Asexual/sexual?

[ScooterGuitar]

First of all, is it going sexual or asexual?

Anyway, trimmed a little Calp the other night and put it in the display tank. An urchins chomps on most of it.
Today I noticed white fuzzy-like stuff where leaves would normally be. Is this the plant growing, or going sexual on me? Tank is not cloudy like i hear everyone complain about.
Display lights are on 10 hrs, where my fuge light is on 24/7.
Thanks for the help.
I searched for pics, but had no luck.
It is ok to put trimming sin the display tank for food, correct? I know Chaeto doesn;t do this, but fish don't usually eat it, correct?

 

[woven1web]

The little fuzzy stuff is just it developing more growth. Not to worry, its when you do not keep it under control through trimming is when you have to worry about it going sexual on you

 

[Teraphage]

Re: Asexual/sexual?

First of all, is it going sexual or asexual?

When people refer to caulerpa dying and turning the tank cloudy, it's referred to as going sexual or sporulation. Not sure what you're seeing with the fuzzy-like stuff, but sporulation will result in the caulerpa turning semi transparent and whitish. If enough goes sexual at once, it will turn your tank cloudy, although it's not unusual for small portions to occasionally become transparent without noteably affecting water quality. And yes it's OK to put caulerpa or chaeto in the main display if you like how it looks. As for whether fish will eat chaeto...depends on the fish. Mine do, although they don't always swallow it all the way at first, so they swim around with what looks like green fishing line sticking out of their mouth.

Steve

 

[kmk2307]

What kind of Caulerpa is it? The fuzzy like stuff could be gametangia which some species of Caulerpa clearly produce these externally while converting the protoplast to gametes. It could also be the remains of a healed wound / new growth where the alga was damaged.

What kind of urchin do you have?

Kevin

 

[ScooterGuitar]

Long Spined urchin.
I have no clue as tgo what kind of Caulp it is. I actually have:
lots of chaeto, mexican, the caulp in question(just straight leaves), soem red and green macro looks similar to chaeto, and grape. It is all doing great and really strating to grow.