Red Grape Macro Algae - Botryocladia sp

**bmwaaron** · 06-11-2006, 07:20 PM

Anyone used this? I was thinking about getting it for use in my Fuge but wanted to know if It has similar characteristics of Caulerpa? The main attraction is the Red color and texture I guess.

***Rob*** · 06-11-2006, 07:26 PM

sorry, never used it before..

anyone else use it??

V · 06-11-2006, 09:10 PM

this might help u
http://www.algaebase.org/PictureSear...36B4GPg314854A

Red Macroalgae (Botryocladia Sp.)
Sometimes called "red grape caulerpa" although it's not caulerpa at all.
Long slender branches that extend to rows of bright red bladders.
This is considered a rare variety. Commonly found on reef ledges.
Requirements: strong light, iron & manganese.
Care: moderate.

This algae works great for both nutrient export as well as feeding something nutritious to your algae eating fish. If you intend on growing this to use as a consistent source of nutrient removal or fish food, you'll have to grow it in a isolated place in your system as algae eating fish will devour this algae in no time.
I'm told it grows slow due to only having one root system (unlike green grape).
also told tangs like it more than green grape in general.

**bmwaaron** · 06-11-2006, 09:32 PM

Thanks for the info Veriann
I wonder what they mean by strong light?

**AdamJ** · 06-12-2006, 08:48 PM

stong light-

Botryocladia is common in the intertidal.

so, it get a lot of direct dunlight. so i woudl assume keep it in fairly shallow regions. with a stong bulb

**bmwaaron** · 06-12-2006, 08:58 PM

So what type of light is this? Are we talking MH lighting or just normal florescent grow light?

V · 06-13-2006, 06:47 AM

at the end of the day, its still simple algae, so i would imagine a T5 wouild be ample

**Mclendonmdw** · 06-15-2006, 04:40 PM

I had a nice clump of red grape on a piece of Fl Aquaculture LR. It grew from a small stalk to a large clump in 2 to 3 months. Then I added a tang….He went nuts! He devoured it in like 3 days! I moved the rock to my cube and now it’s growing back. I feed small pieces of the algae to the tang on a weekly basis.

**Mclendonmdw** · 06-15-2006, 04:43 PM

Here is some cool red algae that popped up in my tank a while back. its now a huge bush that my mandarin loves to pilfer through for pods.

**olaf** · 11-15-2010, 12:57 PM

I had some of this in my nano cube for about 2 yrs before it started spreading. It is now in plaque proportions. Growing over the intake and growing between the zoas. getting everywhere and now I'm looking for something that will eat it and will fit in my 24-gallon. I would like to find a nudibranch that would eat it.

**CarmieJo** · 11-16-2010, 10:02 PM

Maybe one of the smaller dwarf angels?

**rroselavy** · 11-19-2010, 04:46 PM

I think John at ReefCleaners sells Botryocladia. You should pick his brain on lighting, he has always gotten back to me promptly with answers.

http://reefcleaners.org/index.php?pa...mart&Itemid=34

Olaf - Foxface Rabbitfish eat forms of Caulerpra (among other unpalatable algae and corals). I got one a while back to take care of a Caulerpa nummularia outbreak I had, and now the Caulerpa nummularia is virtually gone. I wonder if they would also eat Botryocladia...