Halimeda opuntia

Halimeda opuntia is one of the most abundant species of calcified algae occurring in the Caribbean. It features tight segments of calcified discs that form rather large mounds with several holdfasts anchoring each colony to rocks, sand and hard bottom. It's typically found growing among sea grass beds, rocky shores or the edges of channels in fairly shallow water, but can also be encountered on the reef. In the aquarium it requires high calcium levels to maintain it's lush green appearance. It's not picky about placement and will happily grow in the sand bed or attached to live rock. It's also very hardy once established and can be used to create a sort of ground cover in the aquarium for a beautiful effect. Not very palatable to fish.

Scientific Name: Halimeda opuntia

Common Name: Unknown

Origin: Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico

Depth Collected: 4-70 Feet

Maximum Height : 10"

Growth Rate: Moderate

Light: Moderate to High

Temperature: 76-86

Propagation: Fragmentation, Sporulation

Difficulty: Easy

Food Value: Not Palatable

Nutrient Uptake: Fair

Flow Rate: Moderate

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