Macroalgae

[brandonberry]

Does anyone happen to know what type of macroalgae this maight be in this link.

http://www.discoverydiving.com/images/p ... Jul_04.jpg

I'm thinking about going out to that shipwreck and getting a little to try in one of my tanks and was wondering if anyone had ever seen this before. I've been diving on the NC coast for quite a while and don't recall ever seeing it. At first I thought it was a gorgonian because we have some of them that look similar to this, but the more I look at it, the more I'm convinced it is a macroalgae. Hopefully there is still some there. This is a relatively new shipwreck and I'm guessing the this desity of macroalgae is able to grow because of the lack of urchins on the wreck at this point. I wonder if it may have something to do with the iron leaching from it as well.

BTW, that site also has some good pics of lionfish on NC shipwrecks if anyone is interested in seeing them. I dive a lot with these people. If anyone ever has a desire to dive in NC, this is a good place to go with.

 

[Anonymous]

I suck at IDing algae (which is tough in itself) but from your location and from what I can tell from the picture I'd say a species of Red Gracilaria.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[brandonberry]

We do have a lot of red Gracilaria around here, biut if that is what this is, it is different from the speciesthat I've seen. From the picture, it looks much thicker.