Why does calurpa smoke? (1 Viewer)

[aqua-nut]

I put a bit of calurpa in my tank for my tangs to feed on and as they tore away bits of it, some white milky substance seemed to flow out of it like underwater smoke.

Any really smart biology people here know what's happening when calurpa gives off this milky substance?

 

[Guest]

It's probably just "Caulerpa Juice". How's that for technical biology terms

 

[aqua-nut]

Ah, yes! Calurpa juice!

But what is the chemical makeup of this new innovative juice?

I must say that if it has healthy properties, we might just be able to bottle it and sell it, providing it doesn't shut your kidneys down like so many of the herbal things on the market.

 

[Guest]

Eric mentioned at the meeting that Calurpa had some kind of nasty taste to it and that is why most fish don't naturally go after it.

 

[AggieBrandon]

my guess is it is mostly water and chloryphyll.

Brandon

 

[Guest]

Why does calurpa smoke?

Alls I know is that it's a nasty habit!




Yes it seems toxic. I hate to be one of these "use Google!" posters, but Googling "Caulerpa toxic" returns a bunch of interesting articles.

 

[Guest]

I think it does have a mild toxin which is part of the reson why when it crashes, it nails your tank. However, I don't think your tangs feeding on it is going to release any significant amount.

 

[aqua-nut]

Now let's not step on toes here.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a nice Cuban cigar now and then, or a bowl full of aromatic pipe tobacco. Ingesting the polluted air in Houston alone is more dangerous than this!

Now I do know that my calurpa has not been drinking when it smokes, but truth be told, that's when I do most of my smoking.

 

[AggieBrandon]

sounds like a country song.....she only smokes when she drinks...or something like that

 

[Guest]

Some Caulerpa sp. have at least 9 identifiable toxins! Why are we still using this stuff? I guess because it is so prevalent in this hobby... I wish that it was just as easy to get some of the better non-Caulerpa macro alternatives.

Oh, I didn't mean to offend the smokers out there... I just hate to see my macro afflicted with the habit!

 

[Guest]

like Brandon said, i think it is mostly chlorophyll(more like bore-o-phyll...lol). I've seen some do it and when it was over it was completely white.