Anyone know this mystery green?

[mudbug99]

This is the toughest algae I've ever dealt with, its been there for probably 5 years now. I'll beat it back, then something will happen like my chaeto dying back and up it flares again. It will outcompete chaeto or a turf scrubber once it gets going, its a real weed. It tends to avoid the brightest light, growing mostly in crevasses and under overhangs. It gets its roots right in the rock, so its nasty to remove. Looks like nothing so much as a very small, marine hornwort. I've looked up every species of bryopsis I can find pics of and none look right. Its definitely not one of the more common ones, I've had those before.
The little fronds are about 1/4 or so inch, with the pinnules coming off all around the stem, unlike the flat bryopsis pennata or similar. Grows in sometimes quite long stems with lots of little branches and fronds.
Any ideas?

 

[KrisReef]

Bryopsis hypnoides

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[3429810]

Bryopsis hypnoides

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

+1

had some in my tank within the first few weeks but aggressively removed every little sprout. I think I got lucky it was only on the glass and in the sand though. My magnesium was around 1550-1600 at the time just by coincidence and I have heard some people say that helps kill it off so may be something you want to look into.

 

[mudbug99]

Thanks for the suggestion both, I spent a long time trying to find good pics of B hypnoides. There are a few differences between this and the pics I could find, not that that means much given there are few pics out there but it has me wondering what's up. The fronds on hypnoides seem much bigger than I've ever seen these get, hypnoides are tapered towards the end while these are not, and hypnoides fronds seem to grow out of a common point like a shrub, whereas these come off a long stem like a caulerpa. Maybe mine just never gets big, I do have a lot of algae eaters in there, at least some of which pick at it occasionally. Fluconazole unfortunately doesn't get it either, at least not at the recommended dose. I tried overdosing on a piece I removed to a small container once, that did kill it. Mg is an interesting idea, that's something I can easily try.

 

[KrisReef]

Thanks for the suggestion both, I spent a long time trying to find good pics of B hypnoides. There are a few differences between this and the pics I could find, not that that means much given there are few pics out there but it has me wondering what's up. The fronds on hypnoides seem much bigger than I've ever seen these get, hypnoides are tapered towards the end while these are not, and hypnoides fronds seem to grow out of a common point like a shrub, whereas these come off a long stem like a caulerpa. Maybe mine just never gets big, I do have a lot of algae eaters in there, at least some of which pick at it occasionally. Fluconazole unfortunately doesn't get it either, at least not at the recommended dose. I tried overdosing on a piece I removed to a small container once, that did kill it. Mg is an interesting idea, that's something I can easily try.

I have a short reddish pink weed that grows in tight turf-tuffs. It will cover over corals if it gets going. I added a foxface and did a huge hand removal effort that knocked it back. Eventually it went to zero for a couple of years and it shows up now and again but it hasn't threatend to overrun the tank again. I never have gotten a proper ID on that weed. I did Mg, didn't seem to help. Anyway, I hope you have success with your weed problem. (One day at a time!) It always amazes me that these little issues can distroy a tank but have never ruined the ocean? I share that last thought becasue I believe somewhere in that idea there is a morsel of truth that we are slowly figuring out as the hobby attempts to recreate the ocean in our homes and businesses. Good luck. Keep us posted, wishing you only success against the pest.