You will often find turf algae growing on rocks or dead coral. Since reef space is limited, they also try to grow on live coral, with whom they are in competition. If it weren’t for all the animals that eat turf algae, they would overgrow the coral and take over the reef.

They are a combination of many different types of algae: red, green, brown and blue-green. Here are some of the more common types of algae that make up turf algae: Laurencia, Jania, Hypnea, Pteroclaiella, Cladophora, Enteromorpha, Dictyota, Gelidiella, Ceramium, Centroceras, Polysiphonia, Sphacelaria, Hincksia, and Tolypiocladia.