Algae ID (pic)

goldenmean

Well-Known Member
I have a handful of chaeto in my DT. (I had no luck growing it in my sump)
It is in a soap dish and hidden behind the LR.
Tonight I went to rotate the chaeto and i saw this other algae. it is like bubble algae but it is not a round sphere.
I caught a gorilla crab in the chaeto last week and this was not in there then.
Any ideas what it is???
 

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JWarren

Active Member
Not Bryopsis.

Most Likely Caulerpa racemosa or Caulerpa brachypus. The photo you have posted, resemble the starting branches to either one of the spices I have noted here. If allowed to grow you will end up with something that resembles one of the two photos below.

Caulerpa brachypus

cbrachypus1.jpg


Caulerpa racemosa

caulerpa.gif


Caulerpa is a pest algae that has been outlawed in many coastal states including California and Maine. Millions of dollars have been spent trying to eradicate it from their coastal waters.
 

goldenmean

Well-Known Member
Hmmmmmmm.
I suppose it is possible to be a type of Caulerpa
We wont find out for sure as I have removed it.
But speaking of caulerpa RS does have a new sponsor
SCCAT [THE CAULERPA INFORMATION CENTER] Southern California Caulerpa Action Team

I am still leaning towards a bubble algae.
The LFS that I got the chaeto from does have some bubble algae in some of their reef tanks. The cheato came from a tank in the basement so I did not see what all was in that tank.
 

BoomerD

Well-Known Member
Definitely one of the valonia sp. of bubble algae. I used to get a bit of it. Didn't spread quite as fast as the round green bubbles did, but was still invasive. (DO NOT POP THEM IN THE TANK!)
 

goldenmean

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone.
This bubble algae was growing in the center of a handful of the chaeto so the spores must have come in with the chaeto. It was not attached to anything so it was easy to remove.
 

hma

Well-Known Member
100% Dictyosphaeria ocellata, Valonia aegagropila or Valonia macrophysa all bubble algae
 

mantid

Member
Nice catch on the valonia sp.! I'm not as sharp as I used to be, but just as much fun! :)


B480%20Valonia%20aegagropila%20300%20dpi.jpg

So I have a really bad Valonia aegagropila (at least that's what I think it is) problem. It has been growing for the last 4 years or so but not become too noticable of a problem until now. I have a 46 gal reef tank full to the top with rock and corals and the algea has grown about 2-3 inches thick around all the rock on half my tank. I can pull it off in large chuncks like the picture above but because it has grown so slow over the years my corals have adapted to it and started growing on top of the algea but of course that doesnt stop this beast of an algea of growing.

Today I added 4 emerald crabs hoping to see what they might do. Any other suggestions? Ill post some photos as soon as I am able.
 
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