What type of Algae is this?

[Chris’s fish]

Hello all,
I just set up my new 125 gallon reef and bought some algae for my refugium today from my lfs, but I don’t know what type it is? Can anyone help? Also I have read about certain algae’s going sexual, so will this algae go sexual? And is it bad if the algae goes sexual? Thank you!

 

[Reeferdood]

That is called caulerpa, looks like you might have a couple different types there. A lot of reefers have started using chaetomorpha instead of caulerpa.

 

[lapin]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.php

When caulerpa 'goes sexual' It releases spores and other metabolites into the water. These metabolites can be toxic. The other problem with caulerpa sporelating, is that the remaining tissues quickly decompose releasing quite a bit of its assimilated food back into your system. So if your running a large refugium packed with caulerpa, and you get a massive sporelating event, You basically have had a time bomb release a boat load of nutrients back into your system. As well as these toxic metabolites.

 

[rkpetersen]

And the third issue with caulerpa going sexual is that it can make your skimmer go berzerk and flood everything if you happen to use an external one without a skimmate locker.

 

[acbaldwin]

That's C. brachypus and C. racemosa. Never had caulerpa wreck a tank but I run my tanks dirty enough as it is.

 

[EverydayAquarist]

That's C. brachypus and C. racemosa. Never had caulerpa wreck a tank but I run my tanks dirty enough as it is.

Hello, you are correct for one. C.brachypus, however the other one is in fact C. lentillifera not racemosa