The water net (genus Hydrodictyon) is a taxon of freshwater green algae in the family Hydrodictyaceae.

[2] Hydrodictyon consists of colonies of cylindrical cells that are joined end-to-end to form a net-like structure.

Asexual reproduction takes place by biflagellated (having two flagella) zoospores formed by the thousands inside a cell.

The zoospores form a cell wall, become cylindrical in shape, and arrange themselves in a hexagonal pattern, much like the mature tissue.

Two gametes fuse, forming a zygote, which then develops a thick cell wall and becomes angular in shape.