The species Hydrolithon is a calcareous encrusting algae that forms an irregular, knobby shaped crust on shallow rocks and coral reefs. Like many encrusting algae, they play an important role in building reef structures by cementing dead coral tissue and fragments together. Individual species of Hydrolithon come in many different shades of a red, pink and deep purple. It’s abundant on both the reef and near shore habitats in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Some species grow in very shallow water among the edge of seagrass beds in the Caribbean where they form large colonies of individual specimens. It does well in aquariums with good amounts of calcium.
Scientific Name: Hydrolithon sp.
Common Name: Corraline Algae
Origin: Caribbean, S. Pacific, Gulf of Mexico
Depth Collected: 1-60 feet
Maximum Height: 6″
Growth Rate: Slow
Light: Moderate to High
Temperature: 72-82
Propagation: Sporulation
Difficulty: Moderate
Food Value: Not Palatable
Nutrient Uptake: None
Flow Rate: Moderate to High