Thoughts on this purple macro from TBS?

[William Sharkspeare]

This purple macro has really shot up over the last couple weeks. Scrolling through Mosaic, Halymenia floresia and "Blue Smoke" are close but don't seem quite right. More like a combination of the two. Although, the second "picture" (its a video) of blue smoke looks pretty close.

It is very thin, wispy and delicate. It looses its shape as soon as it is out of the water.

@LiverockRocks

 

[Subsea]

The first three pictures look like Red Gracilaria. Florida has two species of Halymenia, both of which are very delicate.

What you have looks like Halymenia florsia. All Halymenia should feel gelatinous. I don’t know what Blue Smoke is. Latin names help.

Halymenia floresia

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Species of Halymenia are a very unique and add an interesting aesthetic to a marine aquarium. It features striking flame shaped blades and pink or red coloration. It's gelatinous, smooth and delicate. This particular species grows offshore attached to rocks and hard bottom by a single holdfast to depths of about 65'. Single specimens can grow quite large and reach heights of about 12" or so. Halymeniarequires good water quality and moderate to high flow to maintain its slippery fleshy blades. In the aquarium they will seldom attach so they must be anchored or allowed to tumble as free floating specimens. Because the tissue is thin like ulva, it can fragment easily in the aquarium so tank overflows need to be protected. Halymenia is very palatable and is readily eaten by both Tangs and Angels.​

Halymenia floridana
An interesting species of Halymenia that is highly variable in color, ranging from bright yellow to red depending on the depth collected. Like all species of Halymenia it's gelatinous and smooth in texture and is easily torn. This particular species stays rather compact and its blades are rounded and irregular similar to species of Ulva. This species is found offshore to depths of about 65' attached to hard bottom by a single holdfast. Some specimens are found growing suspended in the water amongst algae mats. In the aquarium they will seldom attach so they must be anchored or allowed to tumble as free floating specimens. They can't be buried in the sand bed as the tissue will die off. It's very palatable and is readily eaten by both tangs and angelfish.

 

[Subsea]

I think Blue Smoke is this. And it is invasive.​

https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

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Cotton Candy Algae​

Algae under this heading usually appear as a light pink fuzz. Closer examination will show it is made up of many branches with even more branchlets. The plants are very small, lose form out of the water and sway in the current. Each plant forms from a single holdfast. Callithamnion species and the sporophyte stage of Asparagopsis taxiformis are usual suspects. The pictured specimen is quite good looking, they usually don't have such an aesthetic appeal, and are a dull red or reddish brown.

Manual Removal: Easy if it hasn't taken hold in places your fingers won't fit. Scrape your thumb on the surface it is attached to, while holding the algae like a pencil as you remove it. This helps you get the small holdfast.

Clean Up Crew members include urchins, sea hares, large turbos, emerald crabs and most hermit crabs.

This algae isn't particularly common, but has the ability to grow rapidly from fragments.

 

[William Sharkspeare]

Definitely not Ogo and I don't think it's Halymenia. This stuff is thin and threadlike.

Callithamnion looks pretty close. The description is pretty accurate - branches/branchlets, single holdfast. I'll shoot John an email and may end up removing it later today when I get home.

 

[William Sharkspeare]

John agrees with being ones of the "cotton candy" species and recommends removing it. Shame. It's very pretty.