Any benefit to caulerpa in main tank?

MarinePaethor

New member
I know this topic has come up before, but I am debating the good vs. bad of having caulerpa in a main tank with a guy I know. I am well aware that most people say it is very invasive, has a chance to go sexual, and is generally not worth the risk of having in the tank. His main argument is that the caulerpa helps with gas exchange in the water, and since he isn't running a skimmer yet, the caulerpa helps keep his 02 levels up. He only has it on one end of a tonga branch, and he does keep it from growing too large.

Is there any truth to this at all, or is he totally misinformed about caulerpa helping with 02 levels? Out of all the posts on various sites I have seen about caulerpa, I have never seen this issue come up. I just want to help him avoid disaster, especially if there is no real benefit in terms of gas exchange with caulerpa.

Thanks for any info and advice you can offer.
 
Is he measuring his o2 levels? Is there any reason to suspect that they are low? I have no idea how much 02 Caulerpa produces, so I cant really comment there. My question would be why do you think it is needed?

Also, do not confuse gas production with gas exchange. Gas exchange only occurs at the surface of the water, and this is why it is suggested to maintain proper surface agitation with a power head or by other means. So Caulerpa isn't really going to impact gas exchange IMO.
 
Last edited:
Go back. It's a trap. Caulerpa is the bane of my tank: got in via some live rock and I've battled it through 2 cycles, a house move---I do not think a nuclear device could get rid of this stuff. It's toxic, it reproduces by every known method, and it roots into the rocks, so you can never get it out.
 
Go back. It's a trap. Caulerpa is the bane of my tank: got in via some live rock and I've battled it through 2 cycles, a house move---I do not think a nuclear device could get rid of this stuff. It's toxic, it reproduces by every known method, and it roots into the rocks, so you can never get it out.

but what if you want to convert a fowlr to a "planted" look??? are there benifits to having caulerpa in a display tank other than the planted tank look?
 
Set up a hang on the back refugium with cheato. Caulerpa is banned here in California for a good reason, it is highly invasive and near impossible to remove. There are several plants available like Halimeda that will give you a planted look without turning into an impenetrable jungle.
 
Is your friend using caulerpa prolifera? That is the only caulerpa sp. I'd consider for my display tank. The other caulerpa sp are bad news.
 
I have to keep a rabbitfish in my tank at all times. Only fish I know that will eat it. It's near impossible to pull out every strand when cleaning rocks, and it grows extremely quickly.

Even if the O2 benefits are true, the cons highly outweigh the pros.
 
Back
Top