Macro algae : Codium Fragile ("velvet horn")

Codium Fragile

CARE : Easy, undemanding under normal reef conditions, can be tricky to settle

GROWTH : Slow to moderate once settled

INVASIVE? : No, slow growth from a single holdfast

LIGHTING : All lighting

FLOW: Moderate to high, requires good flow to stop debris settling between the fronds.

VARIATION : Little variation seen, although under bright light the inner parts of the thalli take on a light lime green colour

HOLDFAST ATTACHMENT TIME : Long (months, benefits from its base been wedged into rockwork)

NUTRIENT UPTAKE : Moderate

SPECIES INFORMATION:

A a bit of an oddity, Originally a Pacific species found growing on rocky reefs its ability to tolerate a wide range of temperatures (-2C to -34C!!) and wide range of salinities has resulted in its spread via ship hulls to areas ranging from the Mediterranean to the Great barrier reef.

Unmistakeable with its thick dichotenously branched sponge like fronds. Deep green with lighter green growth regions. Growing upward in a large fan like formation unlike other Codium species, with a more convoluted growth pattern. A real structural gem.

CUTTING INFORMATION:

You will receive a small healed dichotenously branched thallus, around 5cm in height with a minimum of one branch, taken off the main thallus of out F1 colony.

This species whilst robust can be fiddly to settle, in the wild it often reproduces via fragmentation and is prone to "freeing itself" from its initial location that it is tied to by initiating cell death around the tied area and the top half of the algae then floating off on its travels to settle in a new area more to its liking! We usually wedge the cut end of the algae into a small whole or rock crevasse to get it to stay put and lay holdfasts down.