Coelothrix is a small, wiry red macroalgae that forms low, tangled clumps. C. irregularis, known as Blue Live Wire, is reddish purple with bluish-green iridescence at the tips when seen from certain angles. It is seldom kept, and keepers have little experience with long-term care.
Educational only. Some KinStation entries are reviewed by licensed veterinarians, but none can replace an in-person exam. Always consult a licensed veterinarian or board-certified specialist for diagnosis, treatment, or any decision affecting your pet's health.
Quick facts
Category
Marine & Algae
Family
Champiaceae
Native origin
Warm seas: tropical Indo-West Pacific and tropical western Atlantic
Care difficulty
Intermediate
Light
Medium light
Pet toxicity
Toxicity unknown
Light
Full-spectrum reef lighting brings out a deep purple, and the iridescent tips appear over time and depend on viewing angle. New pieces can start out green, brown or purple, so allow a few days under good light before judging color. Keepers have little data on exact light levels.
Water
Standard reef parameters: 23-27 C (74-80 F), salinity ~1.025 SG, pH 8.1-8.4. No specific needs are recorded. Keep salinity and temperature stable and change conditions slowly. Wild plants live in warm, shallow water, so steady reef conditions are a fair match. Keep nitrate and phosphate measurable.
Soil & potting
Wild plants form low cushions anchored by tufts of rhizoids, so it is not a sand plant. Tie a small clump to rubble with line, or let it sit in a crevice where it will not blow around. Pieces may look spindly at first and fill out as they settle into the tank.
Environment — humidity, temperature, placement
A warm-water alga from shallow tropical habitats. Moderate flow in a display or macroalgae tank at standard reef temperature, 23-27 C (74-80 F), is a cautious start. Site it where you can view it from several angles, since the iridescence shows only from some directions.
Propagation
Keepers have little record of propagating it. The wiry clump can be teased apart into small tufts, each tied to fresh rubble, and the clump habit suggests it will fill in over time. Do not expect the iridescence right away, since it takes time to appear.
Toxicity detail
No toxicity data for tank animals was found, so the rating stays unknown. No grazing deterrent or coral smothering risk is recorded, though as a low clump it could creep over nearby rock. Watch it around small corals and trim back any spread until its habits in your tank are clear.
Varieties & cultivars
Natural forms are the wild species; cultivars are selectively-bred colour or variegation forms of the same plant.
Natural forms1
Blue Live Wire
Coelothrix irregularis. A very small, wiry reddish-purple alga that forms clumps rather like Chaetomorpha. Under full-spectrum light it deepens to a rich purple, and its tips show bluish-green iridescence at certain angles. New pieces can start out green, brown or purple, and may look spindly.
Give it a few days under good light before judging its color, as the iridescence takes time to appear.
KinStation
Medium light
Give it a few days under good light before judging its color, as the iridescence takes time to appear.