Why is my Caulerpa simultaneously dying and growing new shoots?

[staylor1490]

I got some Caulerpa Peltata a couple weeks for a macroalgae focused tank. It looked fine for a couple weeks with some growth but recently I've noticed that part of it are turning white/dying. This is releasing nutrients in my water and causing algae issues. At the same time, there is new growth happening. What is happening to my caulerpa? Should I just take it out altogether?

 

[Tired]

What are your parameters?

I'd trim off those dying parts.

 

[Greengirl]

I'm having the same issue with Caulerpa prolifera. Did you ever solve it? I have 2 separate tanks with no fish or corals (I do research on the algae themselves). Initially it grew and looked very healthy, big leaves, green, but now it is mostly sending out runners and leaves are turning white and the tank is having a real problem with fuzzy/stringy algae. Not going sexual though. I have some asterinas in there but they are not proliferating wildly either. I have a bubbler for flow, and change out 1/2 the water every 2 weeks since there is no filtering. I monitor salinity but not other inorganics. I have a Halimeda incrassata tank under similar conditions which seems to be doing better but they are pretty different, no runners to diagnose with ; )

 

[Elijah F]

I'm having the same issue with Caulerpa prolifera. Did you ever solve it? I have 2 separate tanks with no fish or corals (I do research on the algae themselves). Initially it grew and looked very healthy, big leaves, green, but now it is mostly sending out runners and leaves are turning white and the tank is having a real problem with fuzzy/stringy algae. Not going sexual though. I have some asterinas in there but they are not proliferating wildly either. I have a bubbler for flow, and change out 1/2 the water every 2 weeks since there is no filtering. I monitor salinity but not other inorganics. I have a Halimeda incrassata tank under similar conditions which seems to be doing better but they are pretty different, no runners to diagnose with ; )

I'm having the exact same problem too! I've been dosing ferts each day, and it still dies and grows back in spurts. I messaged a macro dealer I got the caulerpa from about this, and they said that caulerpa die-off is normal for them since they grow so quickly. Have you been able to get yours to stay alive for longer?

 

[macrouk]

Sounds like flow may be an issue for t least a couple of you. Caulerpa needs good flow through it, especially when growth is compact, to keep it from going sexual. A bubbler certainly wouldn’t be enough to prevent this in my opinion/experience

 

[WitheredMantis]

I keep over 10 species of Caulerpa in my main display and have found die-off of fronds to not be alarming. I read it’s just the lifecycle of the algae since it grows so quickly. When Caulerpa enters sporulation it will turn a mottled translucent-green. Like green spots while the rest of it is clear. As macrouk said flow is a contributing factor for most Caulerpa i’ve found. They will grown shorter/more compact in higher flow. As long as the stolons of the caulerpa aren’t dying back & it is pushing out new blades I wouldn’t worry too much, personally. Every species i’ve owned tends to go through these little episodes & I usually just trim the transparent spots so it can focus on new growth.