Macro algae : Halymenia durvillei

Halymenia durvillei ("Dragons Breath")

CARE : Easy, undemanding under normal reef conditions

GROWTH : Moderate to Fast once settled

INVASIVE? : Due to its thick singular fronds, long time taken to form holdfasts and seed rockwork, we would class this algae as non invasive and ideal for a centre piece in the reef aquarium.

LIGHTING : All lighting

FLOW: All flow ranges, requires some movement to stop debris settling on fronds

VARIATION : Higher light results in a more uniform luminescent light orange colouration, lower light encouranges a deeper red main colour, blended with deep orange luminescence. Higher flow results in faster growth and thicker main thallus fronds, lower flow results im masses of thinner more spindly thinner fronds.

HOLDFAST ATTACHMENT TIME : Long (months). 

NUTRIENT UPTAKE : Very Good

SPECIES INFORMATION:

In the UK this is an extremely rare species only sporadically available in the hobby. It is widespread but localised throughout the Indopacific region in the wild.

Highly coverted for its long, "kelp like", irregualar fronds, ununsual growth pattern and strong growth, but above all the bright orange luminsecence it develops throughout its lifecycle on fresh growth. Stunning!

This algae provides a stunning display algae for your marine aquarium once grown out, something absolutely unique, with luminescence and a colouration under even slightly blue light to rival any corals.

Once settled this species will quickly develop its characteristic luminescence, seen under even moderate blue lighting.

CUTTING INFORMATION:

(Aprox 8cm in length with formation of small branched fronds off the main thallus) 

Cuttings are all taken from a settled F1 colony with holdfasts that has yet to enter its final sexual phase.These are NOT clippings taken from a donor colony that has entered its final sexual phase and as such is nearing the end of its lifespan.  This gives the best chance of growing a colony, that can form holdfasts. Larger cuttings do not settle well in new aquaria, simply entering a sexual phase on introduction and hastening progression to the final stage of their lifecycle.

As such the cutting will just be starting to show characteristic, orange,glowing spawning pits that give its amazing luminescence on new tips but the main thallus will be capable of differentiation into holdfasts.

This species undergoes distinct growth phases in an aquarium, actual timescales vary widely depending on aquarium parameters and nutrient levels. The algae is only able to differentiate holdfasts early on it its lifecycle. As such cuttings are taken from 2 month old fresh holdfast stock, grown via sexual reproduction. This will give your cutting a good 1-2 years to form holdfasts of its own, from which although it will die back periodically to (around every 1-2 years in an aquarium) it will regrow within a month or so from its discoid holfasts.

An example of a cutting is shown in the image series.