Red Macro ID?

[Ocypode sinensis]

I got this from my local LFS free of charge, it was growing like crazy on some of their rock but gets removed pretty easily. I promised them that I will call them once I get an ID on the algae, anywhere here's the pic.

 

[Subsea]

Botryocladia occidentalis​

Botryocladia is a truly beautiful specimen that does very well in the marine aquarium. It features stiff, lightly calcified branches with fluid filled air bladders to stay upright. It resembles a cluster of grapes and so is sometimes referred to as Red Grape Caulerpa, although its not related. It's found in different forms worldwide but the dominant species here in Florida is Botryocladia occidentalis. The algae can grow quite large in its natural environment to about 12" in diameter. The plant is anchored by a single holdfast to hard bottom, ledges and on artificial reefs and is found to depths of about 65'. It can be a sensitive algae to keep in the aquarium and requires a stable alkalinity, good flow and overall excellent water quality to survive. The plant is highly palatable to fish.​

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

Botryocladia occidentalis​

Botryocladia is a truly beautiful specimen that does very well in the marine aquarium. It features stiff, lightly calcified branches with fluid filled air bladders to stay upright. It resembles a cluster of grapes and so is sometimes referred to as Red Grape Caulerpa, although its not related. It's found in different forms worldwide but the dominant species here in Florida is Botryocladia occidentalis. The algae can grow quite large in its natural environment to about 12" in diameter. The plant is anchored by a single holdfast to hard bottom, ledges and on artificial reefs and is found to depths of about 65'. It can be a sensitive algae to keep in the aquarium and requires a stable alkalinity, good flow and overall excellent water quality to survive. The plant is highly palatable to fish.​

That was my first thought, but all the Botryocladia occidentalis I've had have a rigid stem and tends to grow into a tree like shape?? This algae however is soft and bushy, no more than a inch tall on my LFS's rock. It almost feel gelatinous when I was picking out the GHA attached (I gave up).

 

[Subsea]

If it is slippery and feels gelatinous then it is a type of Halymenia. (Dragons Breath).

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

If it is slippery and feels gelatinous then it is a type of Halymenia. (Dragons Breath).

i'll look more into that, the guide on GCE's website doesn't seem to include this algae.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

If it is slippery and feels gelatinous then it is a type of Halymenia. (Dragons Breath).

What about Coelarthrum sp. ? looks much alike to the string of pearl algae

 

[Subsea]

What about Coelarthrum sp. ? looks much alike to the string of pearl algae

I am not familiar with that. Try this browser

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=1461532

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

I am not familiar with that. Try this browser

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=1461532

Cool stuff, I went to Algae Base further and I decided it's probably a Scinaia sp.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

i'll look more into that, the guide on GCE's website doesn't seem to include this algae.

This is what is sometimes called dragons breath:

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookdragonsbreath.htm

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

This is what is sometimes called dragons breath:

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookdragonsbreath.htm

I did some further research and I think its a Chamaebotrys sp. Perhaps C. proliferus.

 

[Peter Houde]

I was excited to see the first response because I've been wondering what this is that has turned up spontaneously in both my quarantine tank and overflow box ... then I read about six different responses. Vernacular names are always sketchy, but for whatever it's worth it sure doesn't resemble what I've bought in the past as "dragon's breath".

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

I was excited to see the first response because I've been wondering what this is that has turned up spontaneously in both my quarantine tank and overflow box ... then I read about six different responses. Vernacular names are always sketchy, but for whatever it's worth it sure doesn't resemble what I've bought in the past as "dragon's breath".

Very interesting, do you have real ocean-source live rock? This is definitely not botrycladia or dragon breath and I don't think this specie is being sold commercially in the hobby.

I have also observed that tiny sprouts are popping out on my rock and frag mount, just be advised that they could potentially be invasive but they seems pretty easy to remove.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

Chamaebotrys boergesenii also looks close enough

 

[Peter Houde]

Very interesting, do you have real ocean-source live rock? This is definitely not botrycladia or dragon breath and I don't think this specie is being sold commercially in the hobby.

I have also observed that tiny sprouts are popping out on my rock and frag mount, just be advised that they could potentially be invasive but they seems pretty easy to remove.

I ocean sourced my (Marshall Is) live rock 30 years ago and I hadn't seen this stuff in the DT until I cleaned the overflow box last week and found it there. It keeps popping up in the QT, which runs constantly, months ago. It must have hitchhiked with some coastal Florida Cryptonemia that I quarantined nearly a year ago.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

I ocean sourced my (Marshall Is) live rock 30 years ago and I hadn't seen this stuff in the DT until I cleaned the overflow box last week and found it there. It keeps popping up in the QT, which runs constantly, months ago. It must have hitchhiked with some coastal Florida Cryptonemia that I quarantined nearly a year ago.

Very interesting, so after all it's a native specie. How's the Cryptonemia doing, I had trouble keeping the from whiting up and melt off, any tricks?

 

[Peter Houde]

Very interesting, so after all it's a native specie. How's the Cryptonemia doing, I had trouble keeping the from whiting up and melt off, any tricks?

The Crypto is still looking good. It's the only macro that seems to be able to survive in my tank. Don't ask me why. I have no idea of why some things thrive and others die, or why some things miraculously appear as if by spontaneous generation, overpopulate, and then all but disappear.