I.D. Help

[kylexarbor]

I have this kelp-like algae that came on a zoa frag. Any idea what it could be? Is it going to cause me problems? I can’t seem to find anything online. 

[Joevember]

It looks similar to scroll algae, but I'm no expert here on macros. Someone here probably knows. 

Macros grow faster than corals can, so they can overgrow them. It would be a good idea to try to scrape off as much as you can from the zoa rock.

[kylexarbor]

31 minutes ago, Joevember said:

It looks similar to scroll algae, but I'm no expert here on macros. Someone here probably knows. 

Macros grow faster than corals can, so they can overgrow them. It would be a good idea to try to scrape off as much as you can from the zoa rock.

It seems to have a root system like caulerpa, but the ‘leaves’ aren’t that typical feathery look that caulerpa usually has. They are solid and rubbery like kelp

[RayWhisperer]

I'm really no good with macros. However, it looks like Caulerpa to me. Perhaps C. prolifera. Take it for what its worth.

 

[banasophia]

I think our macroalgae expert is @Subsea, let’s see if he can advise... 

[Subsea]

17 hours ago, kylexarbor said:

It seems to have a root system like caulerpa, but the ‘leaves’ aren’t that typical feathery look that caulerpa usually has. They are solid and rubbery like kelp

Not all Caulerpa is “feather” Caulerpa.  Way to much blue to identify.  Try a differrent picture.  However, from what you say 

“solid &/rubbery like kelp”, I will guess Caulerpa Prolifera.

 

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marineplantbookgreenalgae.htm

 

Now, you should be able to tell us what it is.  What do you want to do with it?  Personally, I like it in the substrate.  

[Oldsalt01]

+1 on prolifica. Its great to have in a ‘fuge, not so much in a main tank, because it is prolific, as the name implies. I had some in my 14g as an experiment but eventually pulled it out as it was taking over! For future reference, up the whites for pictures. It helps with ID’ing things.

[kylexarbor]

Sorry about the photo. My camera only seems to pick up those blues. My lights don’t dim unfortunately. But for some reason when I screenshot a video the whites appear. So here’s a better photo. I’ve always liked the look of caulerpa, I just don’t want it covering every inch of my tank and taking hold in all my rock work. 

[Oldsalt01]

You can remove it but you’ll need to make sure you get every single smidgen of the runner or the damn stuff just comes back. A dental pick works great for that.

[Subsea]

For algae dip eradication, I use a 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide for 10 minute soak.  For sensitive coral, I dip for 5 minutes.

[Subsea]

On 11/9/2018 at 4:03 PM, kylexarbor said:

Sorry about the photo. My camera only seems to pick up those blues. My lights don’t dim unfortunately. But for some reason when I screenshot a video the whites appear. So here’s a better photo. I’ve always liked the look of caulerpa, I just don’t want it covering every inch of my tank and taking hold in all my rock work. 

I also like Caulerpa  Prolifera.  It reminds me of Oar Grass.  I have had a thick meadow of it undulating  in the current with emerald green fronds.  Fish grazing on nutritious biofilm that form on macro surfaces.  Just keep it off of your rocks and in the substrate.

[johnmaloney]

On 11/8/2018 at 7:36 PM, kylexarbor said:

I have this kelp-like algae that came on a zoa frag. Any idea what it could be? Is it going to cause me problems? I can’t seem to find anything online. 

 

Caulerpa brachypus. 

 

It is similar to Caulerpa prolifera, but lighter green, thinner overall, and shorter. That is about as tall as it gets. It forms fairly dense clumps. In theory it is a good foreground algae, in practice the runners tend to mat above the sand and then it kind of floats above the sand looking weird. It grows as an epiphyte or on rocks when I see it in the wild. When it is growing in sand, it is normally in sand with heavy shell deposits and the runners are anchored to shell as much as sand.

 

Grows pretty quickly, would probably be in the nuisance category for most reefs but I think it looks nice. It is easier to pluck if it is growing in the open than in between zoas like that. One of the species you are allowed to keep in CA if I am not mistaken. 

 

[kylexarbor]

16 hours ago, johnmaloney said:

 

Caulerpa brachypus. 

 

It is similar to Caulerpa prolifera, but lighter green, thinner overall, and shorter. That is about as tall as it gets. It forms fairly dense clumps. In theory it is a good foreground algae, in practice the runners tend to mat above the sand and then it kind of floats above the sand looking weird. It grows as an epiphyte or on rocks when I see it in the wild. When it is growing in sand, it is normally in sand with heavy shell deposits and the runners are anchored to shell as much as sand.

 

Grows pretty quickly, would probably be in the nuisance category for most reefs but I think it looks nice. It is easier to pluck if it is growing in the open than in between zoas like that. One of the species you are allowed to keep in CA if I am not mistaken. 

 

Thank you for that info! I ended up pulling it out with tweezers and haven’t seen any regrow the YET. I love the look of Caulerpa and wish I could keep it if it were to stay under control, but I’m not looking to weed my tank on a regular basis.