Can anyone help a macoralgae newb identify this?

[kurtp]

I originally posted this in the hitchiker ID forum because I wasn't sure if it was an algae or not but maybe those familiar with macroalgae would have an idea what this stuff is that showed up in my tank........


Can anyone ID this for me?
I got home from a 2 week vacation and saw two new thangs in my tank. Hard for me to photograph them clearly but here is the best I could do with the larger of the two...

They consist of clusters of frilly pale lavendar 'leaves' with pale leading edges and the leaf structure really looks quite a bit like decorative kale



I think they are kind of attractive and feel like leaving them in the tank, but I thought the same thing with the first couple of aiptasia I saw and boy, do I regret that.

 

[Muttley000]

Following. Any tangs in this tank or anything else that may or may not nibble it. I'd be tempted to leave it too!

 

[kirstyflash]

Dragons breath algae?

 

[kurtp]

Following. Any tangs in this tank or anything else that may or may not nibble it. I'd be tempted to leave it too!

I have one yellow tang. He doesn't seem interested in it.

 

[kurtp]

Dragons breath algae?

Thanks, that could be it. The images I found of dragons breath show a more spikey contour to the leaves than what is in my tank, but that may develop as my colony grows. If so, it guess it is not a harmful algae

 

[Subsea]

It could easily be one of the GOM Halymenia. Where did the rock it is growing on come from?

See if this link helps you.

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marineplantbookredalgae.htm

 

[kurtp]

It could easily be one of the GOM Halymenia. Where did the rock it is growing on come from?

See if this link helps you.

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marineplantbookredalgae.htm

that piece is growing on a rock that's been in my tanks for over 15 years, other piece is growing on the wall of the overflow. I haven't added new rockwork for over a decade. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

 

[Subsea]

that piece is growing on a rock that's been in my tanks for over 15 years, other piece is growing on the wall of the overflow. I haven't added new rockwork for over a decade. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

It is amazing what lies dormat waiting to sprout. I had Bortacladia go sexual in a tank. Three years later, I had Red Grapes growing everywhere. Go figure.