What type of algae is this...

[Cearbhaill]

... and what will eat it?

I also have

The two have differences both in texture and in color. The dark burgandy is coarser and denser while the pinker one has a finer and fluffier look. Everything in this aquarium came on TBS aquacultured rock except for some red gracilaria in my refugium which has long since died out.

Any info appreciated.

 

[Gerard Alba]

its a heary monster caled bill.
it looks good I hope you keep it.

 

[Cearbhaill]

Drink much?

 

[kmk2307]

Hi Toni,

I can tell you that they look like true red algae and not just a pigmented green algae but I'm really not sure what it is. Can you get some closer-up pics? You don't have a LSM or brightfield microscope with a digital camera attachment lying around by any chance do ya ? Try looking up Gelidiopsis (first pic?), Hypnea (second pic?), and look for picture galleries of red algae on google. Some of those can be quite helpful.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[Cearbhaill]

Can you see me now?

This is the darker of the two.
I have removed as much of it as I can manually- unfortunately I cannot find a sprig of the lighter colored one at the moment. It grows so fast I will probably find some before you get back to reply, though

If I don't find something that will eat it soon I may very well be smothered myself in short order.

Edit: I did a bit of searching on the species you mentioned (Thank you!) but could not make a positive ID. You suggested red algae photo galleries? Might you have one or two to suggest?
From what I have been able to find it looks most like Red Turf Algae (Gelidium pulsillum). A brief search on that turned up the phrase "dreaded red turf algae" and now I am really worried.

 

[kmk2307]

Hey Cearbhaill,

There are a ton of red algae but these websites have pictures of what I assume are a few relitavely common ones (at least in that area). For what it's worth try checking these out:
http://www.sonoma.edu/biology/algae/Red.html
http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/flora/reds.htm
http://www.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/invasive_algae/rhodo/rhodophyta.htm
http://www.reef.edu.au/asp_pages/secb.asp?FormNo=5 - no pics but this is a cute website ("To be a member of this club...")
http://www.life.umd.edu/labs/delwiche/PSlife/lectures/Rhodophyta.html - no pics but some general info on red algae, could be useful?

You might want to e-mail the pics to TBS and ask if they know. They are probably pretty familiar with the algae growing in their LR fields.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[Cearbhaill]

In case anyone else ever has a problem with this "red turf algae" I found that Mexican Turbo Snails will eat it right up.

I ordered the snails literally one week before Dr. Ron's article was published in Reefkeeping Mag- it explained how the Mexican Turboss are unfit for our tropical temperatures. Too bad- they are real workers. Huge (one would have been enough for a 90g- I bought five!) but good workers.