Caulerpa peltata ????

jcatblum · 12/12/2005, 12:36 PM

I bought a rock with some of this growing and some brown polyps. I really just purchased the piece for the peltata. Does anyone no anything on it? I did a search, and I can not come up with much--- actually I can not really come up with anything!!!!

It has already grown alot in the past week, I figure it is probally going to kill off the polyps. It appears to be branching out and getting ready to move onto so of the other rocks close by.

Any info would be great!!!

Samala · 12/12/2005, 03:04 PM

Very aggressive species of Caulerpa.. very likely to take over the whole tank if you let it!

I like them for tanks with high nutrient load that are not in trouble of getting into really low N or P situations, where the algae might decide to sporulate in order to survive lean environmental conditions. If its a seahorse tank, I dont think you'll have a problem towards this end.

If you want, you might be able to easily take a four to five inch section, slice with sharp scissors or a razor blade, and attach the strip to a new rock or even in the sandbed. Should take hold over the next week. I routinely do this to get cuttings with C. prolifera and C. nummularia. More than a few people will likely wave red flags on having cut ends to Caulerpa, pointing to this causing sporulation events, or releasing poisonous compounds.. I havent experienced this yet in over six months. Just an option if you want starts of this in other places in the tank.

Oh.. if you search "mushroom Caulerpa" you might get more hits.

I think thats the common name for it in the hobby.

>Sarah

graveyardworm · 12/12/2005, 05:16 PM

Here's some search results from this forum. I have some of that which kinda spontaniously started growing on my monti. I removed it and sent to a 10 gal catch all tank where its growing like crazy.

jcatblum · 12/12/2005, 05:29 PM

Thanks, as of right now I really think it looks nice. I guess if it gets to be TOO much, I will probally change my mind.

Oh, and yes it is in my seahorse tank, everything in their grows, grows, and grows.

Seahorsewisprer · 12/13/2005, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcatblum
I really just purchased the piece for the peltata.

I've done that! I had to buy a dump lobophylia to get some fancy red stuff growing on it's rock!

I've found this for a foreground plant. I think it is one one my favorites, because of it's early warning system. It is the first to show a clear leaf, to warn me that something is awry, before something more rare or expensive goes south. This one grows along the substrate then branches off, so I can keep it in check. Really all I do is separate the vines to harvest it. Once in a while, I need to break a piece, but it has large enough stalks so it is relatively easy to break the cell wall by rolling it between my fingers before I pinch it off.

I try to keep this one away from anything it can attach strongly to. It does have pretty strong holdfasts, easily pulls out of the substrate but does take some with it!

graveyardworm · 12/13/2005, 11:49 AM

Hi Suzy, in your photo on the lower right is that codium?

jcatblum · 12/13/2005, 12:14 PM

that was the same question I had!!!

so is it codium, where did you get it. I have been trying to get some from floria pets, but they never have it....

Seahorsewisprer · 12/13/2005, 01:46 PM

I think it is. I found it at one of our LFS, I can't remember which..

I have another one very similar in red.

Samala · 12/13/2005, 01:55 PM

Suzy I think you may actually have C. nummularia.. very flat uprights there, similar to mine. Peltata is more like mushrooms.

Might want to try InlandAquatics for codium, I think they have it. I've never found it locally or in my travels, but I'll keep it in mind.

>Sarah

Seahorsewisprer · 12/13/2005, 05:50 PM

Really? That sound way cooler! Thanks!

graveyardworm · 12/13/2005, 06:34 PM

Here are some pics of the stuff that started spontaniously growing on my monti.

and a closer shot

its kinda hard to tell but at the top of the second pic you can see they're kinda flat on the top. Is this C. Peltata?

piercho · 12/13/2005, 08:06 PM

I've been calling the little pan-headed Caulerpa that grows in my tank C. racemosa var. peltata based on the single image in Littler's "Marine Plants of the Caribbean". Are the images in that last post a peltata? They are sort of similar. I'm not qualified to identify an image to a species-variant level. I can say yours is a racemosa-looking Caulerpa with a bit of pan-headishness about it. I think I'll start calling mine "pan-head Caulerpa from Hell", then I won't start to feel like I'm representing myself as some sort of botanical wiz, which I'm not.

My pan-head Caulerpa (PH-C) is small, attractive, prostrate, and seemingly impossible to irradicate once established in a reef tank if that is your goal. PH-C's disposition is to wind through and over all forms of sessile life. It is grazable, Diadema and Siganus Lo, IME, do a fine job. It spreads readily by fragmentation and fragments readily. It has a slow trigger to sporulate and transplants with great ease. Its right-sized for small tanks. It was the only macroalga in my entire system to continue to grow well in my vegetative filter when I ran an ATS for several months. Conversely, when introduced to a decently illuminated 2.5G nano, it was out-competed by Halimeda - go figure. Only a raving idiot would introduce PH-C into a reef tank where delicate branching coral are kept. It will wind its way into the bases of Pocs, Stylos and Acros where a mere mortal cannot pick it out with any concievable tool. Siganus Lo, IME, can earn its keep here. I am, BTW, one such raving idiot.

So, in summary, SPS tank: BAD, don't-care planted tank: GOOD, export: GOOD, grazable: FAIR, controllable disposition: SATANIC.

AIMFish · 12/13/2005, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by piercho
So, in summary, SPS tank: BAD, don't-care planted tank: GOOD, export: GOOD, grazable: FAIR, controllable disposition: SATANIC.

Nice summary, a good idea for the Algae reference thread

AIMFish · 12/13/2005, 09:04 PM

argh, double post

Samala · 12/13/2005, 09:34 PM

I'm just going off the Algaebase ID and images for trying to differentiate these three species. C. racemosa var. peltata is now just C. peltata. Stinkin taxonomists keep changing names. C. nummularia (the flat upright one) also once was a C. racemosa variant. Only raving crazy people like me care.

I think I've mentioned this before.. Caulerpa genus has nearly 400 species names with approx. 80 being current. Lots of synonymous names out there.

I think the images graveyard posted fit into the C. peltata images I've seen at algaebase. The older fronds/uprights develop that mushroom, convex look as opposed to the spherical uprights of racemosa. The line blurs between these two in many cases though.. species ID may be a quality we cant observe in our tanks (some microscopic distinction perhaps). Unless and until we all care enough to break out microscopes, do dissections, and consult the holotypes/papers (are they holotypes for plants??) then calling it one or the other based on appearance isnt too bad for us. If you dont want to go that far establishing them all belonging to the C. racemosa complex is fine and the most basic ID.

To muddy the water even further.. there is a variant where the upright 'balls' form convex shapes that was called 'suction cup' Caulerpa for awhile. That may or maynot be its own species as well. Or just a variation on the flat/pan headed ones.

>Sarah

graveyardworm · 12/13/2005, 10:06 PM

I have three growth forms in this one caulerpa species, the two picturedwhere you can see round balls, and the balls with sorta flat tops, and then I have another which I could resize and post which shows an almost lily pad looking (polyp?) growing in amongst the other (polyps?). Like the one pictured by Suzy all on the same frond.

piercho · 12/14/2005, 12:28 AM

Sarah, I didn't mean to imply there weren't botanical wizards here, only that I wasn't one of them. I'm an enthusiast, at best.

David, I think the principle keys for a layman's identification are creeping, prostrate growth habit and the round thingies at the end of the stalk are umbrella-shaped compared to the spherical ones on racemosa. The degree to which each thingy has a flattened top varies. I don't think that cupped is a characteristic, as Sarah explained. And it probably takes different growth forms based on environmental conditions just like Acropora. So what is very prostrate in a high-light, high current tank may be very leggy in a dimmer or stiller tank.

This is one like Asparagopsis or Valonia that is becomming common in captive reefs because its so easily passed around, IMO. None of those algae are ugly, its just that people consider them like they consider a dandelion: unwanted and hard to get rid of. You can flip the coin and the other side is a field of dandelions is mighty pretty. Same thing with peltata, IMO.

Samala · 12/14/2005, 01:34 AM

David.. your specimen probably blurs all the lines, lol. As I said, species ID is haphazard, it seemed that appearances of the upright growth was enough, but perhaps not. A single rhizome with all three upright 'forms' is interesting and perplexing. Howard is right to remind us that growth forms may vary with environment.

I would also hesitate at wizard and go only for enthusiast (eccentric enthusiast perhaps). My training is in an entirely other sort of lifeform. I just think the green sea things are fun and try to learn what it is that is in my care. Love the dandelion reference by the way.. perfect analog of macroalgae in reefs.

>Sarah

Seahorsewisprer · 12/14/2005, 08:38 AM

Guys, if we just make up some common names, it won't even matter!

How about Mermaids wineglass? Wait, that's already been taken...

In my quest to find the real Latin names for my treasures, I have found many sub species for each algae with almost impercevable differences between them, that I have kind of turned off the actual names at this point. I just have "my really cool red feather" and "This fluorescing spongy red" and this "Hot lime green" and...

C. nummularia?

12/12/2005, 12:36 PM	#1
jcatblum Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: SW Oklahoma Posts: 274	Caulerpa peltata ???? I bought a rock with some of this growing and some brown polyps. I really just purchased the piece for the peltata. Does anyone no anything on it? I did a search, and I can not come up with much--- actually I can not really come up with anything!!!! It has already grown alot in the past week, I figure it is probally going to kill off the polyps. It appears to be branching out and getting ready to move onto so of the other rocks close by. Any info would be great!!! __________________ Christina Blum Ft Sill OK Current Tank Info: -

12/12/2005, 03:04 PM	#2
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Very aggressive species of Caulerpa.. very likely to take over the whole tank if you let it! I like them for tanks with high nutrient load that are not in trouble of getting into really low N or P situations, where the algae might decide to sporulate in order to survive lean environmental conditions. If its a seahorse tank, I dont think you'll have a problem towards this end. If you want, you might be able to easily take a four to five inch section, slice with sharp scissors or a razor blade, and attach the strip to a new rock or even in the sandbed. Should take hold over the next week. I routinely do this to get cuttings with C. prolifera and C. nummularia. More than a few people will likely wave red flags on having cut ends to Caulerpa, pointing to this causing sporulation events, or releasing poisonous compounds.. I havent experienced this yet in over six months. Just an option if you want starts of this in other places in the tank. Oh.. if you search "mushroom Caulerpa" you might get more hits. I think thats the common name for it in the hobby. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

12/12/2005, 05:16 PM	#3
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Here's some search results from this forum. I have some of that which kinda spontaniously started growing on my monti. I removed it and sent to a 10 gal catch all tank where its growing like crazy. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

12/12/2005, 05:29 PM	#4
jcatblum Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: SW Oklahoma Posts: 274	Thanks, as of right now I really think it looks nice. I guess if it gets to be TOO much, I will probally change my mind. Oh, and yes it is in my seahorse tank, everything in their grows, grows, and grows. __________________ Christina Blum Ft Sill OK Current Tank Info: -

12/13/2005, 11:49 AM	#6
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Hi Suzy, in your photo on the lower right is that codium? __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

12/13/2005, 12:14 PM	#7
jcatblum Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: SW Oklahoma Posts: 274	that was the same question I had!!! so is it codium, where did you get it. I have been trying to get some from floria pets, but they never have it.... __________________ Christina Blum Ft Sill OK Current Tank Info: -

12/13/2005, 01:46 PM	#8
Seahorsewisprer Moved On Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: SLC Posts: 1,691	I think it is. I found it at one of our LFS, I can't remember which.. I have another one very similar in red.

12/13/2005, 01:55 PM	#9
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Suzy I think you may actually have C. nummularia.. very flat uprights there, similar to mine. Peltata is more like mushrooms. Might want to try InlandAquatics for codium, I think they have it. I've never found it locally or in my travels, but I'll keep it in mind. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

12/13/2005, 05:50 PM	#10
Seahorsewisprer Moved On Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: SLC Posts: 1,691	Really? That sound way cooler! Thanks!

12/13/2005, 06:34 PM	#11
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Here are some pics of the stuff that started spontaniously growing on my monti. and a closer shot its kinda hard to tell but at the top of the second pic you can see they're kinda flat on the top. Is this C. Peltata? __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

12/13/2005, 08:06 PM	#12
piercho Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 2,194	I've been calling the little pan-headed Caulerpa that grows in my tank C. racemosa var. peltata based on the single image in Littler's "Marine Plants of the Caribbean". Are the images in that last post a peltata? They are sort of similar. I'm not qualified to identify an image to a species-variant level. I can say yours is a racemosa-looking Caulerpa with a bit of pan-headishness about it. I think I'll start calling mine "pan-head Caulerpa from Hell", then I won't start to feel like I'm representing myself as some sort of botanical wiz, which I'm not. My pan-head Caulerpa (PH-C) is small, attractive, prostrate, and seemingly impossible to irradicate once established in a reef tank if that is your goal. PH-C's disposition is to wind through and over all forms of sessile life. It is grazable, Diadema and Siganus Lo, IME, do a fine job. It spreads readily by fragmentation and fragments readily. It has a slow trigger to sporulate and transplants with great ease. Its right-sized for small tanks. It was the only macroalga in my entire system to continue to grow well in my vegetative filter when I ran an ATS for several months. Conversely, when introduced to a decently illuminated 2.5G nano, it was out-competed by Halimeda - go figure. Only a raving idiot would introduce PH-C into a reef tank where delicate branching coral are kept. It will wind its way into the bases of Pocs, Stylos and Acros where a mere mortal cannot pick it out with any concievable tool. Siganus Lo, IME, can earn its keep here. I am, BTW, one such raving idiot. So, in summary, SPS tank: BAD, don't-care planted tank: GOOD, export: GOOD, grazable: FAIR, controllable disposition: SATANIC. __________________ Howard Current Tank Info: 65G reef shut down 2007. 25G planted.

12/13/2005, 09:04 PM	#14
AIMFish Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Marion,IN Posts: 1,129	argh, double post

12/13/2005, 09:34 PM	#15
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	I'm just going off the Algaebase ID and images for trying to differentiate these three species. C. racemosa var. peltata is now just C. peltata. Stinkin taxonomists keep changing names. C. nummularia (the flat upright one) also once was a C. racemosa variant. Only raving crazy people like me care. I think I've mentioned this before.. Caulerpa genus has nearly 400 species names with approx. 80 being current. Lots of synonymous names out there. I think the images graveyard posted fit into the C. peltata images I've seen at algaebase. The older fronds/uprights develop that mushroom, convex look as opposed to the spherical uprights of racemosa. The line blurs between these two in many cases though.. species ID may be a quality we cant observe in our tanks (some microscopic distinction perhaps). Unless and until we all care enough to break out microscopes, do dissections, and consult the holotypes/papers (are they holotypes for plants??) then calling it one or the other based on appearance isnt too bad for us. If you dont want to go that far establishing them all belonging to the C. racemosa complex is fine and the most basic ID. To muddy the water even further.. there is a variant where the upright 'balls' form convex shapes that was called 'suction cup' Caulerpa for awhile. That may or maynot be its own species as well. Or just a variation on the flat/pan headed ones. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

12/13/2005, 10:06 PM	#16
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	I have three growth forms in this one caulerpa species, the two picturedwhere you can see round balls, and the balls with sorta flat tops, and then I have another which I could resize and post which shows an almost lily pad looking (polyp?) growing in amongst the other (polyps?). Like the one pictured by Suzy all on the same frond. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

12/14/2005, 12:28 AM	#17
piercho Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 2,194	Sarah, I didn't mean to imply there weren't botanical wizards here, only that I wasn't one of them. I'm an enthusiast, at best. David, I think the principle keys for a layman's identification are creeping, prostrate growth habit and the round thingies at the end of the stalk are umbrella-shaped compared to the spherical ones on racemosa. The degree to which each thingy has a flattened top varies. I don't think that cupped is a characteristic, as Sarah explained. And it probably takes different growth forms based on environmental conditions just like Acropora. So what is very prostrate in a high-light, high current tank may be very leggy in a dimmer or stiller tank. This is one like Asparagopsis or Valonia that is becomming common in captive reefs because its so easily passed around, IMO. None of those algae are ugly, its just that people consider them like they consider a dandelion: unwanted and hard to get rid of. You can flip the coin and the other side is a field of dandelions is mighty pretty. Same thing with peltata, IMO. __________________ Howard Current Tank Info: 65G reef shut down 2007. 25G planted.

12/14/2005, 01:34 AM	#18
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	David.. your specimen probably blurs all the lines, lol. As I said, species ID is haphazard, it seemed that appearances of the upright growth was enough, but perhaps not. A single rhizome with all three upright 'forms' is interesting and perplexing. Howard is right to remind us that growth forms may vary with environment. I would also hesitate at wizard and go only for enthusiast (eccentric enthusiast perhaps). My training is in an entirely other sort of lifeform. I just think the green sea things are fun and try to learn what it is that is in my care. Love the dandelion reference by the way.. perfect analog of macroalgae in reefs. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

12/14/2005, 08:38 AM	#19
Seahorsewisprer Moved On Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: SLC Posts: 1,691	Guys, if we just make up some common names, it won't even matter! How about Mermaids wineglass? Wait, that's already been taken... In my quest to find the real Latin names for my treasures, I have found many sub species for each algae with almost impercevable differences between them, that I have kind of turned off the actual names at this point. I just have "my really cool red feather" and "This fluorescing spongy red" and this "Hot lime green" and... C. nummularia?