What is this stuff?

[wrassie86]

Hi wondering if any of you have a ID on this Algea that has been growing alittle more than i would like.Also if you have found a fish or other critter that eats it.These are small leafy fan growths.This stuff is trying to take over

 

[Samala]

This guy keeps popping up on the boards, always attached to LR. I'm wondering if its coming from a distinct collection locality for LR, or just really likes typical reef tank environments. The collective 'we' from several boards, including here, think its a species of Udotea, also known as mermaid's fan. Its typically lightly calcified. You've certainly got a lot of it, I cant recall seeing a bloom this big in photos before. I'm not positive if tangs will tackle it. I'd almost suggest manually removing.. if thats at all possible.

>Sarah

 

[wrassie86]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7664254#post7664254 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Samala
This guy keeps popping up on the boards, always attached to LR. I'm wondering if its coming from a distinct collection locality for LR, or just really likes typical reef tank environments. The collective 'we' from several boards, including here, think its a species of Udotea, also known as mermaid's fan. Its typically lightly calcified. You've certainly got a lot of it, I cant recall seeing a bloom this big in photos before. I'm not positive if tangs will tackle it. I'd almost suggest manually removing.. if thats at all possible.

>Sarah

Hi thanks for the info.After doing a bit of research on mermaids fan.it looks like it.but i dont belive it is.I have a few few different calcifing plants and this stuff is more like a capultra<-spelling)This stuff grows fast and will pop up all over the place.I had a out break a few years ago and it went away for the most part.but it has come back in full vengance this time.
Manually removing is a pretty hard thing

 

[bluenassarius]

i've got that growing on some of the coral colonies that come in from tonga and the solomon islands. it definitely isn't a calcifying macro. the macro is very thin, leafy and difficult to manually remove. rob have you tried a seahare to see if it'll eat it. a urchin might do the trick also. hth

 

[wrassie86]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7664541#post7664541 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluenassarius
i've got that growing on some of the coral colonies that come in from tonga and the solomon islands. it definitely isn't a calcifying macro. the macro is very thin, leafy and difficult to manually remove. rob have you tried a seahare to see if it'll eat it. a urchin might do the trick also. hth

No i have not tried a seahare,But an urchin was the next try.


I found Udotea Orientalis has the same leave structure and looks the same for reference.But bluenassarius's description is pretty good its not a calcifying macro.
And so far my blue eyed yellow tang will not touch it.

 

[Tu Ku]

It definately is a calcifying macro. I don't know what would make you think that it isn't. Try slowly killing some of it, it will bleach to white I promise. It is a type of mermaid fan and it's actually pretty difficult to keep growing compared to the other macro's we keep in our tanks.

 

[wrassie86]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7727938#post7727938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tu Ku
It definately is a calcifying macro. I don't know what would make you think that it isn't. Try slowly killing some of it, it will bleach to white I promise. It is a type of mermaid fan and it's actually pretty difficult to keep growing compared to the other macro's we keep in our tanks.

I'm killing it off now with phosban use, and its receding pretty fast.But you are right i do see a bit of white as it dies.
As far as difficult to keep.I have no problem and thats in a sps tank with out much other macro growth.Didnt take long for it spread all over.Maybe i have a unwanted special breed .

In pic 1 you can see some red plating macro.I've always kinda liked it.any idea what it might be.i can better pics if needed

 

[Tu Ku]

Actually that just looks like coralline to me, but maybe it's just the picture. I do notice that you have some valonia algae growing in around the macro that dominates the picture. That stuff sucks! I would try to get rid of that faster, but with a much more careful attack. If you break those bubbles, the algae spores spread like wildfire! I'd remove the valonia with small tweezers and pluck them from the base of their growth, they shouldn't break that way. If they do break I would rinse the rock in a bucket of diluted salt or just plain r.o. Happy marine gardening!

 

[wrassie86]

I'll get a better pic of it and post. its not corraline altho the color is close.I do have a few bubbles of volonia here and there.while there was a few at the top of the pic near a coral base.the others beloned to grape macro

 

[wrassie86]

here is the pic of the red stuff.The rock it grows on is the same rock that started the Fan outbreak.and to think this piece of rock started off as a piece of dead dried out base rock about 7 years ago.

 

[graveyardworm]

Purple algae very nice is it calcaerous?

 

[wrassie86]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7728903#post7728903 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
Purple algae very nice is it calcaerous?

I'm not really sure.when it dies it turns a whitish then clear almost like it bleaches.the stuff that gets the most light (like in the pic)is more of a red.but the stuff that is a bit shaded is more pink/purple leaves are fairly soft.I always just thought it was some kind of kelp or something.but then again i dont know a whole lot about marine plants
Another kind the fish wont touch.but thats ok.

 

[graveyardworm]

If its soft and kinda waves in the current then its not calcearous. There are some cool plating coraline algaes.

 

[Boomer]

IMHO that green algae is not Udotea sp . It does not grow like that, let alone such large sprawling dense clusters. It grows and looks more like Anadyomene menziesii or Anadyomene sladanhae

or some others

That red algae more than likely is a calcifying algae. Need a better pic, close-up. There are quite a few species it could be based on that image.