Grape Caulerpa

[deanearp]

Hi all--

I wanted to get opinions on grape caulerpa. I went to the LFS and got some macro for my refugium. I was given a clump that included cheato and grape caulerpa and the grape caulerpa is growing quickly--the cheato not so much.

My main concern is with the grape caulerpa going sexual and spreading to my main tank--is this a concern? I was told by the LFS owner that grape caulerpa will not go sexual but I am reading on the internet that it can go sexual and spread.

I keep the fuge lit 10 hours at night with a 75 watt bulb--it is 6500K spectrum.

What say ya'll? Can grape caulerpa go sexual? Would you get the grape caulerpa out of the fuge? Should I leave it and keep it trimmed?

Thanks for your help
Dean

[Europhyllia]

I just started over -due in large part to grape caulerpa (racemosa) taking over my main tank. I would not keep it anywhere near my aquarium. Even if jsut a little snippet off it breaks off and takes root in the rock it's such a pain. If you want caulerpa there are other less invasive ones like profilera that would be a much safer choice

[FireWater]

I had caulerpa spread from my fuge to my main display. Not sure if it was from spores, or an actual piece that broke off. Once it gets a foot hold it is hard to contain in my experience.

[ramsey]

I have it in my fuge. Even after reading the horror stories I took the risk. From everything I've read, it is a risk. I have a sponge over my return pump to keep small pieces from going into my display. So far, I haven't had any issues but time will tell. It sure does a number on nitrates though.

On a side note, has anybody tried these?

http://live-plants.com/oxynoe.htm

[deanearp]

Karin and John--
Thanks so much for your input. I value your input--so much so that I have already pulled all the caulerpa out of my fuge. I think I am going to get a couple of emerald crabs to clean up the remnants.

Dean

[Europhyllia]

very cool ramsey. I was looking for these slugs but was told they don't ship well. I would have needed 300 of them (and would have gladly paid $300 if they really got rid of the caulerpa)

[Gseclipse02]

john did you have any tangs ???

[deanearp]

ramsey--
Thanks for your input also--we posted at the same time--I didn't want you to think I didn't appreciate your comments. I agree with the nitrates--I think, for me, I'm going to stick with cheato and more frequent water changes. Those green slugs look pretty cool. I have read that emerald crabs do a good job of cleaning up very early infestations--don't know if that is actually true though.

Dean

[Europhyllia]

according to B. Goemans hardly anybody will consistently eat the racemosa in large part due to it's toxic properties (including tangs). They might have a nibble but nothing that really wipes it out...

[ramsey]

I've also read about people reporting that a foxface will wipe it out. Once again, not sure how true this is. I would actually like to test it. I may see if Gabe can try feeding some to his foxface and see if it eats it. I'd be a little worried if nothing eats it. :/ It's not too late to cook the few rocks it's on in my fuge.

[deanearp]

I have also read that a foxface will eat it. The other thing I have read besides emerald crabs is a flying sea hare--but flow in the tank has to be low or it will get sucked in.

[ramsey]

Well, I may be ordering some sea grass from that site with the nudi's. I may pick up a couple of those nudi's and see if they'll eat it. If they do, it may be a good thing to have on hand in case it ever spreads to my display. I can just set up a small tank for them and feed them my trimmings.

[kkiel02]

All 4 of my tangs readily eat grape caulerpa. If I ran out of nori I would just yank a handful out of the fuge and they would go to town. The reason I love the grape caulerpa is because it grows fast meaning nutrients are being rapidly used. I have never had it go sexual but I ran mine lighting 24 hour a day to help prevent this. But if you don't have tangs I could see it getting out of hand quickly because of its fast growth rate.

[Pennies2Cents]

All of my tangs, readily eat grape caulerpa. If I ran out of nori I would just yank a handful out of the fuge and they would go to town. The reason I love the grape caulerpa is because it grows fast meaning nutrients are being rapidly used.


Ditto.. 2 vlamingi, 5 yellow, 1 dori, 1 Naso, 1 Orange Shoulder all eat the culerpra when I give it to them as a treat.

[CoryDude]

I have never had it go sexual but I ran mine lighting 24 hour a day to help prevent this. But if you don't have tangs I could see it getting out of hand quickly because of its fast growth rate.

Will be doing the same in my new fuge. The light will be on 24/7. I've fought grape caulerpa before when I first got into this hobby years ago. So, I'm not scared if it shows up in my display tank. I've had an angel and a scopas tang that would go to town on the stuff.

[allan]

My tangs eat it as well, and I had a foxface that loved culerpra and zoas.

I think the key to keeping the grape chaste is keeping it constant. In other plants the way to trigger sexual response is by shortening the light schedule (ie, from 12 hours to 10) similar to natures impending end of season.

I leave my fuge on a reverse 12 schedule. I imagine that we could actually try to prove that theory in a ten gallon macro tank, just to see if there's any validity to it.

I've got mostly macro, but I do have a lot of grape and razor in there. No issues yet. Knocking now.

[ramsey]

My tangs eat it as well, and I had a foxface that loved culerpra and zoas.

I think the key to keeping the grape chaste is keeping it constant. In other plants the way to trigger sexual response is by shortening the light schedule (ie, from 12 hours to 10) similar to natures impending end of season.

I leave my fuge on a reverse 12 schedule. I imagine that we could actually try to prove that theory in a ten gallon macro tank, just to see if there's any validity to it.

I've got mostly macro, but I do have a lot of grape and razor in there. No issues yet. Knocking now.

That's certainly the case with other plants. You can actually keep a 24 hour light cycle then cut it back to 12 hours to trick a plant into blooming. I'm not sure if macro would behave in the same way.

[kkiel02]

China did this for the Summer Olympics^

[allan]

China did this for the Summer Olympics^

Interesting, please explain. Did they place lamps out in the spring to mimic an early summer?

[kkiel02]

Nope we talked about this in class awhile back. If I remember correctly they had them growing indoors to control the lighting. Then they planted them before the games. That is why all their plants/trees were flowering. To make a long story short. lol

[ramsey]

Just FYI, I spoke to John Maloney about this and he said he has sea hares that will eat racemosa like crazy. So I guess a sea hare would be the proper solution if it became an issue.

[Europhyllia]

I tried the seahare. Sadly it only lasted a couple of days before it fell victim to the Vortech (I had put protective mesh over it and it was super yucky to get the bits and pieces of it out of the mesh. But yes Bursatella leachii is supposed to eat Caulerpa.
The pincushion urchins ate it at first too (and then quit eating it)