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View Full Version : A type of grape caulerpa?



jgallone1801
10-18-2006, 06:59 PM
I recently found this growing in my main tank. There are several "bubbles" that appear to be growing out of one "stalk". In the picture, you can see the largest one, and just under that are the smaller bubbles. The largest one is just a little smaller than the size of a pea.

I've seen green grape caulpera, and that is what this reminds me of; only these "grapes" seem to be a little bigger than what I've seen.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jason

Stevej72
10-18-2006, 07:21 PM
I have no Idea, but Welcome to TR
You could look here (http:/) it might be of some help

CarmieJo
10-18-2006, 08:34 PM
Hi Jason,

I am also no help with your image but I do want to say :welcome: to TR.

wwest
10-18-2006, 08:42 PM
It kinda looks like a caulerpa, does it have a stem or just a bulb sitting on the rock?

jgallone1801
10-18-2006, 09:00 PM
It does have a stem, with about 4 bulbs growing from it. I checked the site mentioned by SteveJ72, but I wasn't able to find an exact match. I'll try to get a better picture, it's just in an awkward spot. It could simply be that it's too early to tell...maybe in a few weeks/months and there's more growth, it'll be easier to identify.

Thanks for the kind welcome...it nice to be here.

Jason

wwest
10-18-2006, 09:43 PM
I feel so bad lol i was so stuck on your new find i forgot to say Welcome to Talkingreef. lol im sorry. :)

Im not an expert on caulerpa at all. actually i can type it but i dont think i can say it in real life lol. but it does look like alot of pictures i came across. those picture were explained as a younge caulerpa so i would say thats what you have. if it has a stem and a few bulbs im not sure what esle it could be..

JustDavidP
10-19-2006, 08:22 AM
I was thinking valonia.

http://wbtd57.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/Assets/Images/arbeitsgebiete/Valonia%20utricularis.jpg\

Look at this link. Not all valonia are the same.

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/What%20plants%20look%20like/Plants%20Valonia%20aegagropila.htm



Dave

jgallone1801
10-19-2006, 05:52 PM
After doing a little more "Googling", I think it may be "Botryocladia skottsbergii". While it is similar to valonia, it's not a true bubble algae. I'm not even sure if it is a nuisance algae.

Also, the algae in my tank are a deeper red and more opaque than the photos I've seen.

Jason

JustDavidP
10-20-2006, 09:15 AM
Coolio... I love it when people get inspired to research!

m1000con
07-28-2009, 10:16 PM
I can tell you it is a nuisance algae

saxman
07-28-2009, 11:14 PM
i was going to suggest Botryocladia, then i read on and see you found it. while not a true Caulerpa sp., it is often called "red grape Caulerpa". under btight lighting it tends to fade or go brownish in color. the red macro in this pic is Botryocladia.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/100g%20rhinopias%20and%20volitan/fronny700-1.jpg

PhotoJohn
07-29-2009, 05:00 AM
i want that fish!

saxman
07-29-2009, 11:27 AM
i want that fish!

leave my holy grail scorp alone! ;)

johnmaloney
08-02-2009, 01:34 PM
+1 to botryocladia, probably B. pyriformis. A nuisance, if you had botryocladia occidentalis (the nice one saxman has), you would see more stalk in the initial growth. If I were you I would remove, it gets the name "red bubble algae" b/c it is invasive like green bubble algae. And it is red and looks like bubbles. :)

badger
08-02-2009, 01:38 PM
I had it in my tank and my hippo tang ate it all!

johnmaloney
08-02-2009, 01:46 PM
oh yeah they love the stuff. easier to get fish to chomp caulerpa than inverts and stuff. my french angel loves that stuff, and just about every other caulerpa except prolifera. not sure why but hey he eats so I don't argue.

or did you mean the botryo? that is edible for sure. i had a different angel fish that only liked to eat the bubbles though and would leave the stalk...he is in a new home now, but my botryo still ooks like the charlie brown xmas tree.

saxman
08-03-2009, 07:52 PM
or did you mean the botryo? that is edible for sure.

heyas John!

turbo snails seem to love the stuff as well...something about the reds that critters find tasty...

Renee sez "hi" too...

johnmaloney
08-03-2009, 10:50 PM
they like sargassum too. i have been getting into angel fish lately and i wanted to try some of that on them... they get picky sometimes....well a subject for another topic. Say Hi to Renee!

lance
08-04-2009, 01:03 AM
welcome to the site

lance

jgallone1801
08-04-2009, 12:07 PM
Thanks to everyone that's responded. Since I posted that question way back in 2006, I no longer appear to have botryocladia in my tank. I didn't really do anything particular to remove it; although I did have to tear down the tank when I moved so that may have disrupted it. Ugh, moving an established fish tank is such an unpleasant experience (but that's another topic all together!)

It is possible that it's still around, just hidden or dormant. I've kept up on the water changes and regular maintenance so hopefully that will limit the chance of it coming back.

Jason

Iron E
08-04-2009, 12:11 PM
Hey Jason, welcome to TR! Dig the creepin' skelly!