Red Macro ID

[Melbourne]

Hi,

Does anyone know what type of macro this is? I've been growing some in my various tanks to feed my yellow tang but the tang doesn't appear to eat any large quantity of it. Its the big red clump in the lower right of the picture. The tang is in a 125G this is the best pic of the macro I have in my gallery.

Here is another member who has the same macro

http://users.adelphia.net/~bcpatterson/Pictures/Macro_algaes/Full_Size/Unknown_Red2.jpg

It pulls out pretty easily when in large pieces but usually small strands remain which is all it takes to start up a new bush. Should I pull it from my main display or keep it? I have it in all my tanks right now.

Thanks,
-Mike

 

[drummerdharris]

Looks like Gracilaria aka Ogo. It is a good nutrient export usually in a refugium.

 

[hmott]

I don't know maybe Kevin (kmk) will come along and id it, but I don't think it looks like gracilaria to me. But the pictures aren't great. My YT eats the heck out of any gracilaria I put in the display, hell pretty much set and eat until all thats left is a stem to pick at. I'm not very good with reds so I could be wrong, but I just don't think it looks like gracilaria.

 

[jor8888]

OMG get rid of it !!!, I got them and they are all over in 6 months. ALl they need is 1 small broken part to grow all over the tank. I changed to a new tank and scrap down as much as I can on all my rocks and now they are growing back, my yellow tang and blue tang wont eat them, I am trying to find something that will eat them since they are real thick and hard.
Check this site for ID:

http://www.liveplants.gulf-coast.net/macroalgae.htm

 

[Melbourne]

Hi,

Thanks - I'm going to try and pull as much as I can, hopefully I can remove most of it from my tanks. The one good thing about this macro is that it provides a good place for pods / mysis to live so they don't get eaten by the other tank inhabitants.

-Mike

 

[Melbourne]

Just an update, I managed to pull a good portion of this stuff but like you said a small pieces grows into a new plant. YT doesn't touch it. Just picked up a spotted rabbitfish yesterday so we'll see how that works. If I prune the tank weekly it doesn't get too bad, but if I let it go it grows really fast.

-Mike

 

[OldSalty23]

I have the same problem with my tank. They go like crazy. I pull and pull and they just keep coming back. None of my tangs, lawnmower blenny, blue legged hermits, or turbo snails would even look at it. They are starting to grow over my zoos and its driving me nutts trying to find something that will eat them.

Anyone having any luck in finding something that feed on this thing?

 

[Melbourne]

Hi,

Just an update - my red spotted rabbitt fish does pick at the stuff and so does my new lawnmower blenny but neither really goes nuts over the stuff. If I don't feed my rabbit fish he will eat more of it but also starts to pick at my softies / gorgs / LPS.

-Mike

 

[jor8888]

good to know. I got some bigger emerald crabs and they are picking on them too.