Plant on LR. Macro? Pest? ID Please

Some of my live rock has plants growing on it. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Is it a macro? Is it beneficial? I've tried to pull some of it off, but it keeps growing back. When I do get it by the root it usually comes with a small piece of the rock.

 

We'll need some pics to help with an ID. Any chance you can snap a shot and post it?

 

The pics were supposed to be attached. Here they are......I hope!

 

I may be wrong but that looks like Caulerpa, a type of macro algae

 

Can't tell for sure from the image. Are the leaves solid or "feathery"?

If feathery, it could be bryopsis.

 

The pics are pretty fuzzy (try backing up some), but it's definitely Caulerpa sp. IME, the most common species that hitchhikes in is C.taxifolia (feather Caulerpa) or one of its variants.

Based on the pix, it could also be C. prolifera or C. brachypus.

Are the fronds pinnate (feathery), or do they have solid edges, or serrated edges. Feathery would mean C. taxifola, solid is likely C. prolifera, and if serrated, it is likely C. brachypus.

C. taxifolia grows like crazy, but is good for nutrient export, while C. brachypus is also a fast-grower, but tends to grow in low mats. C. prolifera does grow well, but is nowhere near as invasive.

Whatever you have, do freeze the prunings overnight before tossing them, as this will kill the cells.

HTH

 

They are solid. Most of them grow from a single stalk and dont seem to spread from "runners" necessarily.

If this is what it is should I keep it? IF not, how would you go about getting rid of it. It is rooted so well that it is nearly impossible to pluck it from the rocks w/o it grwoing back.

It started off growing very slowly, then picked up, but now its growing rather slow again. I kind of like the look if it in the tank, but dont want it to get out of controle. The only other thing I can add is that sometimes it seems to get a slimy film on it. I usually just blow it off with my turkey baster.

 

You probably have C. prolifera, but it couls also be young C. brachypus (I'd really need a clearer photo to ID it). There will be rhizomes (runners), but you just aren't to that stage yet. If your tank is a reef, you'll probably want to get rid of the stuff. If it's FOWLR, you might want to keep it, as it's great for nutrient export, harbors pods, gives your fish another spot to chill in, and looks nice.

We run live macro in most of our systems, which pretty much takes the place of an algae scrubber besides the other benefits I mentioned.

 

I'm starting to scare myself, I didn't even have to google it lol

although you gave a much better description than I did

 

Here is the clearest photos I can get with my camera. Hope that helps. I guess I could pull some off the rock and photo it out of water???

I also noticed in the pic that I have a small spot of bubble algae growing. Guess my emerald isnt doing his job! Never even comes out of hiding!