Macro Algae ID? Similar to Caulerpa Racemosa. Wild from Australian Live Rock.

[Max_in_Tax]

Hello,

I used to be very active on this forum back in high school (15 years ago), but I just made a new account.

I'm hoping someone can help identify this macro algae. I can usually research and figure it out on my own, but I'm stuck on this one... I'm 95% sure it's caulerpa, but I'm struggling to find the exact species.

It is similar to Racemosa, but it's not quite the same. Racemosa stacks it's leafs whereas this is singular. It's also similar to Branchypus, but again not quite. Perhaps it is one of those, but my LED lights are causing atypical growth patterns?

It grew out of some Australian live rock that I got last year, but really established itself well on this ancient tonga branch pictured below.

It's quite nice and easier to control than other caulerpas I've grown. it doesn't seem to send runners into sand (unlike C. Branchypus).

Thanks in advance.

Any ideas?

 

[kharmaguru]

Looks like trouble to me. Caulerpa racemosa var. peltata or Caulerpa nummularia.

 

[reefing102]

Looks like trouble to me. Caulerpa racemosa var. peltata or Caulerpa nummularia.

I’m thinking racemosa var. peltata

 

[griss]

Yep, what Sean and Shane said.

BTW, what was your old user name on here? @JohnL csn get you access to your old username.

 

[Max_in_Tax]

I agree, looks like C. Peltata. Old user name was maxvan1, but I'm okay with a fresh start.

Rough tank shots below for fun. It's about two years old. Occasionally I will run plant grow lights, rather than reef lights, for the algaes.

I want to add mud and more sand, try some seagrasses next. Im looking for indo pacific seagrasses.

 

[reefing102]

That’s some life on that rock. Did you start with live?

 

[Max_in_Tax]

That’s some life on that rock. Did you start with live?

Yes, 20lbs of Australian live rock.

Lots of algaes, worms, NPS, vermatid snails...

Anyone got an ID on this red ball algae that glows under blue light?

This red encrusting algae also glows under bluelight.

Some type of NPS, I think?

Peach feather dusters (center)

 

[reefing102]

These are likely Foraminiferians. My guess is Homotrema rubrum - http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/

 

[kharmaguru]

One of the botryocladia species likely.

 

[Max_in_Tax]

One of the botryocladia species likely.

Nice. Thank you.

We're on a roll. What about this colonial tube worm? These hitchhiked with some zoanthids, but I managed to frag some off and cultivate on a frag tile (there's a rock glued to frag tile). They spread rapidly if placed near the right type of rock. The tubes are soft, not hard calcarous.

They've actually collonized most of the Australian rock, too, but they're difficult to see amongst the vermatids. If I just place that frag tile they will spread to surrounding rock within days/weeks. Again, soft tubes, Possibly photosynthetic but I don't think so.

**Interestingly, the tube worm above won't grow (or at least hasn't yet) on the ancient tonga branch rock. The tonga branch is much denser than the Australian.

 

[griss]

Are you sure they’re not colonial hydroids?

 

[Max_in_Tax]

Are you sure they’re not colonial hydroids?

They could be, not sure. I just googled and found a thread on a different forum discussing these exact things. Mine also glow green under the right light. (Delete link if not allowed Are we sure these are colonial hydroids?).

**Edit: After some further research, I'm thinking they're something in the order of Coronatae, probably in the class of Scyphozoa. Nausithoe something.

 

[kharmaguru]

Maybe Nausithoe Racemosa.

This one the author is calling Nausithoë eumedusoides is pretty close.

Nausithoe eumedusoides images

 

[Max_in_Tax]

This one the author is calling Nausithoë eumedusoides is pretty close.

Nausithoe eumedusoides images

View attachment 32392636

You quoted me right as I deleted Racemosa. Eumedusoides looks closest. The one thing that throws me off is how they retract into the tube... I can't tell if Nausithoe retract into their tubes the same way.

*Edit: Eumedusoides is found in caves [?], so maybe less likely.

 

[Max_in_Tax]

Regardless, I think I can officially say that I have a jellyfish tank now.

 

[griss]

For the record, you can mention other forums.

Since you said they glow green untie actinic, here’s what I have.

Colonial Hydroids

Anyone have experience with these? Came in on my KP rock years ago and were not a concern for a long time. Now, they’re suddenly starting to multiply/spread.

forums.reefcentral.com

 

[Max_in_Tax]

Since you said they glow green untie actinic, here’s what I have.

Wow, yours really glow.

Mine again under bluer light. Not nearly as bright.

https://imgur.com/a/Y4OJog8

Looks like a lot of the Nausithoe species are nearly identical... View of <strong>A morphological review of the jellyfish genus <em>Nausithoe</em> Kölliker, 1853 (Nausithoideae, Coronatae, Scyphozoa, Cnidaria)</strong>

 

[Max_in_Tax]

Okay what about this one? It's a little green leafy algae that seems to grow in a circular pattern, kind of like a tiny cabbage. Zoanthid for size reference. This one appears to have a flower [?] sprouting out the top of it.

A second one with no flower thing.

 

[griss]

I have nothing to add to the latest pics other than, very. Cool looking.

 

[Max_in_Tax]

I am leaning toward Ulva Sp. for the unknown flowering algae above.

I just saw that my littorina scutulata snails successfully reproduced... There are probably 25 or so on this rock. I've been running extra full spectrum LEDs (Samsung 301b) for about two weeks. I'm not sure if there's any actual causation between added light and baby snails, but maybe?

PS: The Samsung LED chips are seemingly phenomenal for zoanthid and algae growth.