Mystery Metallic Red

[mcdonous]

This is another scrap of algae I convinced a LFS to "sell" me. Cost $1.99. It is a red macro that is iridescent with green and orange spots and blue overtones.

I do not know if it is similar to the "Lucky Metallic Color Shifting Macroalgae" that LA reefs sells. I have a sample of that on order so I will have a better idea, but it does shift color somewhat like their video. This one though has a pattern of spots that come and go so it may be different.

Currently it is growing in round "petals" but when I first got it it had more of a gracelaria hayli growth. This piece bleached out and i thought i had lost the whole thing, but in a few weeks the base rock sprouted these.

I haven't been able to get a great pic of it but you can make out some details here.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59224374@N08/8443737056/" title="75 Gal Salt - Feb022013 0158 by nevets_mcd1, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8443737056_44b47870c5.jpg" width="500" height="354" alt="75 Gal Salt - Feb022013 0158"></a>

Here are links to a video of it changing color.

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-Steve

 

[gnu]

Whatever it is, it's quite pretty.

 

[mcdonous]

Here are some new clearer pics showing growth and how stunning this really is. Any ideas with the new pics to go off of? Any ideas on the best way to attempt to propagate this? The "leaves" all seem to grow from a base. Man I hope I don't lose this in the move coming up.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59224374@N08/8581817311/" title="Unknown Metallic Algae 2 by nevets_mcd1, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8235/8581817311_9d67f69d95.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="Unknown Metallic Algae 2"></a>

As far as I can tell from my tiny sample of the metalic from LA Reefs, they are not the same. That sample is in the little plastic cup off camera.

-Steve

 

[Speaker73]

I would try cutting off a piece and supergluing it onto a rock and see what happens.

 

[Sulcata102]

wow

wow

that was a lucky find. awesome! i really hope you get it to grow out.

 

[DeepBlueZoas]

Very cool macro algae, I wish the stuff covering all my rocks was that color. Mine is thin hairy red macro just got a yellow tang to eat it up. NO tangs for you though lol.

 

[olemiss reb]

Halichrysis sp? Possibly H. coalescens.

 

[mcdonous]

Hmm maybe, none of the algabase pics look enough like it for me to be any way confident. Best lead so far. A search did bring up this thread:

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/216473-coolest-macro-ever/

Dang it I thought I might have been able to give Organism a run for his money on cool algae but it looks like he's already had a sample.

I'm going to try to keep it alive and see if I can propagate it. A tank themed around it would be stunning. OK now I have to go look at it some more.

-Steve

 

[5thChorseman]

Steve,

What is the status of your great looking macro? Do you still have it?

cheers,

Max