Fan-like thing coming out of Corallite?

[jonnybravo22]

Hey reefers,

I've seen this in several acros in the past, but have never learned what they are. It's like a fan coming out of the corallite. I may be misusing the term corallite, perhaps someone can confirm.

It opens and closes, presumably to gather food from the water column. I would call it a feather duster except it appears to be part of the coral vs. something "attached" to it, and google images of feather dusters appear quite different. The coral has recognizable polyps coming from other corallite locations.

This particular coral is STN'ing from the base, so that's a separate issue (I *think* I know why and am correcting). For purposes of this thread I'm really just trying to figure out what this piece of coral anatomy is. What is this called?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7l0s83qvfhtam97/IMG_3689.jpg?dl=0

 

[Jndragon79]

I have the same thing on a rainbow tenius I have. I think it's an encrusted over barnacle

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[jonnybravo22]

This feels more to me like a native part of the coral or at least something livin inside it vs something encrusted over. In this case the coral is stn'ing from the base but that particular coral lite still had the faintest not of flesh left. With the rest exposed you can see it's all the same structure. Anyways, I'm not the experts so, maybe someone can make a more educated interpretation than I have.

 

[jonnybravo22]

By the way I think you'll need to really zoom in on the picture is to see what I'm talking about. The darker flesh there is actually the corals flesh it's a part that did not stn. But what I'm actually circling there are these very fine white strands ina circular pattern. They open and close like a net.

 

[tripdad]

It's a barnacle, harmless to coral and kinda cool to watch.

 

[jonnybravo22]

Well alrighty then. You guys are pointing me in a direction I did not expect, but I think you might be right. I was hoping it was actually part of the coral rather than something using the coral as a host. but good to know either way. Thanks both.

 

[xiaoxiy]

Well alrighty then. You guys are pointing me in a direction I did not expect, but I think you might be right. I was hoping it was actually part of the coral rather than something using the coral as a host. but good to know either way. Thanks both.

Yeah, it's 10/10 a barnacle that had taken up housing in your acropora!

 

[Hastened]

Always a sure sign that the coral is maricultered.

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[jonnybravo22]

That's a helpful thought too

 

[Mike Ordner]

Looks more like a micro feather duster to me. Barnacles usually have the "fan" only on one side and scope the water. This looks more symmetrical to me.

 

[Phixman]

Is it possible that could be a feather duster ? I would say it's a barnacle or feather duster. I have a bunch of feather dusters in my tank, from red, to white. I have the same fan thing on my trumpet coral, not sure which of the two it is..

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

barnacle x2

barnacle x2

Always a sure sign that the coral is maricultered.

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[teddscau]

Yep, I agree, definitely looks like a feather duster. An itty bitty feather duster.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Yep, I agree, definitely looks like a feather duster. An itty bitty feather duster.

have you personally ever had any barnacles on maricultured Acros?

 

[teddscau]

Nope, I don't even have a saltwater tank yet . But it would make sense that corals cultured in the ocean would pick up a lot of different hitchhikers, including feather dusters or barnacles. Wow, if it is a barnacle, it definitely sounds like it was cultured in the ocean. Barnacles aren't exactly common in captivity.