What is this?

[jeffandlinda]

This started growing from a frag. Its growing very fast and looks like little green bubbles on a stick. Is it good or bad? Thanks and sorry abot the pictures its about 2" long with more sprouts coming .

 

[jeffandlinda]

Btw

BTW it does look cool so I hope its a good thing

 

[edwing206]

I think its some kind of calurpa

 

[edwing206]

If it is, then its a good thing

 

[Snappy]

It's Caulerpa, a fast growing and often invasive macro algae. Unless you want a lot of it I would get rid of it now. It can take over if you let it. Many tangs and some angels will eat it so it depends on what you are wanting to do. I keep all my macro algae solely in my refugium.

 

[jeffandlinda]

It's Caulerpa, a fast growing and often invasive macro algae. Unless you want a lot of it I would get rid of it now. It can take over if you let it. Many tangs and some angels will eat it so it depends on what you are wanting to do. I keep all my macro algae solely in my refugium.

Thanks I will put it in my Refugium...

 

[spongebob lover]

i'd definetly get it out of your display tank .
it took over my tank a couple years ago .
your sump would be a better place

 

[Dr. Dee]

Grape Caulerpa take it out before it dies off in your tank:shock:

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
Your picture is of a macro algae commonly called Grape Caulerpa which under the proper conditions can grow an inch or so a day. I do not recommend it in a coral system as it can overgrow you corals and can produce toxins to inhibit coral growth. It can and will migrate from the refugium over time. There are much better macro algae to use, such as Chaetomorpha that will provide a good nutrient sink without the side effects.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[jsmkmavity]

kevin nailed it! and he knows what hes talking about.

 

[spongebob lover]

if you think it can't take over.
it can !! .

look what it did to my tank a few years back .... ohh yeah and even if you break a little piece... the little piece will find a way to get stuck somewhere else and grow .

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Gabby, the grape C. even grabbed and was eating your poor filefish (bottom of the tank below the damsel)

 

[spongebob lover]

LOL!!! no dood that was another type of algae :lol:

 

[Snappy]

Hello,
Your picture is of a macro algae commonly called Grape Caulerpa which under the proper conditions can grow an inch or so a day. I do not recommend it in a coral system as it can overgrow you corals and can produce toxins to inhibit coral growth. It can and will migrate from the refugium over time. There are much better macro algae to use, such as Chaetomorpha that will provide a good nutrient sink without the side effects.

Regards,
Kevin

Sound advice Kevin. I have a dozen or more types of macro algae in my refugium but grape caulerpa deffinately isn't one of them.

 

[returnofsid]

LOL and here I am buying Grape Caulerpa from Kevin to feed my Yellow Tang and Foxface. I do keep it in a separate tank for growing though...lol. It's very aggressive and can take over your tank, as was mentioned above. When I feed it to my fish, I rubberband a small portion of it to a rock that's separate from the rest of my rocks. My Yellow Tang and Foxface gobble it up!! I wouldn't have this type of algae otherwise.

 

[theJ]

I had a little chunk of Grape C show up, and now its all over :/ We tried an urchin, and he doesnt seem to like it. I was thinking about getting something else that will eat it, but I dont have enough room for a tang, think any other inverts might give it a go?

 

[returnofsid]

You've already got Emerald Crabs don't you? That's about the only invert I've heard of that might eat it. Mine doesn't....lol. At least not that I've noticed.

 

[spongebob lover]

my emerald crab helped me alot .... it used to love that stuff ... seriously better than the algae .

Right now that piece of my mind is trying to kill all my zoos , after all these years the baby pieces grew and now trying to kill my zoos .... ohh well time for picking again :badgrin:

 

[theJ]

Mike, negative. I thought about an emerald, but they sounded pretty hit or miss. That is pretty much the only other green algae in the tank though, but I dont think there is enough to feed one for more than a couple months. how efficent are they at feeding?

man im hijacking, but the algae was ID'd as as grape c, spongeboblover posted a gnarly outbreak, and now were talking about ways to deal with this algae, emerald crabs being one method. (see how I un-hijacked there? )