unknown objects

nursling · 03/12/2006, 07:21 PM

I have a couple things I would like help to identify, the first thing is a black sphere that came on my live rock at first i did not think anything of it but apppears to be getting larger.

The second picture is a peice of coral a friend gave me but i can not identify it.

Please help, Thank you

Fade · 03/12/2006, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nursling
I have a couple things I would like help to identify, the first thing is a black sphere that came on my live rock at first i did not think anything of it but apppears to be getting larger.

The second picture is a peice of coral a friend gave me but i can not identify it.

Please help, Thank you

Bubble alge

Some sort of leather?

comatose · 03/12/2006, 07:30 PM

1. Bubble algea, get rid of it, do not pop it or you'll have more all over the place.

2. not sure but it sure looks like it's on it's last leg, it looks all bleached and has coraline growing on it. but still looks like some polyp is still there, keep it low in the tank for a while to see if it comes back. it doesn't look like a leather, looks more like a SPS coral. is it hard or soft?

nursling · 03/12/2006, 07:40 PM

The coral is hard it has does little feeders comeing off of it everywhere more so at night or when I feed the the tank reef chilli.

How is the best way to get rid of the bubble algae I have not tried anything I just have the one sphere so far.

graveyardworm · 03/12/2006, 07:42 PM

I'm thinking the coral is a bleached pocillopora, as you look around the fringes you can see the expanded polyp tentacles. Hard to say without a better pic.

If you can remove the rock with the Bubble algae then do that to get rid of it. Otherwise use a siphon tube pointed right at the bubble as you remove it to siphon out any spores if it pops.

edit: you can gently try to roll the bubble back and forth with your fingers to dislodge the holdfasts then it should come right out. Dont forget the siphon just in case.

Maxius · 03/12/2006, 07:59 PM

the bublle algea is velonia. it will spead like weeds
take that rock out of the tank remove the algea and than rince the rock in fresh water to remove any ramaining spores

nursling · 03/12/2006, 08:02 PM

hope this pic looks a bit better

graveyardworm · 03/12/2006, 08:27 PM

I'm amazed it has polyp extension given the shape its in, my vote is still pocillopora.

bertoni · 03/12/2006, 09:22 PM

I would just remove the bubble algae and leave the rock in the tank. Removing the rock from the tank is a lot of work and rinsing it in fresh water might kill a lot of organisms. At least for me, bubble algae hasn't been that hard to keep under control.

I think the second picture is of a stony coral, but I'm not convinced it's bleached. It might just be a coral without photosynthetic symbiont. You could try spot-feeding it and see what happens.

ChunksInClemson · 03/12/2006, 09:31 PM

Try getting a couple emerald crabs. They eat Velonia (bubble algae). This is kinda hit or miss though.

bertoni · 03/12/2006, 10:37 PM

Emerald crabs sometimes eat bubble algae. They also sometimes eat fish. Most of them are reasonably safe, though, at least for a while.

nursling · 03/13/2006, 04:00 AM

I don' t think it is bleached either. I'm thinking that is the way it looks. but that is why i'm asking.

03/12/2006, 07:21 PM	#1
nursling Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: pensacola Posts: 10	unknown objects I have a couple things I would like help to identify, the first thing is a black sphere that came on my live rock at first i did not think anything of it but apppears to be getting larger. The second picture is a peice of coral a friend gave me but i can not identify it. Please help, Thank you

03/12/2006, 07:40 PM	#4
nursling Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: pensacola Posts: 10	The coral The coral is hard it has does little feeders comeing off of it everywhere more so at night or when I feed the the tank reef chilli. How is the best way to get rid of the bubble algae I have not tried anything I just have the one sphere so far.

03/12/2006, 07:42 PM	#5
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	I'm thinking the coral is a bleached pocillopora, as you look around the fringes you can see the expanded polyp tentacles. Hard to say without a better pic. If you can remove the rock with the Bubble algae then do that to get rid of it. Otherwise use a siphon tube pointed right at the bubble as you remove it to siphon out any spores if it pops. edit: you can gently try to roll the bubble back and forth with your fingers to dislodge the holdfasts then it should come right out. Dont forget the siphon just in case. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

03/12/2006, 08:02 PM	#7
nursling Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: pensacola Posts: 10	i updated the coral pick is that any better hope this pic looks a bit better

03/12/2006, 08:27 PM	#8
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	I'm amazed it has polyp extension given the shape its in, my vote is still pocillopora. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

03/12/2006, 07:30 PM	#3
comatose Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Flyers, Eagles, Phillies country Posts: 1,437	1. Bubble algea, get rid of it, do not pop it or you'll have more all over the place. 2. not sure but it sure looks like it's on it's last leg, it looks all bleached and has coraline growing on it. but still looks like some polyp is still there, keep it low in the tank for a while to see if it comes back. it doesn't look like a leather, looks more like a SPS coral. is it hard or soft?

03/12/2006, 07:59 PM	#6
Maxius Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: FL, Posts: 195	the bublle algea is velonia. it will spead like weeds take that rock out of the tank remove the algea and than rince the rock in fresh water to remove any ramaining spores

03/12/2006, 09:22 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I would just remove the bubble algae and leave the rock in the tank. Removing the rock from the tank is a lot of work and rinsing it in fresh water might kill a lot of organisms. At least for me, bubble algae hasn't been that hard to keep under control. I think the second picture is of a stony coral, but I'm not convinced it's bleached. It might just be a coral without photosynthetic symbiont. You could try spot-feeding it and see what happens. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/12/2006, 09:31 PM	#10
ChunksInClemson Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Anderson, SC Posts: 824	Try getting a couple emerald crabs. They eat Velonia (bubble algae). This is kinda hit or miss though. __________________ Me to my brother-"Dude, you don't need to spend 75 dollars on a shirt! My brother to me-"Man, you just spent 100 dollars on some rocks" Me and him- "Laughs" Current Tank Info: 29g, a pair of true percs so far. Tank is newer!

03/12/2006, 10:37 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Emerald crabs sometimes eat bubble algae. They also sometimes eat fish. Most of them are reasonably safe, though, at least for a while. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/13/2006, 04:00 AM	#12
nursling Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: pensacola Posts: 10	coral I don' t think it is bleached either. I'm thinking that is the way it looks. but that is why i'm asking.