Unknown Coral Help?

[Allen]

Hi,
I bought a rock about a year ago and noticed this purple-gray thingy (about 7mm in diameter) never bothered me but I was always curios. Now, a year later this has grown to about 2cm in diameter, its soft to the touch almost like a leather coral. I have never seen it feeding, its got no mouth (that I can see), no tentacles or any visible way of catching food.

Can anybody help identifying this thingy?

 

[Tobes]

Can't see the picture

Do you use photobucket?

 

[Allen]

Sorry wrong url, my bad!

 

[Tobes]

Could be an encrusting blue sponge - we'll have to wait for Allan the administrator - he can possibly tell you

 

[Allen]

Thanx!

 

[Mekaeel]

Looks like a sponge to me.

 

[Moolis Moolman]

With the limited info - I would think it is a blue sponge - the are rubbery to the touch and will have some holes in them for filtering water. Let us know what you find + closeup photo will help a lot.

 

[Allen]

Dag sê moolis,
Baie dankie vir die informasie. Sal my beste probeer om 'n nader foto teneem, sal dit sommer direk vir jou stuur.

Groete!

 

[Moolis Moolman]

Dag sê moolis,
Baie dankie vir die informasie. Sal my beste probeer om 'n nader foto teneem, sal dit sommer direk vir jou stuur.

Groete!

OK

 

[Allen]

Some closer pics

 

[Shaun]

Yes it is a sponge, please remove it now. It will take over the rock and kill everything on it.

PS Alan will tell you the same.

 

[jacquesb]

Ditto to what Thalion said - the sponge is nice to have - Remove it and place it in your tank's sump. It is an awesome filter.... BUT, it will indeed kill the corralimorph mushrooms..... They are FAR more aggresive than the corralimorphs....

 

[Allen]

Remove it and place it in your tank's sump. It is an awesome filter.... BUT, it will indeed kill the corralimorph mushrooms....

Thanks for the tip!! I will do so immediately! Just a question?, how would be the best way to remove it from the rock & does sponges need light to survive? (completely dark sump)

 

[Tobes]

Don't let the sponge come into contact with air. I know that sponges doesn't like air and will die and possibly kill everything in your tank. Not too sure about this species, but rather don't take any chances. That is if you decide to keep it in the sump.
Put it in a container under water and move it to the sump and let it out under water.

 

[Allen]

Thanks Tobes, if got a nice corner in my sump full of aptasias so maybe the sponge will kill them too,"just a joke".

Must I brake the rock or can I use a nail scissor to get it of the rock? Or the scissor damage the tissue?

 

[Tobes]

Thanks Tobes, if got a nice corner in my sump full of aptasias so maybe the sponge will kill them too,"just a joke".

Must I brake the rock or can I use a nail scissor to get it of the rock? Or the scissor damage the tissue?

If you leave a piece behind it will grow again. I would break the rock just to make sure all comes out the main display and you are also not damaging it. So it stays healthy. Don't know how you gonna break the rock under water?

 

[Moolis Moolman]

Thanks Tobes, if got a nice corner in my sump full of aptasias so maybe the sponge will kill them too,"just a joke".

Must I brake the rock or can I use a nail scissor to get it of the rock? Or the scissor damage the tissue?

Bring it in and me or Shawn will do it for you. No charge

 

[Allen]

I would appreciate that a lot Moolis, I'm a real amateur when it come to getting corals off rocks and always ends up killing them! I'll sommer make a turn there today.

 

[Shaun]

Exposing that sponge to the air does nothing to it, as then my ones would be dead. Remove it with a chisel.

 

[Allen]

Thanks to Moolis who was so kind to help me out yesterday, he separated the mushrooms from the sponge very professionally & this morning everything looked alive & well.

Thanks for everybody's input & for helping me to ID this coral!!