Dragon's Breath

Halymenia durvillei

Also known as Halymenia, Red Dragon's Breath, Red sea lettuce (Halymenia)

SaltwaterMacroalgaeCuttings

Dragon's Breath (Halymenia durvillei) — Coughdrop12 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Light: High light
CO2: No CO₂ needed
Growth rate: Medium
Placement: Midground
Type: Macroalgae
Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 8.0–8.4
Max height: 11.8 in (30 cm)
Spread: 11.8 in (30 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Water column
Growth region: Submersed
Difficulty: Medium
Origin: Indo-Pacific reefs; commercially cultured for carrageenan
Family: Halymeniaceae

Overview

Unlike the refugium workhorses, Dragon's Breath is usually grown as an ornamental centerpiece in the display for its glowing color, though it still exports nutrients. It wants moderate to high light with plenty of blue, and moderate to high flow that keeps the blades gently moving and prevents bacterial die-off at the base. It is not a fully sterile-tank plant; it needs some residual nitrate and phosphate or it can starve out. Trim it back periodically since it branches vigorously in every direction.

In the wild

A fiery red, fleshy macroalgae from Indo-Pacific reefs, growing at moderate depths where light is partly filtered to blue. Its flame-like blades branch out in all directions from a central fleshy stalk and can reach around a foot tall and wide.

Good to know

Halymenia durvillei is a red alga in the family Halymeniaceae, prized in aquaria as a display macro for its iridescent red to orange coloration. Because it evolved at depth, it favors light with strong blue content around 450 to 490 nm. It is cultured commercially as a source of lambda carrageenan and spreads in captivity by fragmentation.