Help with plant ID

[glenngus]

Can anyone help me ID this plant which came in with a yellow polyp coral - as you see there's not much left of the coral. I actually kind of like the look of the plant but would like to know if I should get rid of it or if maybe there's a fish I can add to the tank that would like to munch on it

[joy13]

It looks like grape caulerpa. I like it but it can go sexual and make a mess of your tank. I personally don't want it in my tank since mine went sexual, it is great for brittle stars they love to hide in there I always saw arms.

[seabass]

Looks like a species of Caulerpa algae. Manual removal, along with an Emerald Crab, Urchin, or maybe a Turbo snail might help contain it. As with most forms of algae, keeping phosphate levels under 0.03ppm can help.

Edit: Aw, Joy beat me to it.

[Tamberav]

It can go sexual and also spread fast. However, if you like the look there is a "red grape" that looks similar (but red!) and is perfectly safe.

 

Otherwise keep a a close eye on it.

[joy13]

I found if trimming it back helps keep it from going sexual. I had been working 12 hour shifts and didn't notice mine was ready for a trim. When I trimmed it I always kept in a bucket of waste water and shook it several times to get the brittle stars out. Emerald crabs just picked at mine the turbo didn't touch it and I didn't have an urchin at the time but I am thinking that is how the lfs got rid of theirs was an urchin.