, an overgrowth of algae can cause an imbalance in the levels of nutrients in the water, which could potentially make the environment unsafe for your fish. That said, a blanket of black algae clinging to every single surface throughout your tank is very unsightly. In fact, some small fish species seem to enjoy playing or hiding among the flowing manes of algae, and shrimp keep busy picking out fragments of food that have become caught in the beard. In short, no, colonies of Black Beard algae growing in your fish tank are not going to harm your fish or invertebrates. It’s really just a matter of personal taste. For example, a dense, flowing forest of dark green Black Beard algae growing over a piece of twisted root can create an interesting feature. However, if you control the spread of the algae and limit its growth to certain parts of the tank, you can incorporate the organism into your aquascaping. The main problem with the algae is that they can take over your tank, coating objects within the aquarium and covering the viewing panes. Do You Need To Remove Black Beard Algae?īlack Beard algae are not toxic. If the algae turn a reddish color, that tells you that they are a species of red algae. If you’re still not sure what species of algae you have in your tank, immerse some of the algae in alcohol. However, look closely, and you’ll see that Staghorn algae have wiry, branching single, hair-like strands, whereas Brush algae have single, smooth strands that grow into a lush beard-like organism. Mistaken Identity?īlack Beard algae are sometimes confused with Staghorn algae. Given time to grow, the algae begins to resemble a flowing mane of hair or luxuriant hipster beard!īrush algae quickly spread, covering your tank decorations, aquarium equipment, rocks, driftwood, your tank viewing panes, and even growing on individual grains of your gravel substrate. The organism first appears as tiny spots of raised stubble, typically along the edges of plants’ leaves, before growing into fluffy tufts that resemble a brush or beard, hence the algae’s common names. How Can You Identify Black Algae?īlack Beard algae can be black, gray, very dark green, and all shades in between. Black Beard algae primarily grow in tropical and temperate aquariums, although I have some growing in my coldwater goldfish tank where I’ve allowed it to grow and cover the back wall to obscure a tangle of cabling that runs behind the tank. The organism belongs to the larger family of red algae, which contains both marine and freshwater species. Black Beard algae are sometimes also called Brush algae and have the scientific name, Audouinella.

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