algae of the moment: caulerpa

[reefkprz]

well folks welcome to another rendition of rkZ's algae of the moment. In this section we shall be discussing, Caulerpa. There are several different types of caulerpa operating in the guise of tons of common names like, eelgrass (its not a grass) feather grass (ditto), snake algae (well it is an algae) and more many more depending on where you are.
lets cover the basics that all caulerpas have in common.
They grow fast, sometimes too fast, especially in the display tank. but being a fast grower and extremly hardy they will continue to thrive and consume waste nitrogenous compounds even in the worst conditions (aka during a cycle). another benefit of it growing so fast is, you can start with just a little tiny piece and will quickly have all you need.
They can go sexual under cycled lighting (any on/off photoperiods) they are far less likly to go sexual under a 24 hour on photoperiod, this can be usefull in sumps as it allows you to denitrify 24/7. if you notice signs of it going sexual in your tank, my suggestion, would be to remove it all to prevent the re-release of all the consumed waste.
Caulerpas will root and if it roots in your rocks it can be hard to get rid of permanently, in your sand if it roots it is likley to remove a lot of sand when harvested.
cool fact: caulerpas are unusual, they are a single celled. doesnt seem cool yet? they can reach lengths of about 9 feet making them the worlds largest single cell.
C. lentillifera, C. racemosa, C. taxifolia,C. prolifera are usually the species found in the aquarium hobby. some have bubble like fronds, some have smooth fronds, and some have feathery fronds, but its fairly easy to identify a caulerpa they alll have a runner (stolon) with fronds coming off it.
Note: caulerpas can be highly invasive every effort should be taken to ensure your caulerpa doesnt end up in the ocean, in fact its illeagle in california to posses nine different types of caulerpa, and it (Caulerpa taxifolia) is listed as a noxious weed under the U.S. plant protection acts in U.S. waters.
So who wants to donate pictures of caulerpa? I just realized I dont have any left, and I dont want to rip pics off the internet . Post some pics along with the species name (aka C. racemosa, or whatever)

 

[florida joe]

no algae does it better C. taxifolia

 

[scopus tang]

C. racemosa is known as grape caulerpa

And here what your DT can look like if it goes s.exual on you because its not under a 24/7 lighting cycle.

 

[mkzimms]

jeez, just the thought of it doing that to a tank makes my stomach turn.
are the good things ive heard about its nitrate export worth the risk? will 24/7 assure it doesn't become sexual and remain in a vegetative state?

 

[nietzsche]

i wouldnt use caulepra. i got some that got into my display tank and its really made a mess of things. im gonig to break the tank down and start over with a larger tank and start off new
when i was dosing vodka it was having a hard time growing and it began dying off, but once i stopped it came back so fast that my live rock is covered in grape caulepra and other forms of it :[

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by mkzimms
http:///forum/post/2617163
jeez, just the thought of it doing that to a tank makes my stomach turn.
are the good things ive heard about its nitrate export worth the risk? will 24/7 assure it doesn't become sexual and remain in a vegetative state?
honestly I have never heardof or seen it goe sexual under 24/7 lighitng. proper pruning to keep it trimmed back will help prevent it also.
if you have a constanT minor nitrate problem caulerpa would be a good macro to choose because it grows so fast. I prefer other algaes, that dont have the tendancy to go sexual, but you need to gauge its appropriatness for your particular situation.

 

[florida joe]

I think a major point should be why is it in your DT. If you are using it as a tool to export then it belongs in your refug. Where it should never get into your DT if you are diligent in its growth and harvesting

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2617473
I think a major point should be why is it in your DT. If you are using it as a tool to export then it belongs in your refug. Where it should never get into your DT if you are diligent in its growth and harvesting
tangs love it!

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/2617415
honestly I have never heardof or seen it goe sexual under 24/7 lighitng. proper pruning to keep it trimmed back will help prevent it also.
if you have a constanT minor nitrate problem caulerpa would be a good macro to choose because it grows so fast. I prefer other algaes, that dont have the tendancy to go sexual, but you need to gauge its appropriatness for your particular situation.

Make sure you are pruning properly though, because from some of what I've read since mine went sexual, inproper pruning (described as reaching in and just pulling handfuls out) can also cause it to go sexual ~ don't know for sure if that's true or not, but so I read.

 

[michaeltx]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/2617415
honestly I have never heardof or seen it goe sexual under 24/7 lighitng. proper pruning to keep it trimmed back will help prevent it also.
.
I have had it go se-xual under 24/7 lighting so thats not a gurantee that it wont it will reduce the tendency of it. the best way to keep it from going se-xual is regular pruning so it puts its energy into growing instead of reproducing.
Mike

 

[g60vision]

Hello,

I am looking for some live Caulerpa Lentillifera to try, but can not find it anywhere. Does anyone know where I can buy some?

Thanks!!
Gavin

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mkzimms http:///t/321301/algae-of-the-moment-caulerpa#post_2617163
jeez, just the thought of it doing that to a tank makes my stomach turn.
are the good things ive heard about its nitrate export worth the risk? will 24/7 assure it doesn't become sexual and remain in a vegetative state?

Hi,

I'm with you...that's the grape Caulerpa that does that...but Prolifera caulerpa doesn't, it looks like sea grass. Botryocladia looks like Grape Caulerpa except it's red, and it doesn't go sexual either. The red petals are halymenia macros...also doesn't go sexual. ( the green is prolifera caulerpa in the picture)

 

[bang guy]

Keeping macro algae trimmed is the best way to avoid sporulation. All of them will do it, it's their form of sexual reproduction.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/321301/algae-of-the-moment-caulerpa#post_3533544
Keeping macro algae trimmed is the best way to avoid sporulation. All of them will do it, it's their form of sexual reproduction.

All I know is that I don't trim back my macros until I can't stand it anymore, I have to pay a person to help me harvest because I can't climb up on steps...and I can't reach either tank unless I do. Mostly I see some of the leaves turn white and disappear, but the tank never turned to milk. The only ones I ever saw that did, are the grape and feather caulerpa. I agree the best thing is to keep it trimmed, but I was told for the grape and feather caulerpa to keep a light on it 24/7. LOL...I learn quite a bit here, and then find out that it isn't set in stone...so just because I was told that, doesn't make it so. According to Saxman, the red macros grow much slower then the green, so it's better for the display.

I have 3 different types of red macros, and prolifera in my tanks, even neglected it never went sexual..

P.S.
LOL...or maybe I should say,YET? I don't want to curse myself.

 

[bang guy]

Yes, don't jinx yourself. If the Prolifera goes, well, it won't be pretty.

In my experience the most likely to sporulate is the Racemosa and Halimeda.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/321301/algae-of-the-moment-caulerpa#post_3533547

Yes, don't jinx yourself. If the Prolifera goes, well, it won't be pretty.

In my experience the most likely to sporulate is the Racemosa and Halimeda.

Halymania? The rose petal looking stuff? I have a ton of small baby stuff on the sand bed, besides some stuff I harvested that was as large as a sheet of paper up high in the tank....So it definitely sporulated, but no milky look to the tank. Is it possible that the "milk cloudy yuck" isn't the actual spores, but it taking up the oxygen from the tank when it goes sexual?

The reason I ask...
I did have my tank go cloudy once, I have a very small bedroom where the 55g tank is located, and I was doing my nails and using lots of nail polish chemicals. It wasn't your average nail polish stuffl, I was taking an on-line class to learn to do manicures, artificial nails and that kind of thing... the tank went super cloudy, I couldn't see a thing. After doing some research, being oxygen starved could cause it... So I opened the windows and added another air line, and within the hour the water began to look better, by the next day it was crystal clear. LOL...I don't practice manicures in the bedroom without ventilation anymore, and I haven't had anymore problems.

 

[bang guy]

I meant Halimeda, not the Halymania you have.

It's certainly possible that some of the cloudiness is from low oxygen. The spores definitely consume a lot of oxygen. It can be dangerous to the tank inhabitants. I think most of the cloudiness is from the actual spores though as it's easily filtered out.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/321301/algae-of-the-moment-caulerpa#post_3533566
I meant Halimeda, not the Halymania you have.

It's certainly possible that some of the cloudiness is from low oxygen. The spores definitely consume a lot of oxygen. It can be dangerous to the tank inhabitants. I think most of the cloudiness is from the actual spores though as it's easily filtered out.

Verrry interesting....I will put that type of macro on my list of what to avoid. Thanks.