Can you Identify this plant?

[GailM]

I have a 12 gal. Nano-cube that has been established for about 2 years. For the past several months I have this red colored plant covering a LOT of my live rock. It grows as a "mat"... I frequently peel it off and toss it... it quickly grows back.
Can anyone tell me what it is and if I should attempt to irradicate it from my tank (and if so, how)?

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/162444unknownplant1.jpg http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/162444unknownplant2.jpg

Thank you in advance for your help.
GailM

[reefnetworth]

welcome to Reef Central GailM!
i forgot the name of it, goto: www.melevsreef.com he has an ID for just about everything. its a type of macro, but my brain is having a blonde moment right now. (4 hrs sleep 12 hrs work 1.2 hrs drivetime) does a brain good! :thumbsup:

[mr_o98]

What fish do you have in your tank? Do any of them eat it?

[kkyyllee]

is that a tang i see in the background? or is it a yellow tail damsel

[GailM]

In the tank I have a clown fish, a Coral Beauty, a Yellow Gobie and last week I added a small blue tang. I have seen the tang munching on the mystry plant.
Thanks for your input.
Gail

[renogaw]

its some type of red macro algae as said, but seriously you should take that tang back. it can get half as long as your nano tank.

[kkyyllee]

you need to take the tang and coral beauty bacl asap, that tanks way too small for both and that tank has a crazy biolaod

[puffer21]

in that 12gallon the tank and coral bueaty needs to get out of there they need a lot bigger of a tank. I would keep the one clown and the gobie and one other small fish.

[GailM]

I have a larger tank to move them to when they out grow the Nano...

[GailM]

I got the tang to see if he would eat the unidentified plant... will move him in a few weeks.

[puffer21]

what size tank are you moving him too?

[kkyyllee]

they both have already outgrown it...

[mr_o98]

How big is the larger tank?
I hate to tell you this, but the tang and angel have already outgrown your tank. A hippo tang grows fast and can grow to be well over a foot in length. Regardless of the tang's current size, it needs to be put in a tank of at least 100 gallons. I have a Convict Tang, which is one of the smaller tangs, and I wonder if my 90 is too small for him. Tangs swim constantly and like to swim fast with a sudden burst of speed. You are depriving that tang of swimming space. Tangs graze constantly, you will not be able to provide him with enough grazing area in a 12g tank. They also produce massive amounts of detritus. Imagine being trapped in a cubicle at work 24/7/365, with no room to maneuver. That is how your tang feels. I am trying to tell you this in the most pleasant way possible before the "Tang Police" see this thread. Check out this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=739380

With the angel, they require a tank of at least 30g with alot of swimming and grazing room as well.

[mr_o98]

www.liveaquaria.com or www.marinedepotlive.com can provide you with valuable information on fish care and selection. Welcome to Reef Central and good luck in the hobby.

[mr_o98]

Taken from www.marinedepotlive.com

Blue Tang, Paracanthurus hepatus is an planktivore during the Juvenile stage, and Omnivorous in the adult stage. Often sought after by aquarists because of it's appealing coloration and popularity, this fish can be a challenge to keep for even the most experienced aquarists. Blue tangs are prone to easily contracting ich and is very susceptible to lateral line and fine erosion - especially when kept in smaller aquariums. Even the smallest sizes of the Blue Hippo Tang require large amounts of swimming space and should be in a tank no less than 100 gallons as tiny juveniles due to their need to swim in the open.

[ACBlinky]

You can try the marine plants and macroalgae section of RC - scroll down the main forum index, it's near the bottom.

I have to agree about the tang. Hippos need loads of room to swim so they don't feel too stressed, even the little guys. If you lower the bioload by removing the angel and tang, get some chaetomorpha and start using a phosphate adsorbing resin, you might slow/stop the growth of your nuisance algae :)