name these algae!

killyah

Member
are they good stuff to have? also do they grow fast? and any special lighting for these? got them free when i bought some cleaner shrimp :). thx in advance...
 

nacl-h2o

Active Member
The second one does look like hair algae, a bad thing to have. And to tell you the truth, the closest thing I can think of to the first is bryopsis, another pest algae, but it could be some type of caulerpa, not sure without a closer look at the structure.
Were did you get these algae's?
 

hnf2k

Active Member
the first one makes me sick to look at it. it just looks weird. take it out. good or bad. yucky is yucky.
 

jonthefb

Active Member
anyway you can get a closer shot of the first one? not to sure with the pic you have
i have to agree taht the second one looks like hari algae. i almost said maidens hair algae but that stuff is usually flourescent green.
good luck
jon
 

broomer5

Active Member
killyah
I would like to know what the first one is too.
I have it in my refugium.
Someone told me it was a form of green turf algae, but I've yet to confirm this. Normally the turf's I've seen seem to grow more on rocks, but this one is free floating, with nothing anchoring down to either the sand or live rocks.
It grows slowly in my fuge, I think you could leave it in your display tank - you'll just have to prune it back now and then.
I'm with everyone else on the second one.
I would say it looks much like the nuisance hair algae we all try to avoid.
You may want to remove this stuff until you can positively I.D. it, unless you prefer to leave it in the tank - that's your choice alone.
 

bang guy

Moderator
I heard the first one referred to as Spaghetti Macro. It's a slow growing turf algae. I've never heard of it getting out of control because it doesn't ever attach to anything. I've never heard of it going sexual either.
The second just looks like hair algae to me.
 

rsd

Member
Haven't seen the first, but the second does look like the same maidens hair I have in my tank (thick/course hair NOT wispy... very clumped and very dark). It will grow quick but doesn't spread well (believe it or not). I'm certain what I have is NOT hair algea 'cause my emerald crabs won't ouch it to save their lives.
It will grow in clumps in non current area and fill voids in a rock... will grow to be 3"-4" tall and waves in gentle current. Cool effect with lights 'cause it does reflect a little. Sallylight foot dines on mine as well as my bicolor blenny, flame angle, and blue leg hermits.
My only complaint is that it also tries to grow inside my overflow box and clumps things up...
ps big breeding ground for 'pods.
keepit/toss it no great loss.... not exactly a great catch either.
 

brooklyn johnny

Active Member
The first algae is called chaetomorpha (the genus name). There are a few different species. I have one in my refugium and I love it. It has many benefits. The pods love it. It doesn't grow roots, but rather more like an expanding brillo pad, and supposedly it doesn't go "sexual" as caulerpa does. However I also keep some of the species of feather caulerpa (ex. mexicana) in my fuge because they grow very fast and suck nutrients up. The chaetomorpha grows slower. The caulerpa is a double-edged sword though, as it's quest for nutrients during it's fast growth could cause the ever feared deterioration into spores. I keep it trimmed back on a regular basis, and run carbon once a month to polish the yellow water that results from all of the macroalgae. Here is a link. Do a search on chaetomorpha and you will find more. Real good stuff though...
http://www.2cah.com/pandora/Chaetomorpha.html
 

killyah

Member
thx all for the fast reply! i have all those algea in my refugium .to lower nitrate. also for the second pic, the hair algea and also the sea weed (no pic) here where i live has been banned or illegal to import?? live in winnipeg,manitoba,canada... all my lfs cant get them anymore just starting last week and i been to each store. the only reason that i got some was because as i said i got a couple of cleaner shrimp and that lfs is a buddy of mine , he wants me to grow some just in case he needs some in the future..since we cant import them any more? any 1 know why they would ban them? we can still get caulerpa and sea grass tho . i will take a pic of the second pic when i get home...
 

j21kickster

Active Member
I will second the spagetti for the first one- i have it in a tank and it grows really slow- and it is free floating- i think it is nice decoration- if you think that first one is weird- i will get a pic of this algae- looke like the spagetti but it grows in a dense sphere- it looks like a green ball of yarn- except algae
 
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