carlos413

I have a micro algae growing on one of my live rocks. I did a Google image search and this looks a lot like it. it looks like grape vines with little green grape looking things. Anyway my friend was over the other day and he said that they are dangerous. That when they reproduce they release some kind of toxic chemical in the water. He said something about if it was asexual or something. Could some one tell me if this is a reef safe kind of algae?

Naeusu

According to wikipedia---> Caulerpa is common in the aquarium hobby as a nitrate absorber because of its rapid growth under relatively adverse conditions. It may also be used in refugiums for a long term nitrite absorber. Many introductions of invasive Caulerpa to the wild are thought to have occurred via aquarium dumping although there is no proof of it.



HOWEVER

If it's not caulerpa and is instead a form of green bubble algae, then you'll want to remove it quickly.

cerianthus

If has vine, probalbly what you think it is. Any pics?

carlos413

It has a vine I will try and take a pic. It's small not sure how it would look