Purple "birds-nest" algae (ID?)

[DensityMan]

First pic is the whole algae

And here is a closeup:

Beuatiful species, whatever it is. I love the growth form it has taken in this tank and have just moved it under more intense light (during a tank-move) to see what it'll do now...

I did not get it intentionally, I believe it came in recently while cycling the 75g with new seed-rock.

 

[TippyToeX]

Very nice DS. Looks a bit like some of the Fauchea sp. a friend of mine has growing in her tank.

Have a look on this site Linky for a few possible IDs.

 

[DensityMan]

Fauchea is very beautiful, but not (visually) what I have. Found this site with quite a few stunning pics of Fauchea though: http://www.mbari.org/~conn/botany/2003/Fauchea Website/

Continuing my search for a name (and starting a new search to acquire some Fauchea now as well)...

 

[TippyToeX]

OK then, my other guess would have been Ochtodes. You could email the folks at WWM for an ID . They know their algae over there. Ask for Bob, Anthony or Scott.

About the Fauchea.. I will email my friend and see if she has any to harvest. I think she did not so long ago, but it seems to grow quickly enough for her that another harvest would not be long off. I'll see if she can send it off your way if you would like.

 

[DensityMan]

That would be awesome. When I made the switch (from a 29g to a 75g) last week I eliminated all the greenery save for one species of Halimeda to make room for the red algae.

I'll make my way over to WWM today sometime as well (though I never have learned how to read their question/answer pages properly - seem to skip around quite a bit).

Thanks,

 

[horge]

Scott,

I'm getting red X's.
Can you post the pics again so I can have a looky ?

 

[luvmyreef]

me to with the red x's

 

[DensityMan]

My (former) provider has given me the shaft for the last time... I am in search of a new space and will be able to get all my pics back up by Wednesday of last week.

(For a web-nerd this situation is similar to having a broken foot - it is driving me crazy)

 

[TippyToeX]

Have you thought of using a free host for the time being? I use SnapFish.com. Not the biggest pics allowed but it might be enough for Horge to make an ID.

Just a thought, I am quite curious about it's ID now.

 

[DensityMan]

Attachments... bah

Attachments... bah

Full shot of it...

 

[DensityMan]

Close up of one section

 

[horge]

Reminds me of Gracilaria edulis... but that's just based on the photo, and personal exposure to but a fraction of the Genus. Gracilaria are a rather large and diverse bowl of jello.

Sorry, Scott

 

[DensityMan]

Update:

This thing LOVES the metal halide and is now shading out a good portion of one side of my rockscape. It's pretty and cool though.

Going to prune some back and distribute locally (it is exceptionally easy to 'frag') until the weather changes then I can share the love with anyone who wants a crack at ID'ing it or just having some.

 

[DensityMan]

The MH light with the head of this algae just under the waters surface caused an explosion of growth. The new, fast growth was much more brown than when it waslower and under less intense light. I pruned heavily and moved the rock it started on to someplace slightly dimmer and put a couple pieces into Tim's 10g tank under a 96w Coralife hood. Here's the recovered color shots:

I love this stuff... just grows to fast (and gets ugly) under MH, IME.

Enjoy,

 

[DensityMan]

I attempted to remove this entirely from under 75g display. I have failed and caused an 'epidemic' - which is to say I spend at least a few hours each week now chasing out the latest new growth patches.


The fragments under the 10000K 98w Coralife are still a beautiful shade of slow-growing purple.

The stuff under the 6500K 250w MH is still brown fast-growing, invasive and tenacious.

 

[Elmo18]

Oh man, I had that stuff, too. They grow in tight clumps/batches. They do grow fast with high light. My fish never ate them for some reason. I'm thinking because its actually rough and tough Seemed like they were easy to pull out manually, so that's what i did.

- Elmo

 

[kmk2307]

DensityMan,

Would you say this algae is calcifying?

Kevin

 

[DensityMan]

It doesn't lose any color at night or leave behind much of a skeleton when dried out. I'd have to say "no," from my experience with it.

It is extraordinarily prolific though. If even the smallest piece is left it will regrow. It is still ugly, washed-out brown under the halides (whenever a new piece comes up) and dark purple in the nano-reef under the coralife hood.

I also wouldn't say it roots, so much as grabs and then grows around.

While they are easy to pull out they are also brittle. I haven't had a clean break yet and keep finding little growths of it after I think I've gotten the rest of it...

 

[kmk2307]

I was flipping through Algae A Problem Solver Guide and I saw an algae that looks an awful lot like yours. It is called Hypnea. Description: Hypnea pannosa forms dark purple, pink, gray or blusihg crip cushions of tangeled branches w/ pointed tips. Color is iridescent and changes upon angle of view. Other Hypnea species are brown, green, or dull red.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[hmott]

Any chance I can get some?

Any chance I can get some?

Any chance you might want to send a little my way? I would of course pay shipping and a couple bucks extra. Save you from tossing it in the trash anyway