Gloeotrichia
Gloeotrichia echinulata · Algae
Underwater · Photo: Kallum McDonald / CC0
Also called Fuzzy balls, Tapioca algae, Blue green algae, Gloeotrichia echinulata, Gloeotrichia colonies
Can produce toxins
Only a lab test shows whether a bloom is toxic. Keep people, pets and livestock out of discolored or scummy water until it is tested.
How to identify Gloeotrichia
- Tiny fuzzy tan or green balls, about pinhead size, floating in the water
- Look like tapioca pearls or floating dust
- Easy to see in a clear glass of water
- Often near the surface on calm days
Similar species
Floating pollen is not spherical; duckweed is flat leaves.
Growth profile
| Season | Rises from the sediment in early to mid summer, peaks in late summer and settles to the bottom as resting cells. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 60 to 65 F water |
| Light | Moderate to bright light |
| Depth | Starts on the bottom then floats near the surface |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Resting cells in the sediment |
| Habitat | Clear to moderately clear lakes and ponds, especially low to moderate nutrient waters. |
Why it matters in a lake
Can produce microcystin and may cause skin irritation for swimmers. Its rise moves nutrients from the bottom into the water.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Bacteria |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Cyanobacteria |
| Class | Cyanophyceae |
| Order | Nostocales |
| Family | Aphanizomenonaceae |
| Scientific name | Gloeotrichia echinulata |
More colonial cyanobacteria
Star jelly
Mare's eggs
Rivularia
Warty nostoc
Spirogyra
CladophoraNeed a hand?
Worried about a bloom?
We identify algae under the microscope and test for cyanotoxins, so you know what is in the water and whether it is safe.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596