Turtle Weed (Chlorodesmis fastigiata)

This specimen did fairly well in the tank crash and showed no real signs of damage, even though it was starved of light for a number of days. Of course, it had already suffered a lot of damage at the hands of the astraea snails.

The specimen is now in my current system.

The astraea snail have continued to consume this macro-algae. I have now removed them from the refugium and placed them all in the main tank. Hopefully, this specimen will start to recover.

The astraea snails have been decimating my turtle weed. I am still not sure if they were only able to consume it in it's weakened state, or if they will continue to be a problem.

Most of the "shoots" visible in this picture are new growth.

Turtle Weed, also known as Maiden's Hair Algae, gets to only a few inches in height and tends to grow in small bushes or tufts. Most fish will leave it alone because of it's bitter taste but some tangs will consume it. It requires good water flow and moderate light to grow. When in poor health the grass will turn white before dissolving.

This species is not to be confused with Turtle Grass (Thalasia testudinum), which is a true sea-grass that requires a deep substrate.

This specimen is not doing too well right now, although I have assurances that it will bounce back and become a nuisance. It is the first interesting macro-algae (i.e. not chaetomorpha) that I have placed in the display refugium.