Not sure what type of algae this is

[Aquarimax]

I have had this type of algae (the lighter tuft sitting on top of the normal macroalgae) for many years, alongside the macroalgae from Petshrimp. I don’t think it is the hair algae that can trap shrimp, as I have never seen that issue, and the shrimp have flourished and bred plentifully in the tanks it is in.

Have you ever seen algae of this type? I believe it came along with some shrimp I purchased from an individual something like a dozen years ago.

[Mustafa]

I have seen similar stuff before in nature, but I have no idea what it is. In the pictures it appears to be unattached. Does it just float around like that or was it attached to something before? Does it feel soft or is it kind of rough to the touch? Can you rip it apart easily?

[Aquarimax]

It settles to the bottom, and attaches to some degree to rock or substrate, but not very firmly. It feels very soft, with thin strands, and is easy to rip apart. It grows slowly, but I don’t know if that is simply due to the low-nutrient environment.