Dip local macros?

[jaidexl]

I picked up a few local macros from the dog beach today, a feather caulerpa, what looks like caulerpa serrulata maybe and some other branchy one I am trying to ID. Do you dip your locally collected macros or is there any special prep I should consider? I imagine a FW dip can't hurt. There's tons of crazy looking pods coming off it.

Also, anyone have an ID on this stuff?

[MDeth]

Caulerpa sp I think...who knows

I think I would dip it in something just in case :/

[jaidexl]

Just to be safe I gave it all a 15 second swoosh in a bleach solution then a soak in FW+prime. Hopefully it'll make it through, I can always get more. My blueleg hermit loves the bit of feather caulerpa I added to the tank, hopefully it's still there in the morning (not filling a fuge, just want a green tank). The stuff in the above pic looks pretty nice under a 50/50 pc.

[Diver_1298]

Let us know if it survives.
You take a chance on just about everything you put in your tank. There are hitch-hikers on everything. Some of them beneficial and some that are just plain Nasty.

Jim

[jaidexl]

Originally Posted by Diver_1298

Let us know if it survives.

No dice, my hermits stripped it to the bone. I actually took the one posted above out myself, it didn't look as good under water as it did when I held it under the light. The feather caulerpa maintained for a week, but these last few days they've mowed down everything but the runners. Even if the runners take hold, I don't think it will be able to sprout leaves in this little 8gl with 4 hermits. There goes my plans of having a green tank any time soon. I think I might set one up specifically... a "planted" SW tank.

[Diver_1298]

Bummer. Caulerpa in general is very hardy and hard to kill.
Most people don't want it in their main tank because when it takes hold it is almost impossible to get rid of it.
Some of the grape variety has a habit of spawning and clouding up the water.
My wife had some Halimeda in her 20 long tank and it exploded and did its thing. She had to do a 50 percent water change just to get it so you could see the back wall. I have a little of both in my sump and prune about half of it every month or so for nutrient export