I.D. this new Macro Algae

[Zia]

I got these two algae's last week from a fish store. They had them growing intertwined together in there tank. One is obviously a feather Caulerpa of sorts. The other i have no clue?

The Blades have a really neat, spiral growth to them. It also appears to have a translucent effect color to it. Almost the color of a algae when it's going sexual That's the concern. So i don't know if it's a species of algae that goes sexual or not?

 

I looked on Live-plant and a few other macro algae sites i know of and didn't see anything that resembles it.

 

 

 

[fretfreak13]

I have the same stuff in a tank I service.Also dont know the name, tagging along

[Squared]

sawblade caulerpa, caulerpa serrulata (according to google)...not sure if it can go sexual though.

[fretfreak13]

Thanks! Apparently its been in this tank for over four years now and it grows like a WEED. I've only just started caring for this tank in Feb and have already pruned it twice.

 

By "going sexual", do you mean it makes the water all white and stuff? No reports of that ever happening with this type from my client in the years they've had it.

 

Shameless plug (I'm proud of my work) lol Here's a picture of it in the tank, before and after I started caring for it.

 

[Squared]

yeah, they release spores or something. if it's in the fuge and it's a kind of algea that can go sexual, then your dt might become infested with the algea. i've had some, it's pretty neat.

 

i have also had halimeda release spores, i thought it was supposed to suffocate your fish by mine were fine. the algea died after that.

[Zia]

sawblade caulerpa, caulerpa serrulata (according to google)...not sure if it can go sexual though.

It looks similar but i don't think its that. I'll see if i can take a single piece out tomorrow and take a picture of it close up. These have such a distinct spiral growth pattern on every single blade. I didn't see that on the sawblade

[grmoore]

It's serrulata. The spiraling is a typical growth pattern. Like any Caulerpa sp., keep it trimmed but don't trim aggressively, and it won't go sexual. As long as the plant isn't stressed, it won't attempt sexual reproduction and will only continue reproduction via the runners.

[Zia]

It's serrulata. The spiraling is a typical growth pattern. Like any Caulerpa sp., keep it trimmed but don't trim aggressively, and it won't go sexual. As long as the plant isn't stressed, it won't attempt sexual reproduction and will only continue reproduction via the runners.

Thank you both for the ID, if indeed that's what i have, good news that it wont go sexual. It's making a great hitching post for my Seahorses so i was hoping it wasn't a nuisance type. Great advise and info.