ID on this plant, please

[ASpec]

Can anyone ID this for me please? Maybe it's not a plant?!? It's popped up on a couple different rocks now.

 

[tektite]

Dictyota, nasty macroalgae. Remove all you can ASAP, be sure to siphon every piece out because even a tiny piece floating away will reattach itself to the rockwork and grow.

 

[ASpec]

Sorry for the late reply, but thank you!

In the time since this post I've been reading about this nasty stuff. I deceived to take the approach of start over. I setup a new tank with new rock and sand. I reef dipped all my corals in Revive Coral Cleaner and fragged many than had Dictyota growing in the rubble rock. I also put all my equipment in a bleach bath before installing it in the new tank.

My last remaining question on this stuff... I noticed 2 of my hermit crabs have this stuff attached and growing from the shell! Crazy! I have not moved them to the new tank and I don't want to introduce the Dictyota in the new tank. Any ideas how I can treat them?

Also, what about moving my cheato? I have no way to treat it... should I just trash it and start with new cheto?

You can see I am taking every precaution I can think of to ensure I don't bring this nasty stuff into my new tank.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Daniel62]

Hi, I was wondering why you would say, that this is a nasty alga. Is it because it is hard to control?

 

[tektite]

My last remaining question on this stuff... I noticed 2 of my hermit crabs have this stuff attached and growing from the shell! Crazy! I have not moved them to the new tank and I don't want to introduce the Dictyota in the new tank. Any ideas how I can treat them?

Also, what about moving my cheato? I have no way to treat it... should I just trash it and start with new cheto?

If it were my tank, I would just get new hermits and chaeto, to make sure they don't bring the dictyota to the new tank. Cheap to replace, more than worth the hassle of fighting dictyota again!

Hi, I was wondering why you would say, that this is a nasty alga. Is it because it is hard to control?

Yes, it grows extremely fast, not many things eat it, and if even a tiny piece breaks off and goes floating, wherever it lands it can reattach and grow. Very agressive algae and very hard to eradicate.