Caulerpa racemosa (Specialty Grape Caulerpa)
A truly unique bunch... because not all grapes are created equal.
What You Get
Specialty Grape Caulerpa covers the naturally unusual forms of Caulerpa racemosa that do not match the classic round grape look. These are the flat caps, umbrella shapes, and cylindrical, banana like clusters that show up in specific habitats, depths, and flow conditions.
Some specimens form small, flat topped or rounded umbrella caps along the rhizome. Others grow tall, dark green branches with long clusters of cylindrical fronds that resemble a bunch of tiny bananas. Many of these specialty forms are found in lower light habitats such as under reef ledges or in deeper water, while others come from more exposed intertidal zones. Because C. racemosa is highly variable, we sort these pieces by appearance so you receive a clearly non standard, specialty look, even though exact subspecies labels in the literature can be debated.
Why It’s Algaesome
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Unusual shapes: Includes flat caps, umbrella tops, and elongated cylindrical clusters that stand out next to standard grape forms.
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Collector appeal: Ideal for reef keepers who want something beyond the typical grape Caulerpa look.
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Habitat variety: Forms may come from low light ledges, deeper water, or intertidal zones, which gives them slightly different growth habits and posture.
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Rich color: Often a deeper green than standard grapes, especially in cylindrical or deeper water morphs.
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Nutrient export: Like other racemosa types, these forms can help with nitrate and phosphate control when harvested regularly.
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Placement options: Rhizomes can be tucked into rockwork, rubble, or gently buried in sand, allowing you to feature their odd shapes where they will be most visible.
Sizing and Availability
Each portion of Specialty Grape Caulerpa includes several rhizome sections totaling about 6 to 10 inches in length, with one or more distinctive growth forms attached. Because these are collected based on their unusual appearance rather than a single exact subspecies, shapes will vary. You may receive flat topped caps, rounded umbrellas, elongated clusters, or a mix, depending on what the reef offers at the time. Availability is more limited and closely tied to season, weather, and dive conditions.
Traits
Color Medium to dark green
Ease Easy to intermediate; similar care to standard racemosa
Classification Green macroalgae (Caulerpa)
Nutrient Uptake Good to excellent
Availability Seasonal (Warm Months) and limited; based on natural variation
Use Refugium and display feature
Lighting Low to moderate for many forms; acclimate carefully to brighter light
Flow Low to strong, depending on form; compact in higher flow
Deeper Dive Info:
Caulerpa racemosa taxonomy is a mess, and that is not an exaggeration. This species group is famous for looking completely different from one reef to the next. Light, depth, current, substrate, and even how often it gets disturbed can change its shape. One day you find perfect round grapes... the next you find tiny umbrellas, long cylinders, or something that looks like a bunch of baby bananas.
Because of that natural variety, we separate our offerings into two simple categories that make sense for aquarium keepers.
Standard Green Grape Caulerpa covers the classic bright green form with round, bubble like clusters. This is the “typical” racemosa most hobbyists recognize and the one we consistently find in shallower, brighter habitats.
Specialty Grape Caulerpa includes the oddballs... the flat caps, umbrellas, cylinders, and deeper water shapes that clearly look different from the standard grape form. They are still Caulerpa racemosa, just growing under different environmental pressures.
Scientists have named many subspecies within the racemosa group, but even experts agree that appearance alone is not always enough. True identification often requires microscopic work on cell structure. Rather than guess, we sort our pieces by the way they actually look so you know exactly what you are getting.
A Note from the Collectors:
Every macroalga we offer is hand collected, acclimated, and observed by our team before shipping. While we carefully try to remove other algae, sponges, and tiny hitchhikers, it is possible that a few “goodies” from the reef may tag along... it is a natural part of receiving genuine wild collected specimens.
Caulerpa racemosa as a species is highly variable in appearance. Many named subspecies and varieties overlap in how they look, and true identification can require microscopic work. Rather than guess at a subspecies name, we group these pieces by their unique shapes so you know you are getting something visually different from standard Green Grape Caulerpa.
As with other Caulerpa, these specialty forms should be pruned and harvested regularly. Routine trimming keeps them from overrunning rockwork, supports nutrient export, and helps reduce the chance of a reproductive “going sexual” event in the aquarium. Stable conditions and steady lighting go a long way toward keeping them attractive and well behaved.
Many macroalgae may arrive paler or slightly stressed from transit. This is normal. Under good aquarium lighting and flow, color and vigor usually return within a few days.
We ship via 2 Day service on Mondays and Tuesdays only to help ensure specimens arrive healthy. Tracking information is provided as soon as your order ships.
