Macro Algae ID - Bryopsis?

r0cksteady

New member
Hi All,

Originally I thought this was Bryopsis but after looking through my books Ive now got my doubts. Just wondering what others think?

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There are different strands of bryopsis, so just because it doesn't look like one of your examples doesn't mean it isn't bryopsis.
 
I think I have this in my dual overflows. I have noticed that the higher Mg levels doesn't seem to kill off the algae in my overflow like it did in my display.
 
I have some very similar looking algae. Was it ever determined if this was bryopsis or something else?
 
+1 on Bryopsis ID. And yes, the various species can look noticeably different.

According to AlgaeBase, there are currently 55 accepted species in the genus Bryopsis, plus another 9 accepted species in the closely-related genus Pseudobryopsis.

The common denominator across all Bryopsis species is the presence of erect feather-like uni-axial fronds. The fronds can vary in size/length (from a fraction of an centimeter, to as long as 40 centimeters). For certain species, the feathery structure is so fine that from afar, the alga looks more filamentous (like hair algae), rather than feathery.

The other common denominator is that almost all species are very efficient in propagation, with multiple patterns of reproduction. They are tolerant of the widest temperature range, can survive extreme swings in salinity (even in brackish water), easily adjusts to different flow patterns (from turbulent rocky surf areas, to very placid protected lagoons) and to different levels of lighting (from perpetually unlit areas shaded by mangrove trees, to dark deeper water more than 5 meters deep, to the brightest shallow lagoons under direct sunlight all day).

This adaptability makes Bryopsis a very formidable opponent. One unchecked spot can quickly spread and become a tank-wide infestation, thereby becoming a major pain for us aquarists :(

HTH,

Phil
 
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