Heterosiphonia

Heterosiphonia · also called Flamingo Feather

Heterosiphonia is a finely branched red macroalgae with a soft, feathery outline. H. gibbesii, known as Flamingo Feather, varies from pink through red to white. It is seldom kept because it is difficult, and keepers have little experience with it. Older references place the genus in Dasyaceae.

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	Delesseriaceae
Native origin	Western Atlantic for H. gibbesii: Florida, the Caribbean and Brazil
Care difficulty	Advanced
Light	Medium light
Pet toxicity	Toxicity unknown

Light

Keepers have little experience with its light needs. Moderate reef lighting, raised slowly, is a cautious starting point in a display or refugium. Color is highly variable in this species, so pink, red or white plants are not by themselves a sign of trouble or of poor lighting.

Water

Standard reef parameters: 23-27 C (74-80 F), salinity ~1.025 SG, pH 8.1-8.4. It has a reputation for being hard to keep, so aim for stable, mature water with no sudden swings. No nutrient or trace element targets are recorded for it. Test often and make every change slowly.

Soil & potting

Attaches to hard surfaces rather than rooting into sand. In a tank, fix a piece loosely to rubble or rock with line so the fine branches stay free in the water. Keepers have little record of how well cuttings attach, so secure pieces gently and then leave them alone.

Environment — humidity, temperature, placement

H. gibbesii is a warm-water western Atlantic species, recorded from Florida, the Caribbean and Brazil. Steady moderate flow at standard reef temperature, 23-27 C (74-80 F), is a cautious start. It suits experienced keepers with stable, mature tanks rather than a new system.

Propagation

Keepers have little experience propagating it, and no reliable method is recorded. If a plant grows well, trim a small branch and tie it to rubble, leaving the parent plant largely intact. The finest branchlets are delicate, so handle the plant as little as you can.

Toxicity detail

No toxicity data for tank animals was found, so the rating stays unknown, and no grazing deterrent or smothering risk is recorded. A relative, Dasysiphonia japonica (formerly Heterosiphonia japonica), has spread widely as an invader in the western North Atlantic, so never release any aquarium alga or tank water into the wild.

Varieties & cultivars

Natural forms are the wild species; cultivars are selectively-bred colour or variegation forms of the same plant.

Natural forms1

Flamingo Feather

Heterosiphonia gibbesii. A delicate red alga whose fine branches divide into even finer branchlets, giving a feathery outline. Color varies widely, from pink through red to white. It is seldom seen in aquariums because it is hard to keep.

A difficult species, so it suits experienced keepers with stable tanks.