Macro algae ID

[walter84]

Looking to ID these two macro algae’s.

1. Has little leafs growing off of multiple runners.

2. Large ribbon like leaf anchored with a small base to liverock.

All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[KJ]

1Pic Caulerpa racemosa
2 Pic Ulva

 

[cristata.reef]

First one is Caulerpa. (I think a variant of C. racemosa but I'm not an expert with the species). Here's a link for some general cauerpa identification https://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/291/docs/Caulerpa_Species_ID_Key.pdf. The second one is likely Ulva spp. assuming that you're talking about the bright green blob in the center and not the valonia bubble algae in the back.

 

[walter84]

Thank you for the help.

Yes, talking about green blob. Thank you. So are these good, bad or is it a matter of opinion?

 

[cristata.reef]

Thank you for the help.

Yes, talking about green blob. Thank you. So are these good, bad or is it a matter of opinion?

Caulerpa is very good for nutrient export but gross very very very fast (whatever growth rate you are thinking of, multiply it by 10!). Most people add it for that purpose or because it looks cool. You will need to trim it back frequently to prevent it from "going sexual" and releasing nutrients back into the tank. Otherwise it's pretty beneficial.

Ulva is pretty much the same, a very good phosphate remover. if you have any herbivorous fish, inverts it makes good food for them as well. Like caulerpa, ulva can go sexual if not maintained (really almost all green and brown macros can).

 

[walter84]

Caulerpa is very good for nutrient export but gross very very very fast (whatever growth rate you are thinking of, multiply it by 10!). Most people add it for that purpose or because it looks cool. You will need to trim it back frequently to prevent it from "going sexual" and releasing nutrients back into the tank. Otherwise it's pretty beneficial.

Ulva is pretty much the same, a very good phosphate remover. if you have any herbivorous fish, inverts it makes good food for them as well. Like caulerpa, ulva can go sexual if not maintained (really almost all green and brown macros can).

Thank you for this information, does it change appearance before it goes “Sexual”? Or is it more a matter of growth?

 

[cristata.reef]

Thank you for this information, does it change appearance before it goes “Sexual”? Or is it more a matter of growth?

Yes, thankfully, thy turn a bright milky white color and are almost sea through. You can look up some videos of people trimming caulerpa and you will see a distinct difference