Not sure what type of algae this is, but I have never seen it used elsewhere and it made this enclosure feel so bizarre and special. Does anyone more familiar with aquarium design than myself know if it is commonly used?
@Kalaw It is usually called hair algae. Fishkeepers generally do not like it in their aquaria, as it can grow rapidly and small fishes can get entangled in it. On the other hand, this danger is much less likely with amphibians as they have limbs to free themselves (once past the tadpole stage) and it has the positive benefit that it will remove some nitrogen compounds from the water, acting as biological filtration. I am sure that the staff have to keep it under control by regularly removing quantities of it.
The exhibit for these frogs at Paignton only has slow growing algae encrusting the rocks at the back of the tank, while the one at Chester is planted with Egeria (a warm water plant, very like Canadian pond weed), which also grows fast and removes nitrates from the water, but needs to be kept under control.
