ID please.

[XNavyDiver]

Found this small leafy algae growing on one of my rocks. It's paper thin and feels like vinyl. It was anchored on the rock, not free floating. It looks like some kind of macro. Any one have any ideas?

 

[DancingShark]

Don't know for sure. Looks like a popped bubble algea

 

[XNavyDiver]

Don't know for sure. Looks like a popped bubble algea

It does but it's not. I've been observing it for about a week. It grows like a single leaf. It looks like a tiny piece of kelp.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ulva.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Ulva.

Interesting. I looked up pictures and that's what it does look like. Question is, how did it get in my tank as I started with dry rock and have never had anything but cheato in my refugium?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Imo. It's quite likely a hitchhiker on coral or even the chato.

Once I killed my bryopsis in my 55, a whole new unknown red algae sprouted. I had not added anything in literally months but had seen none of it before in the tank.

I was frag shopping at my closest lfs and guess what was in their refugium where I bought my chato months befor.
Hint. It was red. Lol

 

[XNavyDiver]

Imo. It's quite likely a hitchhiker on coral or even the chato.

Once I killed my bryopsis in my 55, a whole new unknown red algae sprouted. I had not added anything in literally months but had seen none of it before in the tank.

I was frag shopping at my closest lfs and guess what was in their refugium where I bought my chato months befor.
Hint. It was red. Lol

Well that makes sense. I don't want it in the main display for sure, but I guess it's easy enough to control. Doesn't seem a difficult species to rid myself of.
Thanks for the ID!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Your welcome! Yea seems like a pretty easy one.