What is this?

[WannaBeReefer]

I was hoping someone could enlighten me as to what these are.


1. Green Bubbles (doesn't look like any bubble algae I've ever seen)
2. White stems with green fuzzy tips




Thanks,

 

[WannaBeReefer]

heres the other

 

[skylsdale]

The second is a type of macroalgae (don't remember the species name). I assume the same with the first pic, but it's something I've never seen before.

 

[John_Brandt]

Green bubbles are probably Dictyosphaeria sp. The stems are Neomeris annulata.

 

[Anonymous]

Do Neomeris annulata take up calcium like halimeda John? Do you know much about that algeas needs?

 

[John_Brandt]

Gresham, Neomeris seems to be fairly common on uncured live rock but doesn't seem to last long in aquariums. It might be because it's tempting and easily eradicated by herbivores. It does secrete carbonate, especially towards the base.

Inter-Research Marine Ecology Progress Series

MEPS 134:49-58 (1996) Abstract

Effects of secondary metabolites and CaCO3 on feeding by surgeonfishes and parrotfishes: within-plant comparisons

Pennings SC, Puglisi MP, Pitlik TJ, Himaya AC, Paul VJ

ABSTRACT: Tropical seaweeds and 'plant-like' animals often contain both secondary metabolites and high concentrations of minerals. Typically, secondary metabolites are most concentrated in the tip of the organism and minerals in the base. We used within-individual variation in defenses in the alga Neomeris annulata to test the hypothesis that surgeonfishes are deterred from feeding by calcium carbonate but not by chemical defenses, whereas parrotfishes are deterred from feeding by chemical defenses but not by calcium carbonate. Our results supported this hypothesis. The parrotfish Scarus sordidus preferred to feed on an artificial food containing CaCO3 compared to control food, but preferred control food over food containing a sesquiterpene-rich organic extract of N. annulata. Two species of parrotfishes fed primarily on the metabolite-poor, CaCO3-rich basal regions of N. annulata, whereas 2 species of surgeonfishes fed primarily on the metabolite-rich, CaCO3-poor tips. Variation in grazing location had important consequences for N. annulata. Individuals grazed on the tips grew in length more slowly than individuals grazed around the base. Individuals grazed on the tips were temporarily rich in CaCO3; individuals grazed around the base were temporarily rich in sesquiterpenes. These patterns were probably not a result of induction of defenses, but rather a consequence of selective removal of CaCO3-poor and sesquiterpene-poor material respectively.

Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1996

 

[Anonymous]

Yah, it comes and goes for me. It just leaves a white skeleton that gets picked apart by hermits in no time. The white skeleton seemed to be calcious to me.

 

[WannaBeReefer]

Thanks for the help, Hard to find info on the Dictyosphaeria sp. Is it good or bad? It grows really slow, but it is growing.

 

[Anonymous]

I've found it to be a lessor evil of its look alike, bubble algea. It will over take corals and spread into new areas, I'd call it a pest.