Logo
Please visit our Sponsors
FAQs about Red Algae/Rhodophyte Identification 7

Related Articles: Red Algae in General, Coralline Marine Algae, Avoiding Algae Problems in Marine System, Algae Control, Marine Maintenance, Marine Scavengers, Snails, Hermit Crabs, Mithrax/Emerald Green Crabs, Sea Urchins, Blennies, Algae Filters, Ctenochaetus/Bristle Mouth Tangs, Zebrasoma/Sailfin Tangs, Skimmers, Skimmer Selection, Marine Algae, Coralline Algae, Green Algae, Brown Algae, Blue-Green "Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms, Brown Algae, Algae as Food,

Related FAQs: Red Algae ID 1, Red Algae ID 2, Red Algae ID 3, Red Algae ID 4, Red Algae ID5, Red Algae ID 6, Red Algae ID 8, & Red Algae 1, Red Algae 2, Red Algae 3, Red Algae in General, Red Algae 2, Red Algae 3, Red Algae Behavior, Red Algae Compatibility, Red Algae Selection, Red Algae Systems, Red Algae Nutrition, Red Algae Disease, Red Algae Reproduction/Propagation, Coralline Algae, Marine Macro-Algae, Use in Aquariums, Algae as Food, Marine Algae ID 1, Marine Algae ID 2, Marine Algae Control FAQs II, Marine Algaecide Use, Nutrient Limitation, Marine Algae Eaters, Culturing Macro-Algae; Controlling: BGA/Cyano, Red/Encrusting Algae, Green Algae, Brown/Diatom Algae,

New Print and eBook on Amazon

Marine Aquarium Algae Control

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Yet another red algae ID 3/2/11
Hello again crew and a thousand thanks for the seemingly endless font of invaluable information you folks provide!!
<Welcome Ron>
Am attaching a picture of a recently acquired piece of macroalgae I obtained from one of my LFS's. After diligently perusing the complete algae identification pages here, I think I'm stumped and submit to your
expertise!
Thanks!
<Unfortunately, well not to much so, am down in Cozumel diving; hoping someone else at WWM would look at, pick this up... away from reference works. My best guess is this is a Galaxaura species... maybe G. marginata. Bob Fenner>

?coral? -- 02/02/10
Thanks in advance for your time you've helped me in the past...have another mystery in my tank - grown over 6 month period. Is this ok? Or is it invasive? Thanks again! :)
<This looks like macro algae to me... maybe Rhodophyte sp.... probably a good thing. Whatever it is, it looks healthy, and producing a lot of CO2 bubbles. :-)>
(ps: also sent instant message with two pics... But not sure if you get instant messages )
<we do not>
<Cheers,
Sara M.>

Agreed! RMF

26/01/2010. Safely Increase Calcium & Alkalinity, now algae I.D.
Simon,
<Beth>
I'm so glad to hear from you again!! All my coral are doing great, Thanks to You!
<That's great news!>
Well almost great. My live rock which has the hidden cup coral, also had a couple of striped mushrooms on it and the mushrooms are looking wilted. These are in the 20g tank. I haven't had time to test/retest the water yet but I did have a quick question about some algae.<Ok>
Feel free to rename and move this post to the appropriate place.
<Will indeed do!>
Pictured below is my red grape algae that grew out of some live rock I purchased this past spring. I thought the color was absolutely beautiful and let it grow <It is a nice looking algae>. I really haven't had any problems with it, other than finding pieces floating around occasionally. Last night when I was testing the water, I found that an entire stalk had been cut off, a clean diagonal cut and an additional three inch piece was sitting in the back of the tank. I went to retrieve that piece this morning and it was gone. It is now sticking inside a rock, inside of a little rock cave.
My first question, is the algae Caulerpa?
<Well, Beth, it does look like Caulerpa, except that it is red not green! Unless I am (very) mistaken this is a Rhodophyta algae, possibly Botryocladia skottsbergii. Try here & Related FAQs: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgae.htm and here: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php>.
Second question, do I have a crab decorating his home?
<Is a possibility, but impossible to tell>
On a side note, I never did find a Mantis nor a Pistol Shrimp. I removed all of the rock and found nothing.
<I think you might have something in there somewhere>
Gotta take the dogs to the vet. I will test/retest the 20g tank when I return. Thank You.
<No problem>
Beth
<Simon><<Well done Simon. B>>

Re: 26/01/2010. Safely Increase Calcium & Alkalinity, now algae I.D. -- 1/28/10
Hi Simon,
<Hi Beth>
Thank you for the response. <No problem> It does make me feel a lot better knowing I didn't have Caulerpa in my tank. The algae I pictured was one stalk and the one that got cut off. Kills me, because I watched that thing grow for almost 6 months, it was such a bright spot in my live rock tank.. Do you think that there is any way to reattach it to a rock and live?
<Should re-attach given time>
Just hasn't been my month. Killed a wrasse yesterday, by mistake, I was searching for him and pushed the powerhead back against the tank wall and there he was in between the plastic parts. I smooshed him. I'm currently in mourning and the viewing will be today, Burial at Sea (toilet) tomorrow. Wear your Navy Whites and bring your toilet bowl brush.
<Oh dear>
Still haven't tested the 20g water, have to leave town for the day to visit beloved Mother-in Law.
Thanks again,
Beth
<Simon>

Red macroalgae 8/31/09
Can you tell me the actual and or common name and care needs for this macroalgae?
Thank you,
Catherine Kresge
red macroalgae. phylum- Rhodophyta. family- Gelidiaceae. From the Indo Pacific
<Mmm, looks like Gelidium serrulatum to me; not from Indo... use the name on the Net to look up its husbandry per your setting/system.
Bob Fenner>

Green Star / Gorgonia ID please? 7/8/09
Hi there crew! My first time writing in! :)
I have attached a photo of some "Green Star Polyps" that I bought several years ago. I bought it because I have never seen GSP quite like this type, nor have I seen it again. It is indeed ULTRA neon. I have hunted around to try to find a specie name, but I have yet to be able to even figure out the genus. Could you please possibly shed some light?
<Is a beauty... likely a Pachyclavularia violacea species... they occur in different colours>
Oh, it is encrusting, and grows in fingers along the surface. I also attached a photo of it's growth pattern (as seen from the back side of the glass).
Thank you so much!
Mindy
<Mmm, your second image is a Rhodophyte (red algae) in a reproductive phase... the bumpy bits at the top. Bob Fenner>

Re: Green Star / Gorgonia ID please? 7/8/09
Hi Bob,
<Mindy!>
Thank you so much for your reply!! So, it's just "basic" GSP, but a different color? How boring. Hahaha! I'm kidding. Here I thought it was different since the shape of the stars is so much different.
That second photo is actually of the GSP growing on the glass. I'm pretty sure there is no algae growing with it. The photo is taken from the underside of the GSP mat. When it first starts growing the mat isn't very purple, but purples up as it ages. If you look real closely you can see the green stars peeking out from the other side. I can take photos from a different angle if you would like. :)
Cheers!
Mindy
<Geez, I've got to wake up a bit more before responding to queries... My eyes are getting "sunburned" down here in Key Largo. Cheers, BobF>

Algae ID: 4/2/2009
Hello guys,
<Hi Adam>
Looking to identify a miscellaneous algae that has been in one of my fuge's for a very long time. The fuge is connected into my 120 gallon reef and I am slowly closing the 120 down and placing its inhabitants in my new 800 gallon system.
<Nice setup!>
I wanted to identify this algae to avoid potential problems as I think it may be Dictyota?
<Hmm... No>
The only algaes purposely placed in this fuge were Chaeto, a small fragment (from a previously set up fuge) of what was sold to me as Gracilaria, and some Ochtodes. I have moved some of the Chaeto over to the big tank already and screened it for anything other than pods, worms etc. . and hope I have done a good job at keeping anything un wanted out. Any help on an ID for this algae would be much appreciated.
<Looks like a Fauchea sp. or a Gracilaria sp. In either case, definitely not a nuisance algae, and is quite attractive when allowed to grow.>
Adam
<Mike>

Nuisance Algae or Sea Fan?? 2/16/09 Hi Crew: <Hi Bonnie, Mich here.> Attached is a picture that I hope you can identify. <Me too!> My reef tank is 3 1/2 years old. I have a deep 5" sandbed made up of crushed coral. I know, I know.....it takes a bit more maintenance than a substrate made of true sand, but I am diligent in stirring up the crushed coral a couple times a week and vacuuming the bed about every 3rd week. <Good husbandry can makes all the difference!> I recently removed about an inch of the top substrate and replaced it with new crushed coral. <You are wise, this will help your buffering capacity.> After I did this replacement, about 3 weeks later, I noticed this maroon, feathery growth. <May or may not be related.> It has continued to grow and is quite pretty. <I agree!> I thought, originally, it must be some type of sea fan. <Mmm, no.> However, I just want to make sure and not have some nuisance algae growing and getting out of control. <Does look like a Rhodophyte to me, but that certainly doesn't make it a nuisance! If it was mine, I would encourage it to grow.> It's very soft and feathery. Can you tell me what this is? <The photo is not clear enough for me to tell to much beyond it's a red algae, but it sure is a beauty!> Thanks for your help! <Welcome!>
Bonnie
<Mich>

Re: Nuisance Algae or Sea Fan?? 2/16/08 Hi Mich, <Hi Bonnie,> Thanks so much for your response. <Welcome, I'm happy to help.> You are exactly right in your identification. Once you told me that it was more than likely a Rhodophyte, I did a search by that name. Someone had written in on 8/3/06 with a very clear picture of it. That one is a bit more translucent than mine, but that is what it is for sure! <Great!> Since it's so pretty, and you've encouraged me to let it grow, I will see what becomes of it. <Excellent!> Thanks, again! <You are most welcome!> Bonnie
<Mich>

Identification 12/21/08 Hello: You have always been helpful in the past... <Glad to be> Can anyone tell me what this is growing on my colony of green polyps. I have seen a this "plant" before when I first bought my LR 4 years ago, but it never grew like this is growing! Hoping it is not a bag thing or evil plant... Thanks! <Mmm, is a Red Algae, a Rhodophyte... not evil... Likely a Fauchea sp. Please see the Net re or here on WWM: http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgae.htm I'd enjoy it... will likely be "discovered" by life in your system, and consumed... Or some condition, variable change there... that limits its growth, being. Not likely to "run amok". Bob Fenner, who on the other hand... is very likely to do so>

Animal, vegetable, or mineral? - 12/20/2008 This unusual creature (plant?) below is a hitchhiker on a Corallimorph colony (which seem to be Rhodactis, you can see in the pic to the right). Photo links are below, feel free to download them from the link if you want to post them. I have no clue what this is. I, and a few other reefers, suspect it's a form of coralline algae. <From the picture, I concur, although it is hard to see any diagnostic characters.> So, I browsed all of your coralline ID and red algae pages and didn't run across anything similar. It is about 1/2" diameter, and never moves, extends any form of polyp or sweeper (even night), or does any other thing similar to a coral. It is rock hard, just like coralline algae. I can't comment on how fast it grows, I've only had it two weeks. But it looks so much like a mushroom Corallimorph that it's just plain weird. It seems to have an oral disc. Perhaps it's just some strange coincidence and the algae is conforming to the shape of the rock underneath. <Sure, to some extend, environment and DNA make it look like it does.> I have never seen coralline algae that was brick red like this, with the yellow striations. Very cool looking, I hope it grows. <Indeed.> So I am at a loss. Coral? Algae? Bryozoan? Republican? Democrat? Any ideas? <One of the over 600 species of the order Corallinales as shown on http://www.algaebase.org/browse/taxonomy/?id=4621 . > Thanks! http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p460/redfishsc/wood%20pens/mystery_algae2.jpg http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p460/redfishsc/wood%20pens/mystery_algae1.jpg <Cheers, Marco.>


Likely Peysonniella sp., a Rhodophyte, Red algae. RMF.

Re: More re: Animal, vegetable, or mineral? 12/20/08 Peysonniella squamaria is what I had suggested to me by a friend on a reefkeeping forum. I did a Google image search, and I could find examples of this specie with the right colors (red and yellow), but none of them with this shape and pattern. <Is highly variable... mostly shallow concaves, to overlapping sheets> Not that shape/pattern really means much with a random-growth alga like this. Thanks for the help! I hope this stuff grows all over the tank, it's very nice. Matt <Is a beauty... Some of my pix here: http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgae.htm Bob Fenner>

New Print and eBook on Amazon

Marine Aquarium Algae Control

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Become a Sponsor Features:
Daily FAQs FW Daily FAQs SW Pix of the Day FW Pix of the Day New On WWM
Helpful Links Hobbyist Forum Calendars Admin Index Cover Images
Featured Sponsors: