A cartilaginous red algae that can grow quite quickly and is potentially invasive. If you are a macro enthusiast this may be a good choice for you, but it is NOT suitable for the refugium or the display reef tank.

Acanthophora spicifera(Spiny Algae as it is commonly called) is one of those red algae that are highly variable in color. Sometimes it is red, others yellow and sometimes brown and even green or purple. Not just species variations, the same plant can make this transition in a short time. It has to do with light intensity and wavelength. The brighter the light the paler the color usually.The bluer the light, the darker the shade.

 Fiddling with color by shading the plant can be fun for the collector who enjoys a hobby challenge. With the right skill they may be able to bring out the purple in this seaweed. We often see it as a lavender color in the wild, but haven't been able to duplicate it ourselves. 

 If you would like to learn more about macro coloring we have a bried article here:

Macroalgae Care