Is this aiptasia?

[pinocchio]

Not sure what this is growing on my live rock, and wondering if I should keep or remove? Thanks!

 

[Rocktron1]

Looks like a macro algae to me, others should be able to verify

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not sure what this is growing on my live rock, and wondering if I should keep or remove? Thanks!

No. Looks like algae growth from a nuisance algae called derbesia and is one that must be removed in whole or will cause issues. This time of the year with added UV and longer room light, it appears.
Removal is best accomplished by taking the rock out of tank and placing in a container of tank water. Then you will want to pull as much as you can by hand and discard. With a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!
After you are done return rock to tank and reduce white light intensity and even hours of white light and add the following cleaners which will help with control. These guys will consume bryopsis but not as fast as bryopsis can grow - They will never keep up.
Pin cushion urchin, Chiton snails, pitho crabs, and larger astrea snails

This procedure is not as bad or time consuming as it seems. Assure phosphate levels do not become elevated which helps feed this algae

 

[Rocktron1]

Thanks vetteguy - I was obviously very wrong sorry OP . I've never seen that type of algae before

 

[pinocchio]

No. Looks like algae growth from a nuisance algae called derbesia and is one that must be removed in whole or will cause issues. This time of the year with added UV and longer room light, it appears.
Removal is best accomplished by taking the rock out of tank and placing in a container of tank water. Then you will want to pull as much as you can by hand and discard. With a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!
After you are done return rock to tank and reduce white light intensity and even hours of white light and add the following cleaners which will help with control. These guys will consume bryopsis but not as fast as bryopsis can grow - They will never keep up.
Pin cushion urchin, Chiton snails, pitho crabs, and larger astrea snails

This procedure is not as bad or time consuming as it seems. Assure phosphate levels do not become elevated which helps feed this algae

Thanks for the ID. Quick google speech for derbesia seems to only show green hair algae. So this is the same family? Do I NEED to remove it? Kinda like the way it looks, but don’t want to cause issues in the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the ID. Quick google speech for derbesia seems to only show green hair algae. So this is the same family? Do I NEED to remove it? Kinda like the way it looks, but don’t want to cause issues in the tank.

same grouping. If youre ok with the appearance- its not harmful

 

[pinocchio]

same grouping. If youre ok with the appearance- its not harmful

I might keep it for now, as it’s only in the few spots from the photos. If it starts to grow more I’ll take some out.

You mentioned removing the rock to pluck when the time comes. Is that so it won’t spread in the tank? Or is it just easier to remove out of the DT?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I might keep it for now, as it’s only in the few spots from the photos. If it starts to grow more I’ll take some out.

You mentioned removing the rock to pluck when the time comes. Is that so it won’t spread in the tank? Or is it just easier to remove out of the DT?

both- easier to eliminate and get to areas otherwise not accessible in the tank and to prevent regrowth and clogging your intakes