plant id

[craig_will2513]

hi all i brought some live rock yesterday the 28th. the rock is covered in some kind of green plant and i was wondering if anyone can tell me what it is and does it have any benefits or if its bad

 

[mr_X]

any algae you add to the tank will absorb nutrients. hard to tell what this is though. the pictures are very grainy. rip off a little piece and put it on the table and take a picture that way. i'm thinking a type of caulerpa.

 

[Gubernaculum86]

First one looks like it could be a species of Dictyota. Do u know where the rock came from, it could help with the ID. Better pictures will be more helpful.

 

[craig_will2513]

is that dictyota good or bad and i got th rock from the shop mate

 

[craig_will2513]

file:///C:/Users/craig%20and%20becky/Downloads/290737_239851306070636_100001373041870_663012_948558604_o.jpg

 

[craig_will2513]

iv added another pic to the original post.. is this any better

 

[mr_X]

no pic. try again.

 

[leftyfish]

I had that algae in the top left picture, I liked it, it didn't seem to spread, but I added emerald crabs and they ate it, all gone.

 

[mr_X]

still can't make it out. see if you can pick it out of a lineup-
trial page, algae ID
it does somewhat resemble dictoya cervicornis, except i thought that was more of a brownish color.
\\

 

[craig_will2513]

mx it look like this one possible Sargassum sp.. can you tell me anything about this if its due to a build up or bad stuff or if its good and whats does it to for an aquarium

 

[cloudxsoldier]

thats what it is 'dictoya cervicornis' as thats the EXACT same stuff I have in my tank.
I've been trying to ID it for months now. Mine branches out horizontaly of one of my rocks.

It has a unique pattern and shape.

My sea urchin likes to pick it off the rock and use it as a hat
(My sea urchin loves to wear hats)

 

[craig_will2513]

cool thanks cloudxsoldier do you know anything about it.. good or bad

 

[cloudxsoldier]

Can't really tell you.
All I can say is that I had it in my tank for about 2 months and it was growing rather quickly.

Nature took its course and my sea urchin ripped most of it off the rock. (He's still wearing it)

I would assume the biggest threat would be it growing to much to quickly.
I have two clowns, a dottyback, flame hawkfish, sun coral, a few mushrooms, snails, two hermits and a torch coral.

All seem to be happy with it being there.

Hope this helps I love it when I'm able to give back to this site.

 

[Gubernaculum86]

Dictyota can grow like crazy. Its what's growing over the majority of the reefs here in S.Fl. I don't know if there's much that eats it. If u keep it cut back it should be ok, plus itll look cool in ur tank