Skip to content

Compsopogon

Compsopogon caeruleus · Algae

Compsopogon: Out of the water

Out of the water · Photo: Paul Bell-Butler / CC BY

IntroducedBenthic algae (on rocks and the bottom)Red

Also called Red algae, Blue black algae

How to identify Compsopogon

  • Blue gray to violet strands attached in tufts
  • Coarse, branched, somewhat stiff strands
  • Strands can be several inches long
  • Grows in warm water

Similar species

Cladophora is bright green; Batrachospermum is beaded and softer.

Growth profile

SeasonGrows in warm water year round where temperatures stay high.
StartsWarm water, about 70 F or higher
LightModerate to bright light
DepthAttached to rocks and plants in shallow water
How it spreads or reproducesSpores and fragments, often moved with aquarium and pond trade plants
HabitatWarm springs, thermal outflows and warm ponds, attached to rocks and plants.

Why it matters in a lake

A warm water alga, mostly found in warm springs. Rare in this region.

Where it is found

  • Idaho: Rare
  • Oregon: Rare
  • Wyoming: Not recorded

Classification

KingdomPlantae
PhylumRhodophyta
ClassCompsopogonophyceae
OrderCompsopogonales
FamilyCompsopogonaceae
Scientific nameCompsopogon caeruleus

More benthic algae

DidymoFrog spawn algaHydrurusLemaneaRed crust algaSpirogyra

Browse all algae in the Species Database

Need a hand?

Is it taking over your lake?

We identify what is growing, map how much of it there is and build a control plan that targets it without harming the rest of the lake.

Contact usWeed and algae controlSend us a photo

Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596