I'd please?

[tyler1503]

Anyone know what this is?
Thanks in advance

 

[tyler1503]

Bump

 

[Vinnybagodoughnuts]

Dictyota

 

[Vinnybagodoughnuts]

From reefcleaners-Brown algae that has forked branches which may have an iridescent blue hue. There are tons of species of Dictyota and w/out a microscope the best you can get it down to is a handful of different species. If it is a brown algae, with forked branches, and isn't rigid; it is probably a Dictyota sp. Some species of Dictyota are desirable, you will be able to recognize them as they grow as one plant that branches out from one distinct holdfast. Removal would be very simple. Nuisance species of Dictyota, (pretty much all the iridescent species.) stay shorter and creep along the rock. Their branches form straight from the rock, and there is no trunk like feature to the algae, or easily discernible holdfast.

 

[tyler1503]

That seems like a good ID
Sounds like I have the nuisance type. It looks like I have many smaller strands as opposed to one larger one. Just my luck!

 

[Mo'sMyName]

If it's the nuisance type, get rid of it quickly. Every little piece can turn into another plant. Grew everywhere, and I've finally gotten to the point where mine is almost eradicated. Over the course of months, it took lots of scrubbing, scraping, tweezer work, and surprisingly two emerald crabs to finally get this under control.

 

[tyler1503]

Do you know if I keep it isolated on it's own rock if it will still spread throughout the entire tank?
I like the look of it and would like some nice macros in the display.

Thanks guys

 

[Mo'sMyName]

If it's confirmed to be the nuisance type, in my experience it will be almost impossible to keep it isolated. As it grows wherever the plant touches becomes a new holdfast for additional growth. If it can't grow horizontally it will grow vertically and pieces will eventually shed from the main masses. These free floating pieces will eventually come to rest and start new plants. I had pieces lodge in and aggressively grow on any surface it could maintain contact with relatively undisturbed... rocks, glass, circulation pumps, oveflows, the middle of zoa colonies, etc...

Yours doesn't seem to have the iridescent edges that mine had so maybe it isn't the bad type? I'd keep an eye on it regardless. It took a LONG time for me to get control and I still find the occasional leaf here or there. Between this and my blue snowflake polyp issues, I was thinking of starting over.

 

[Vinnybagodoughnuts]

The iridecence does not always show up under daylight but if you look at his last picture you can see it down near the base. I would try to get rid of it.There are other macro's that are much easier to control.

 

[shred5]

Dictyota given the right conditions can completely wipe out a tank in weeks.. A friend and I split some zoanthus and some came in with them.. They died off in my tank and in his they took completely over killing everything in several months. his entire 120 was covered.

 

[Vinnybagodoughnuts]

Yikes!!!Intervention!!!!!!!!!!!ainkiller:

 

[tyler1503]

Ouch! It's leaving the tank tonight. If it can do that in a matter of months I'd hate to know what it could do over a longer period. I got this one for free so was hoping it would be safe. Lucky I checked.
It does have a blueish purply colour iridescence at the base of the new growth.
It's only been in the tank for a few days, so hopefully it hasn't gone sexual :S on the off chance it has, do foxface or kole tangs eat it?
Thanks everyone! It's much appreciated.

 

[tyler1503]

I just removed it. Turns out it didn't like my tank and was dying off. It looks like something was eating it too. I hope it didn't go into survival mode and release spores everywhere :S