Cymopolia barbata – Bearded / Tufted Joint Weed
Cymopolia barbata: Latin for “little beards.” Reef Latin for awesome.
What You Get
A shallow water, calcareous green macroalga from nearshore hard bottom in the Florida Keys. Each specimen has jointed, cylindrical stalks that feel rigid and coral like, crowned with bright, fuzzy green tufts that glow under reef lighting. The alga attaches to rock or shells with a single holdfast, creating a miniature grove of fuzzy topped pillars.
Care at a glance: high light, moderate to high flow, and stable calcium and alkalinity similar to stony corals. Do not bury the holdfast. Mount to rock or a frag plug with reef safe gel glue or fishing line. Handle gently, as damaged tufts may briefly leach pigment.
Why It Is Algaesome
-
Living sculpture: Segmented, calcified stems topped with soft, glowing tufts.
-
Authentic Caribbean look: Native to surge washed shallows, it brings the Keys rock bottom to your tank.
-
Tough base, soft motion: Stony holdfast and stems resist most grazers while tufts add gentle movement and contrast.
-
Grazing notes: Most herbivores ignore the calcified stems, though some fish and inverts may occasionally nip at the soft tuft tips. Healthy specimens regrow quickly.
-
Collector favorite: A distinctive calcareous green rarely offered in the trade.
Sizing & Availability
Each portion is a single specimen approximately 2 to 4 inches in diameter and often 2 to 5 inches tall. Natural variation in shape, branching, and tuft fullness is expected. Availability may be seasonal.
Traits
Color Deep green stems with bright green tufts
Ease Moderate
Classification Green macroalgae (calcareous)
Nutrient Uptake Fair
Availability Seasonal / Limited
Use Display macro
Lighting High
Flow Moderate to high
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.
Many species may arrive paler or whitish in color. This is completely normal. Macroalgae shift their pigments inward during transport to protect from light and stress; color returns within a few days under good aquarium lighting and flow.
We ship via 2 Day service on Mondays and Tuesdays only to ensure specimens arrive healthy. You will receive a notification with tracking information as soon as your order ships.
