ID: gracillaria or red turf algae?

[dendro982]

What is this red algae, good or bad, how suitable for nutrient export, comparing to others of these macroalgae? Same for the blue ochtodes.

Thanks.

 

[mano]

Looks like a Gracilaria to me. Great food if you have a tang. If it's growing in your tank there must be something in there that it likes.

Christine

 

[Samala]

Its Gracilaria-like, I'll give you that. Hard to say definitively. Certainly appears to be a free floating or mat forming red macro over a red turf.

They should work as nutrient exporters, but green algae - like Chaetomorpha and Ulva - tend to grow faster and thus remove nutrients faster. However, like Christine said, if its growing well for you, it must like your environment.

As long as it continues to grow and you dont see nuisance algae popping up from your live rock, it will work as an exporter for you.

>Sarah

 

[dendro982]

Thanks!
Tried to feed it to omnivores, like puffer and tassle filefish - they don't want it (nori is OK). This why I started to doubt it.
Mat forming, floating - yes.