algae id

[zhenya]

Ok,the topic says it all.This green algae just showed up one day and is not going anywhere I'm puling it out and it just coming back.I have pic of it and if anybody knows what this is,please clue me in.I've checked on Dictyota and done some searches,even emailed Dr.Millar for help
OK,here's couple of pics of this thing...

TIA.

[zhenya]

and a little closer look...

[zhenya]

Well,just got reply from Dr.Alan Millar,Senior Research Scientist of Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney.He said that it does look like Caulerpa serrulata but without actual specimen to examine,he can't be 100% sure.In this instance,I'm happy with this id
Now this poses another question,does anybody know of natural predator or grazer on this algae?I have three herbivirous fish in my tank and none of them touches this stuff.I have two tangs and a foxface rabbitfish.Do you think Diadema urchin might graze on this?

TIA.

[Teleost]

Zhenya

That is an easy one - Caulepra serrulata. This is one of my main caulepra's used in my sump. Proficient bugger isn't it

The only creature that effects this caulepra is YOU!. No fish will eat this unless they are extremely hungry. They might feed off the microalgal flora living on the caulepra blades.

There are a few "atlantic / carribean" nudibranchs that eat this macroalgae.

The diadema urchin will again only feed on the microfloral communites on the caulepra.

Hope this helps.

[scubadude]

Gene I agree totally that this algae is serrulata. The new pic you took verifys that, but the older pic is much harder to verify from.

Very interesting Teleost about the nudis the eat this algae, any idea what type of nudi?

[tendar]

Yeah Razor calurpa I have some in fy refugim and have it in my swim tank. The only fish I had that would touch it was a 6" Naso would pick at it and keep it under control in a display tank.

[zhenya]

Teleost,Gregg and Rocky, Thanks!
Looks like it's going to be me who does the pruning of the bushes I wouldn't mind really if it wasn't for this ald grumpy Clarkii clownfish Since the host anemone is right next to the spot where the algae is,she's brocken skin on my arm twice already.Sometime I feel like filetting this crazy fish ,j/k,I love the old girl.I think it's time to order some heavy duty stainless still gloves

Thanks again fellows!

PS.Rocky,I believe it some sort of sea slug that eats this stuff and not a nudi.I'll dig arround for the name(I believe this came up on RC once with pics)

[Teleost]

Scubadude

Its been awhile and I can't remember the species name. Its fairly small - less then 1.0-in, predominantly green with two skin / tissue folds along the back & antenna w/white color tips. A few years ago it was covered / published in Nature. I think it was found initially in the Florida algae beds. It wasn't caulepra specie specific, i.e. - racemosa, taxifolia, etc. You sometimes get them on new shipments of caulepra. I think they mentioned they were slow grazers & used the toxin for defense purposes.

Fairly certain its not commercially available or even viable. Searchs of scientific american, nature, florida marine science studies, etc.

Hope that helps.......

[Ninong]

You are probably thinking of Oxynoe viridis, a shelled sacoglossan sea slug that feeds on Caulerpa racemosa and C. cactoides and probably a few other Caulerpa spp. I hate to call these nudibranchs since all true nudibranchs are carnivores.

I did read a post on another board once where a member claimed that his Zebrasoma desjardinii ate C. serrulata, but maybe it was exceptionally hungry.

[zhenya]

Thanks Ninong,you beat me to it

Well,here's pic of it...

[zhenya]

Here's some variations of them....
pics are from www.seaslugforum.net/oxynviri.htm