New coral? appeared on rock

[TechLobster]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering if anyone has any idea what this is? It appeared a couple of months ago, as little fuzzy tuffs with florescent green tips. I had not added anything for months before, so I am wondering if this is something that was in the tank from the guy I originally purchased the live rock from. I thought were the beginnings of a sponge of some sort. Now it has gown out some and it has stems and a head with lashes - like a zoa or paly, but this thing is clear pink/orange body. It has already spread to a couple of nearby small colonies, so I hope it is not something bad. Any ideas? 

 

Also, if you're already taking a look, does anyone know if that disk one beside it is a paly and what kind? They are also prolific in my tank.

 

Thanks,

~Tech

 

 

[ReeferWade]

I lean towards that being Aiptasia but I’ll let others chime in since I’m no expert. 

[Friendly]

you might want to take those pics and circle the item you're speaking about. it's not always obvious to other as we're unfamiliar with your tank and such.  ;)

[TechLobster]

8 minutes ago, Friendly said:

you might want to take those pics and circle the item you're speaking about. it's not always obvious to other as we're unfamiliar with your tank and such.  😉

All the stuff dead centre in the first picture.

[TechLobster]

9 minutes ago, ReeferWade said:

I lean towards that being Aiptasia but I’ll let others chime in since I’m no expert. 

I have considered Aiptasia and majano, but I can't find pictures of them growing in clusters like that as a colony. 

 

Unless you mean the paly looking thing, that could be.

[ReeferWade]

Check out this link and see what you think. I've seen it in "colonies" before but I'm hoping a more seasoned reefer can identify it for you: 

https://saltyunderground.com/category/aiptasia-anemone-photo-identification-page

 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Looks like aptasia to me, not manjano. Maybe a ball nem? 

[Joevember]

Not aiptasia or pest anemone. They don't colonize like what you have. (But there is a majano next to it in 2nd pic fyi)

Look up galaxea coral and let us know if that's it.

[East1]

Do you have a pocillopora in your tank? it looks like that. It's normal for them to go through polyp bailout, and those will eventually settle and form new mini colonies. 

[burtbollinger]

looks like random pocillopora AND an aptasia next to it on first glance

 

[TechLobster]

Ok, so I do have a pocillopora and it has been getting irritated from a GSP colony that has been creeping up it's stalk, possibly leading to some bailout on the lower branches. I peeled back the GSP tonight during water change. The polyp tips look exactly like the pocillopora ones, just green instead of blue, and the pocillopora has a hard skeleton, but maybe these guys will grow one?

 

I initially thought it could be galaxia, but the polyp tips and structure don't appear to match to me.

 

If that thing is a mojano, what's the real risk of keeping them? I've got probably 15-20 of them spread in the tank, some tiny, a couple that are an inch or so across. I really like the green fluorescence of them, adds a nice pop when I have the blues or nightlight on.

[TechLobster]

3 hours ago, ReeferWade said:

Check out this link and see what you think. I've seen it in "colonies" before but I'm hoping a more seasoned reefer can identify it for you: 

https://saltyunderground.com/category/aiptasia-anemone-photo-identification-page

 

Yeah, those colonies don't have a branching stalk like the ones in my tank... Is a good suggestion though.

[Joevember]

32 minutes ago, TechLobster said:

Ok, so I do have a pocillopora and it has been getting irritated from a GSP colony that has been creeping up it's stalk, possibly leading to some bailout on the lower branches. I peeled back the GSP tonight during water change. The polyp tips look exactly like the pocillopora ones, just green instead of blue, and the pocillopora has a hard skeleton, but maybe these guys will grow one?

 

I initially thought it could be galaxia, but the polyp tips and structure don't appear to match to me.

 

If that thing is a mojano, what's the real risk of keeping them? I've got probably 15-20 of them spread in the tank, some tiny, a couple that are an inch or so across. I really like the green fluorescence of them, adds a nice pop when I have the blues or nightlight on.

Some people like majanos in their tank. If you like them, then keep them. Not a lot of risk other than them spreading more.

[TechLobster]

I'll take an extreme close-up of the polyps on the pocillopora and post tomorrow to compare... I can't find a close up of the polyp structure online. This is the best guess so far.

[East1]

They’ll look a bit different to typical polyps because the corals are small, they have hyperextension of the polyps but it’s undoubtedly poccillopora you have popping up there, it’s got a calcium skeleton you can see through the polyps.

 

Aiptasia wouldn’t form such a dense mat especially if your tank hasn’t been overrun. 

[TechLobster]

20 hours ago, East1 said:

They’ll look a bit different to typical polyps because the corals are small, they have hyperextension of the polyps but it’s undoubtedly poccillopora you have popping up there, it’s got a calcium skeleton you can see through the polyps.

 

Aiptasia wouldn’t form such a dense mat especially if your tank hasn’t been overrun. 

I would be happy as a clam if my poccillopora spreads through my tank like that. The place the mother colony is in is being overrun by GSP and Meteor Shower Cyphastrea, and it is one of my favorites in my little coral garden. The places the polyps have spread are in relatively bare areas of my scape. There are some "polyp colonies" that are quite a bit lower in the tank, I hope if they are pocc. that they will all get enough light.

[East1]

They need good flow, generally they'll settle in smoother areas with good flow, I know someone who would get them showing up on his overflow and on weirs in the sump. 

[TechLobster]

Hi all,

 

Just remembered about this post and thought I'd provide an update. Turns out that it is definitely a pocillopora colony. I had 5 or so colonies start around my tank after the GSP induced bailout. 3 of the 5 have grown signifinicantly in the last year, including this centerpiece (same colony pictured above) that is the size of a lacrosse ball. Figured some people could use these pictures if they see anything like this is their tank (dirty glass again - bah).

[dvs1986]

looks like colonial hyrdoids to me.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

It looks like a pocillopora to me. Just from experience. The stalks and everything 

[MainelyReefer]

3 hours ago, TechLobster said:

Hi all,

 

Just remembered about this post and thought I'd provide an update. Turns out that it is definitely a pocillopora colony. I had 5 or so colonies start around my tank after the GSP induced bailout. 3 of the 5 have grown signifinicantly in the last year, including this centerpiece (same colony pictured above) that is the size of a lacrosse ball. Figured some people could use these pictures if they see anything like this is their tank (dirty glass again - bah).

Nice growth!