Red tide in Key Largo, Florida Keys canal different from what's on east, west coasts

A Florida Keys canal contains a potentially harmful algal bloom that causes a different kind of red tide than what's plaguing the state's east and west coast beaches, Florida International University announced Tuesday.

The algae in the Pirates Cove subdivision of Key Largo is Fibrocapsa japonica, whose toxins can kill animals but haven't sickened people, according to an FIU news release.

More: Red tide plagues Florida's east and west coasts | Map link

“It’s not something to be alarmed about right now,” said Tom Frankovich, a research associate professor with FIU's Institute of Water and Environment. “This particular algae is a natural part of the environment and often forms harmless blooms with no noticeable effects on marine life, but it has the potential to cause fish kills if it persists for long time periods.”

The algae occur in organically enriched, enclosed environments with little water circulation, he said.

After Frankovich's water tests confirmed the algae's presence Oct. 2, he notified Florida and Monroe County agencies, sent water samples to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission's Harmful Algal Bloom laboratory to confirm his findings, and received confirmation from Carmelo Tomas, a biology professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington who specializes in phytoplankton.

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 A resident reported the red tide in his canal to Frankovich at FIU's Key Largo facility.
 
“Without observant homeowners and experts like Dr. Frankovich, it is likely that this bloom would have escaped notice or been mistaken for a bloom of the Florida Red Tide algae,” said James Fourqurean, director of FIU’s coastal oceans research programs.

More:What you should know about red tide

Karenia brevis, the most common red tide species, is what's plaguing Florida's east and west coast beaches.