Reefer king
New member
Need help figuring out what has started growing on a piece of LR. purple, seems soft, has stubby finger like growths on it.
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- Thread starter Reefer king
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Reefer king
New member
let's try that image again.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
I'm following this thread as I have the same exact stuff growing out of no where in my tank. Pretty nonetheless but still curious about it.
Mine feels and looks like a balloon animal.. but instead is a plant!
Mine feels and looks like a balloon animal.. but instead is a plant!
doctor rick
New member
Red bubble algae usually means members of the genus Botryocladia, but normally they do not form the rather flattened thalli ('leaves') with dichotomous branches (splitting in two) shown in the photo, looking more like branched chains of little grapes.
However, I do think that this comes from within the same family of red algae as Botryocladia, the Rhodymeniales. The other main tropical genus is Rhodymenia, which does normally have quite broad, rather flattened, gelatinous thalli with dichotomous branching. It is not possible to be certain when the plant is this young, and identifying red algae reliably usually needs microscopy, but my feeling is that Rhodymenia is most likely.
However, I do think that this comes from within the same family of red algae as Botryocladia, the Rhodymeniales. The other main tropical genus is Rhodymenia, which does normally have quite broad, rather flattened, gelatinous thalli with dichotomous branching. It is not possible to be certain when the plant is this young, and identifying red algae reliably usually needs microscopy, but my feeling is that Rhodymenia is most likely.
doctor rick
New member
If it is growing on live rock, then probably it was already there when the rock arrived, and has just grown and developed. They are unlikely to reproduce successfully in any but the largest and most well established aquarium imo (but I'm sure someone who knows will set me right!). Frags of any sort could carry bits into your aquarium and so you could find it appearing unexpectedly.
Getting something in the tank that eats it would seem to me to be the best approach to getting rid of it. Others will know more about the best fish and inverts to eat it.
Getting something in the tank that eats it would seem to me to be the best approach to getting rid of it. Others will know more about the best fish and inverts to eat it.
Da Maui life
New member
I would agree, Sebdenia flabellata
doctor rick
New member
yes, that looks right... i think i'll leave it to the experts - my coldwater knowledge base appears to be of limited utility in the reef context...
doctor rick
New member
In another thread on this, someone suggested Scinaia. Presumably there are features that distinguish this from Sebdenia flabellata. I don't really know either well, but I have in mind that Sebdenia flabellata is laterally flattened and that the similar looking Scinaia species are fleshier with a rather rounded cross section. Please would someone let me know if I have got the right end of the stick?
Actually it's very difficult to identify particularly for the species of red macro algae without the using of microscopic examination since some of the red algae look alike while some red algae ( same type ) will change a bit in color and appearance when placing in different environment like intense light, water condition etc.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
I have a football size frag of that algea in my tank. It randomly started growing off some live rock I got from the gulf of mexico. It's a very pretty weed I don't want to touch..
