Prize Halimeda plant

[Thunderkat]

My centerpiece in my tank was a gorgeous halimeda plant that suddenly went from being nice to being dead in 2 days. The first day it got little green granules at the end of the leaves then the next day they were gone and the plant turned white. Is this what is referred to as becoming "sexual" and is there a pretty macroalgae that doesn't do this?

[Magneto]

According to some other forums this is what it looks like when it goes sexual as opposed to just dying because of calcium problems

http://forum.seahorse.org/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6933

[Thunderkat]

That is exactly what it looked like. Is it possible in an aquarium to get offspring or would a skimmer take all the babies out like it did to my baby shrimp? I had the other species of halimeda though that had the smaller leaves (I think it is the kind most folks consider a nuisance but I liked it).

Thanks for the info, I was worried the green granules were a fungus or something.

[Magneto]

I didnt see any info about the spawnings actually working. Mostly people freaked out, running carbon and skimmers to clear the tank of all the extra junk.

[jroescher]

So is it correct that when something goes sexual, it's dead? I haven't had anything do that yet to see what it's all about.

[Magneto]

I saw 2 scenarios where it halimedia has gone white.
1 The turning spotty then white + a sexual event. I am unsure if the plant itself recovers there or not.
2 Turning white, dying because of low Ca in the system. Some instances were noted where it would die back but new growth would occur back at the base of the plant.

[Thunderkat]

I wish mine was from low calcium because then mine would still be alive. I had the green granlues all over the leaves, then the water turned cloudly for about an hour then the skimmer cleaned it all out. I put the halimeda in my nano tank but I think it is dead, it is swarming with pods and brittle stars and the leaves are falling off. I am just wondering if the incident that happened to me a few days back where I lost a lot of water from my tank had anything to do with it going sexual.

[rocketeer]

I had a halimeda completely disapear (or seem to) for about a year. Recently it started growing again quickly. It's about as big as my fist now.

Jack

[Thunderkat]

I read in a book on algae by Julian Sprung that halimeda goes into its sexual phase when water quality is good. I guess the fact that mine went sexual and died is a sign that water quality was good so at least that is one positive thing about it.