An interesting species of calcareous algae that is prized for it’s bright green appearance that almost glows underwater. It features heavily calcified, segmented uprights, with bright green fuzzy filaments at each tip. It’s a delicate species and will often secrete a green fluid when disturbed and loses it’s form when taken out of the water. It’s a shallow water specimen that often forms dense forests in the tidal zone attached to hard bottom, rocks and coral fragments. Calcium supplementation is needed, as with all species of calcareous macro algae. It holds up fairly well in the aquarium but will eventually lose most of the top growth in captivity unless it is provided with very intense lighting. It’s not known to be very palatable to fish or invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cymopolia barbata
Common Name: Tufted Joint Weed
Origin: Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, Atlantic
Depth Collected: 1-5 Feet
Maximum Height : 12″
Growth Rate: Slow
Light: High
Temperature: 76-86
Propagation: Fragmentation, Sporulation
Difficulty: Moderate
Food Value: Not very palatable
Nutrient Uptake: Fair
Flow Rate: High