cyanobacteria as food?

[Lady Friesian]

My amanos refuse to touch cyanobacteria (live, freshwater kind). It doesn't really count as algae, since it is a bacteria and not a protist or plant.

[marusempai]

That's interesting, as my amano can't seem to get enough of the stuff. Maybe I just got a weird one though. It's amazing how shrimp are so tiny, but still manage to have personality sometimes.

[Mustafa]

There are many species/kinds of cyanobacteria in existence. Some get eaten, some don't. The deep green stuff that carpets everything with a green layer and has a very strong, distinctive smell does not get eaten by most animals.

[ucanbyteme]

Ok, some clarification on my question. I red slime algae I was referring to is very common problem in salt water tanks. It is actually not algae, it is really a bacterium as the name states but common name is red slime for some reason.

I do know from my own observation that some critters eat this stuff, I have a Tuxedo urchin that is like a lawnmower when that stuff is around only it cant get into the deep cracks of live rock.

Since the one I am referring to is a bacterium, I was concerned if this was healthy or unhealthy for these shrimp. The reason I ask, most people who have a salt water tanks see this as a problem and have heard it’s not good for the fish or corals for that matter. There is supposed to be some kind of toxicity issues. Unlike Macro Algae, which is supposed to have some beneficial properties which is why many reefers and keep some in a refugeum or in the display tank.


Here is a good pic of someone's tank with Red Slime
http://reef.geddis.org/55g/p/1392b-red-slime-algae.jpg