Can Anyone Identify this Kelp/Macro-algae??

[Jared2]

This stuff started as a tiny red branch and has sprouted into a mega plant in my tank. Someone said they thought it was a type of red kelp and that it was likely good for the tank...I'd like to verify this... I also want to get rid of a lot of it...is this something that people would want to trade for?







If it is "good", any thoughts as to how to manage it?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Reeftanker3295]

Flame algae maybe?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Gracilaria

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/plants/red.htm

 

[Reeftanker3295]

Gracilaria

I was thinking that but the stalks look too thin and stringy to be gracilaria to me... Weird

 

[Jared2]

http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/plants/red.htm

Well, that site says that these grow 5-10". This is nearly touching the surface from the sandbed and my tank is at least 24" high...

 

[NYreefNoob]

+1 red Gracilaria and tangs and angels love this stuff

 

[Levito]

looks like dragon's breath algae (Halymenia?) to me.
I think it looks awesome...is it growing out of a rock?
As long as it's not killing any coral, I'd keep it. I can understand wanting to trim it back though.

 

[Jared2]

If you guys say so... Most of the pictures of Red Gracilaria I see on the web are stalk/branch like. This is more like flat ribony lettuce.

I also have a tang and I've never seen him nibble at it.

 

[Jared2]

Is this something I should "frag"? How would I go about re-attaching it to something to trade? Any ideas for to do with it when I trim it back?

 

[johnmaloney]

+1 to one of the gracilaria spp., there are 39 in florida alone, with over 78 variations...will be a long look, but branching from a single holdfast red with cylindrical branches and irregular branching will likely be a gracilaria spp.

if on the other hand it is slippery in your hand than the halymenia genus would be a good place to start, and you can rule out gracilaria which will have some structure/rigidity

kelps are a genus of brown macro algae that live in temperate water. it isnt a kelp in this case

 

[Jared2]

+1 to one of the gracilaria spp., there are 39 in florida alone, with over 78 variations...will be a long look, but branching from a single holdfast red with cylindrical branches and irregular branching will likely be a gracilaria spp.

if on the other hand it is slippery in your hand than the halymenia genus would be a good place to start, and you can rule out gracilaria which will have some structure/rigidity

kelps are a genus of brown macro algae that live in temperate water. it isnt a kelp in this case

That's the thing though. They're not cylindrical at all. They're flat and ribbon like with no rigidity. It flows with the current in the tank.