Bpb Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I have a bit of this pest macro algae growing amongst these zoas. You can see the long gray colored stalk growing down towards the sand. In the second picture you can see a leaf which looks like a double-sided serrated knife almost. It has been growing in green, but once I ramped up my GFO it started turning white but is still growing. It seems to be unaffected by peroxide. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I haven't seen that before, and it wasn't in the Reef Cleaners: Nuisance Algae ID Guide. In Beyond the Refugium: A Macroalgae Primer, I noticed a photo of a snail with a tuft of similar looking algae named Batophora sp. That lead me to a WWM page (non-definitive answer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esacjack Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I have some of that in our biocube. I havent been able to figure it out, but someone told me its a stemmed sponge. Source: Steve Tyree's ReefFarmers http://www.reeffarmers.com/ p.s. Apparently Steve lives in Central Texas somewhere these days... Field trip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just sponge. I would LOVE to tour reef farmers!! Who's going to set it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 p.s. Apparently Steve lives in Central Texas somewhere these days... Field trip? that's an awesome idea. i'll hit up Mike if we can make this an official ARC outing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 Interesting on stemmed sponge. Esacjack that looks identical to mine. It's odd though, when I pull it. It peels off the rock similar to how a stray rhizome of st Augustine grass does if that makes sense. It creeps along, rooting in the rock every cm or so, but is loose otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I have some of that in our biocube. I havent been able to figure it out, but someone told me its a stemmed sponge. Source: Steve Tyree's ReefFarmers http://www.reeffarmers.com/ p.s. Apparently Steve lives in Central Texas somewhere these days... Field trip? Sounds fun, let me see if I can get in contact with him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Does it get leaves or little tiny tendrils that attach to the rock. It looks like caulerpa recemosa without any leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisap Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Caulerpa serrulata? Hope I spelled that right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 Looks like Caulerpa serrulata. 99% positive after looking up pics. Should I be worried? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 If you can get it out, do it. Recemosa and Serrulata are extremely aggressive. If you don't have herbivores to control them, they can get out of hand in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 I'll just keep pulling it out as it grows. Man I tell you what. I have this one grapefruit sized rock that has just been a pain. Aiptasia, green hair algae, now Caulerpa. It's been one thing after another. And it's only one rock that seems to produce this stuff. Unfortunately it's also COVERED in zoas and has an adolescent sized (7") toadstool that my clown sleeps in. Getting rid of the rock is not preferred but I'm tired of the pests it harbors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Not sure what your stocking is currently like, but if it's in the 55 in your info, you could get a foxface and they typically will clean this stuff up like crazy. I normally don't suggest adding more nutrients (via another fish) to a tank to control algae, but these types of caulerpa can be so aggressive that they take over much of a tank while you're trying to get your nutrients under control. Just something to consider if it starts getting away from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Same tank. Nutrient level is really getting to where I want it. None of my sps are brown, and everything is looking pretty solid. Growth is acceptable. Just some nagging spots that are tolerating the lower nutrients. I'm religious about mechanical filtration and gfo/carbon changing. I love fox faces. They're one of my favorite fish, I never got one because I was under the impression my tank wasn't large enough. Id love one though. Currently have a clarkii clown, azure damsel, royal gramma, and pj cardinal fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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