Red Coralline or Red Turf

[AthensReef]

Hi guys,

It started out on one rock and seems to be spreading at a good pace. I’m able to brush some off with a stiff nylon brush. Other spots seem encrusted like Coralline. Hence my confusion as to what it may be. Most of it is confined to one rock, should I remove the whole rock? I’ve read the Red Turf Algae can be a real pain to get rid of.

Thanks in advance!

 

[reef lover]

Looks like both. You can take out that rock and give it a scrub with peroxide , rinse and put back.

 

[AthensReef]

Looks like both. You can take out that rock and give it a scrub with peroxide , rinse and put back.

I’ll give that a try, thanks!

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

Red coralline grows very slowly. Slower than the purple stuff. The coralline will die if it is rinsed in peroxide or freash water for long enough. Cerith and trochus snails will eat the red cyanobacteria.

 

[reef lover]

Not cyano...red turf...evil stuff, and not much likes to eat it.

 

[AthensReef]

Not cyano...red turf...evil stuff, and not much likes to eat it.

Yeah, none of my CUC has touched the stuff. Most of it is confined to the one large rock on the right. I'll remove it and try the peroxide rinse. It does give a nice pop in color, to bad it's so invasive!