Clear bubble growing in hammer

[kj5432]

Over the past 4-6 weeks there has been a clear bubble growing in the middle of one of the heads of my branching hammers. At first I thought it was spawning or splitting the head to make two heads. Now I don't know what it is. It started out to be the size of a tip of a thumb and now it seems to be about 3/4 of the size of a golf ball. If I stuck a pin in it I know it would pop but I know that is probably not the right thing to do.

Can I please get some help? What is this and what do I do about it?

 

[Glove]

Without a picture its difficult to say, ..but.... there is a form of coral reproduction that involves that type of growth.

There are a few threads on here about it... sorry the term I want to use has escaped my mind at the moment.

 

[kj5432]

anyone else???

 

[keckles]

Search for coral polyp extrusion.

Info will be available here to give you a head start: www.ericborneman.com

 

[KEstep]

Check out this thread
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=900233

 

[zenya]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7960163#post7960163 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keckles
Search for coral polyp extrusion.

Info will be available here to give you a head start: www.ericborneman.com

I don't think it is any forms of reproduction. This types of "blisters" are not that uncommon and I don't think there is any difinitive answers to this phenomena. If you search the forums using keywords like "blisters"( try searching old Coral Forum) you may find few answers but none too certain as to why this happens to corals in captivity. It;s just too many variables in play to be certain. Could be an unjury, could be somethings else....

 

[keckles]

Perhaps the description gave us a different idea of what we are dealing with. But, this behavior has been directly linked to asexual reproduction by means of splitting. I also believe it has been associated with polyp extrusion, but it is difficult to research as Eric's website is no longer hosting the pictures of the examples in Euphyllia.

I can post some links if you would like me to.

 

[kj5432]

please do post the links

 

[keckles]

- "
Dear Crew
Mike G with you tonight. I personally apologize for the delay in response: our crew has been absolutely bogged down with queries for the past week or so. I hope you understand.
My Euphyllia shown in this picture is splitting on one of its colonies. However a bubble in the coral flesh has formed on what seems to be the divide between the splitting colony. Is this normal?
Absolutely normal for splitting LPS. Happens all the time in my tank. Sometimes they stay for quite a large period of time, but are nothing to lose any sleep at all over.
It has been prevalent for about three months. The coral has never been out of water and expands and feeds normally.
Regards
<Best of luck in this wonderful hobby, Mike G>"
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/carybehfaqs.htm

A few examples from RC
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=869662&highlight=frogspawn+splitting

quote:
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Originally posted by ReefRian
Edwin, frogspawns reproduce from growing small heads out of the skeleton at the base of existing heads or they split in two, a large bubble will form in the middle, leave them alone, they eventually split in two and the skeleton follows each head. I have had frogspawns for about 5 years and have never successfully fed them directly, yet they grow and reproduce on a regular basis.

Rian
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thank you so much.. you know I think it may be splitting in two places. there is a bubble on the frogspawn itself and there is little thing"head" starting to show off the skeleton... that would be so cool. 3 heads....

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=855291&highlight=frogspawn+splitting

 

[Serioussnaps]

Mine stayed like that for 6 months a long time ago(i dont keep LPS anymore) before it split...it was gone and noticed skeletal growth underneath the polyps i didnt before.....

i have notice that and there wasnt spawning/splitting either...

i say just leave it.....definitely dont panic.....you are fine...sit back and enjoy your most likely to be growing frogspawn

 

[keckles]

Because the coral is composed of a calcarous skeleton, it cannot "split" as quickly as other Cnidarians. The coral "splits" by dividing into two heads. These heads form over time as the coral begins to grow up and out, slowly forming a division in the corallite. Over time, this division continues to grow and eventually form completely, separate corallites.

It takes time.

 

[miwoodar]

I agree with many of the other posts - I think it's a split. My branching frogspawn split one of it's mouths then a few weeks later a bubble formed between the two new mouths as they grew apart. The process is about 75% complete now (about 2 months). The bubble is gone and the head is still one piece of flesh but the two mouths are definitely growing in their own directions. I was fortunate enough to have it happen on the most visible head that was only about an inch away from the front glass. My wife thought it was so cool I was able to convince her to buy new corals! Man I can't wait for it to split again!