Koshmar
The Hardy Mongolian Pony
I've been meaning to do this for some time now. I found a book on macroalgae a few months ago that talks about caulerpa reproduction and general anatomy. The following information came from the source indicated below the text. I hope you find this information helpful when planning on caulerpa introduction into your tank or trying to control it:
"There are around 70 species, differentiated by shoot-structure differences."
"New shoots and rhizoids are produced from the growing end of the horizontal system."
-This can be beneficial to know when "prunning" your macro to reduce growth. Remember to cut the horizontal system at an end, which will most likely be located beneath the substrate or anchored to rock.
Now for what most hobbists dread the most about caulerpa, sexual reproduction:
"Reproduction occurs by liberation of the entire protoplast in the form of numerous biflagellate anisogametes, a phenomenon know as holocarpy."
"The peak occurrence of caulerpalean spawning occurs between March and July, in the predawn hours."
"The onset of fertility-involving migration of the entire protoplast into terminal regions and cleavage into gametes-is easily visible with the unaided eye, as green thalli become white except for green peripheral regions. This process occurs within a 12-hour period during the night."
-Basically this is part where the caulerpa goes white and your water clouds up.
"Gamete release in the form of green clouds or mucilaginous streams lasted for 5-15 minutes...Gametes are motile for up to 60 minutes following their release...Zygotes rapidly become nonmotile and settle."
"Parental thalli-completely emptied of protoplasmic contents-often disintegrate within hours."
-The parts that are white whittle down and dissolve.
So when does this occur and when can you anticipate it?
"Unlike mass spawning of corals and gorgonians, that of caulerpalean algae was not correlated with lunar or tidal cycling. Although water temperature decreases could delay gamete release, water temperature was also not related to gamete release patterns of the algae. The environmental or biological factors that trigger mass spawning by these seaweeds is not known."
-Therefore, unfortunately there is no real way to control when your caulerpa will "go sexual" or not. I have read posts of people claiming that by keeping the algae shortened, through regular prunning, the reproductive release is not as common.
Text cited:
Graham, Linda E. and Wilcox, Lee W.Algae. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice-Hall Inc. 2000.
Another source which would be very helpful on this subject is:
Killer Algae by Alexandre Meinesz
If anyone has experience keeping caulerpa or would like to comment on this macro algae please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.
"There are around 70 species, differentiated by shoot-structure differences."
"New shoots and rhizoids are produced from the growing end of the horizontal system."
-This can be beneficial to know when "prunning" your macro to reduce growth. Remember to cut the horizontal system at an end, which will most likely be located beneath the substrate or anchored to rock.
Now for what most hobbists dread the most about caulerpa, sexual reproduction:
"Reproduction occurs by liberation of the entire protoplast in the form of numerous biflagellate anisogametes, a phenomenon know as holocarpy."
"The peak occurrence of caulerpalean spawning occurs between March and July, in the predawn hours."
"The onset of fertility-involving migration of the entire protoplast into terminal regions and cleavage into gametes-is easily visible with the unaided eye, as green thalli become white except for green peripheral regions. This process occurs within a 12-hour period during the night."
-Basically this is part where the caulerpa goes white and your water clouds up.
"Gamete release in the form of green clouds or mucilaginous streams lasted for 5-15 minutes...Gametes are motile for up to 60 minutes following their release...Zygotes rapidly become nonmotile and settle."
"Parental thalli-completely emptied of protoplasmic contents-often disintegrate within hours."
-The parts that are white whittle down and dissolve.
So when does this occur and when can you anticipate it?
"Unlike mass spawning of corals and gorgonians, that of caulerpalean algae was not correlated with lunar or tidal cycling. Although water temperature decreases could delay gamete release, water temperature was also not related to gamete release patterns of the algae. The environmental or biological factors that trigger mass spawning by these seaweeds is not known."
-Therefore, unfortunately there is no real way to control when your caulerpa will "go sexual" or not. I have read posts of people claiming that by keeping the algae shortened, through regular prunning, the reproductive release is not as common.
Text cited:
Graham, Linda E. and Wilcox, Lee W.Algae. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice-Hall Inc. 2000.
Another source which would be very helpful on this subject is:
Killer Algae by Alexandre Meinesz
If anyone has experience keeping caulerpa or would like to comment on this macro algae please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.
