Macro Algae ID

[JVD BVI]

I have some new Gulf live rock in my new tank and it has three distinct types of macro algae growing on it.

Need some help identify

Thanks

 

[Michael Hoaster]

The first one looks to be halimeda, a calcerous macro. The second is caulerpa racemosa peltatta. Third looks to be a caulerpa as well, but I don't know which.

Gorgeous rock by the way!

 

[Leviathan_XE]

The 3rd one is caulerpa verticillata. My opinion I would try to get rid of that one. I'm biased tho.....lost a battle with it and had it over run the tank. Some people find it hard to grow and like the look of it.

 

[mogurnda]

First one is either Udotea or Avrainvillea, but I need a better photo to be sure which one. They both go by the name "mermaid's fan." Under the right conditions, it will spread, but not quickly enough to be a pest.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I got my rock from them as well. Looks good!

It looks like you also got some of the reddish/pinkish/cotton-candyish micro algae that I got. Would you agree? I'm not sure from the photos. If not, great! If so, you may want to start manually removing it asap. None of my herbivores ate it, and it gradually almost took over my tank. I eventually got rid of it, but I got no help from my clean up crew.

 

[Leviathan_XE]

Really??? I got my rock from there too....that stuff is loaded with macro. I see about 7 or 8 different kinds, but I just noticed the pink bushy stuff and thought it was cool looking. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I thought it was cool looking too!

Just to be clear, I'm talking about a micro, rather than macro algae. It looks like red/pink cotton candy.

I liked it at first, but then it spread like wildfire, overtaking everything in its path.

The good news is, you can get rid of it with manual removal. You just have to keep at it for a month or two. My clean up crew didn't help, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was an herbivorous fish that would eat it.

Good luck!