Caulerpa

cristhiam

New member
Anybody having problems with this algea? how do I kill it besides removing a full cup each week?
Started showing after I sold my sailfin tang
 
your kole doesnt eat it? does he eat nori? if so wrap the nori around the caulerpa and feed it to him. then little by little remove more and more nori till its just the caulerpa. some tangs have to be taught to eat algae.
 
There are many strains of Caulerpa, I have a really nasty one that is challenging my patience. I found mine here http://saltcorner.com/sections/guest/algaepage/algaepage.htm The only drawback is there is a guide to natural predators of all algae found there except Caulerpa. I'm not sure why but plan to try to contact the owners of the site and see if they plan to update it.

Beyond manual removal (which in some cases depending on the algae, you may need to be careful of helping spread it) you can at least look at the other critters they list that naturally prey on some algaes and take a chance with different types of control.

As always you want to keep your water parameters and nutrients in check, but some algaes are so invasive they do seemingly fine feeding from your lighting (like Bryopsis)

I am going to shortly be experimenting with both bryopsis and my strain of caulerpa (either peltata or nummuleria its hard to tell from just 1 pic) with Elysia Crispata (lettuce slug) and will let you know if I make any progress with either algaes and the critters.

You can try a lights out period but usually the time required to kill off the algae is too long for your corals and high light inverts to bear. I only recommend MAX 3 days, usually 2 does the job if you're looking to knock out something like cyano.

I wish I had more help to offer :( Just get your gardening gloves ready for a weekly algae harvest. Now that I think about it I forgot to throw away the cup i took out last night. Hope it doesnt make the house smell!
 
Yea the Kole doen't eat it, it does eat nori every other day. I've had this caulerpa come and go in about 3+ years but it's never been this aggressive. It was probably introduced when I had the 55 over 3 years ago but it did go away. It seems like it was a seasonal thing but now it looks that it's staying!! I'll post some pictures in a few minutes.
 
These pictures are at night

caleurpa001.jpg


caleurpa003.jpg


caleurpa005.jpg


caleurpa006.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11794303#post11794303 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davy182
fox face will tear it to bits
So it will to my clams :), I had a foxface not the LO but it picked at corals and clams. I guess I could try to get an LO. I'm just tired of buying fish that I end up returning them or selling them for 1/2 the price.
 
There's no guarantee a fox will or will not eat the algae or your other tank inhabitants. It's usually a fish by fish basis sort of thing.

Out of curiosity whats your alk reading at? I've heard of some good success keeping it at the high range, and some locals are experimenting with dosing it into tanks straight into the algae structure itself (into its branches on its leaves etc)
 
I keep it at around 3.5+/- mql. I did sprayed lime water around it but nothing happened. How about injecting it? not sure.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11797162#post11797162 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rogergolf66
I would get your sailfin back if it was eating it.
I wish, it was sold again a couple of weeks ago :)
 
do some water changes like 80-100% check your ro tds may be time for a new membrane. i removed my rock and replaced also seem to have replaced the pest to bubble alge wich is far better in my opinion. but i also havent done a water change in 6 months
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11811093#post11811093 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lifesworksataol
sorry - why dont you try buying a fish from someone that has one that will eat it?
:) maybe I can buy back the sailfin, I know for sure that one eats it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11811001#post11811001 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plumb
do some water changes like 80-100% check your ro tds may be time for a new membrane. i removed my rock and replaced also seem to have replaced the pest to bubble alge wich is far better in my opinion. but i also havent done a water change in 6 months
It's not bubble algea, I just did a 20G water change yesteday and scrapped a buch of caulerpa out.
I'm going to be looking for a fox or a sailfin soon, maybe both but I'll get back to have high nitrates again.
 
I"d stay away from the fox with your corals and clams. Mine is nipping my LPS and SPS...and yes, mine is a Lo. Stick with the sailfin if you can get it back!
 
Back
Top