I was wondering what consumes cheato, not only in the aquarium but in regard to it's role in the ecosystem; what keeps it from over growing in the ocean? Also it is illegal to sell caulerpa in California, due to outbreaks along the coast. But among my keeping of both macro algaes I found that cheato grows much faster, with no revealed natural predator in the aquarium, and it is much more common to find it available for sale.
I've not heard of anything eating cheato in the aquarium. It's interesting that your cheato grows more quickly. I grow both caulerpa and cheato and in my system the caulerpa grows more quickly. It would be interesting to see why.
We put cheato in our tanks as a nutrient export as it competes with algae for excess nutrients in the water column. We do not provide it as a food source for herbivores. Herbivores do eat calupra, but I have had it ge sexual! Want to see your skimmer go CRAZY? I feed my tangs Seaweed Selects, Formula 1 & 2, and spirulina. Use the macroalgae as a nutrient export, cut and harvest the bound phosphates and nitrates by cutting and trimming weekly!
It's not suppose to be shipped here... it's banned. Where do you live around here? Althought it's not suppose to be imported of course it shows up. I see a lot of it come in as little pieces on LR.
My tuxedo urchin eats Chaeto... sits on the ball of it all day, in one end, out the other.
Caulerpa -vs- California: It is considered an "invasive species" because some nut jobs dumped their pruning trash into a waterway that eventually made it into the Pacific. If you google "california" and "caulerpa", you will find lots of information.
cool, thanx for the info. JustDavid, why would cheato be allowed to be sold here or other algae's if the same can happen to them?, and Seahorsedreams i live in Downey
To be brutally honest, if other types of macro algae were released, intentionally or unintentionally, and caused problems, they'd ban that too.
It happens over and over again, whether plant, animal, marine, fresh water, etc. In Massachusetts, we can no longer purchase a popular landscaping bush, the "Burning Bush" or Euonymus alatus compacta. This is because it has been found to be "invasive"
I also have a Koi Pond/Water Garden. I used to love putting in an annual called "parrots feather" or Myriophyllum aquaticum. Their lacy branches or runners would float on the water's top and help provide shade and oxygen to the pond. It too has been banned.
Most of the decisions made by local environmentalists make sense ONLY because you really can't trust the end user to make good judgement calls. All it takes is for one bozo to toss plants into a pond at the end of a growing season and you could be in lots of trouble.
Hmmm, the urchin knows whats best.... hey Seahorsedreams, do you know why the whole issue with caulerpa in california, or anyone at all???
Aren't they importing Oxynoe into CA to eat out-of-f-ing-control caulepra? If mine is still alive you can have it
__________________ Samuel
"If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.... There is magic in it. Let the most absent-minded men be plunged in his deepest reveries--stand that man on his legs, set his feet a-going, and he will infallibly lead you to water, if water there be in all that region."
Haha smuggle some into Cali, no it's ok thanks. My sticky reefer hands have already aquired some, I was just wondering why it wasn't allowed. But thanks to everyone's answer I got it. And it does grow mighty fast!
Aren't they importing Oxynoe into CA to eat out-of-f-ing-control caulepra? If mine is still alive you can have it
Importing other non-natives to combat a non-natives is a bad plan and never works. All it does is create more problems when that animal runs out of food.
SoCalReefer- If you are familiar with San Diego, the lagoon in Carlsbad with the power plant on it had the Caulerpa, as did a waterway in Huntington Beach. It was successfully eradicated, but remains a concern for those of us that work on it. California has native species of Chaetomorpha and C. linum is sold in the aquarium industry.
icon under their name to add to their reputation. 
