Plant/Coral ID?

[Calappidae]

I bought this new live rock my LFS got in.. its called premium decorative live rock.. its got all kinds of plants, and corals, sponges, and lots more growing all over it and its naturally collected instead of aquacultured stuff...

Anyway.. what is this smooth red stuff on the rock?

I know the stick sticking out and the ball behind it are sponges (I think..) but I just can't figure out what the stuff surrounding it is...

This is the entire rock itself.. its about 4.5 lbs. (minus the turbo snail crawing on it...)

I also got a little .5 inch brain coral growing on the side!

 

[Saltliquid]

If it is firm and not slimy it is a form of coralline algae called Peyssonnelia capensis.

There are some pics of our local ones in here.
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumf...-and-caulerpa-found-near-brisbane-in-seq#4225

There are a couple of variations in here.
https://www.google.com.au/search?hl...5-1.1.0....0...1ac..27.img..1.0.0.PjMNtZcg3SE

 

[Subsea]

The brick red stuff is Bryozoa. It is an ancient filter feeder. There are several colors on GOM aquacultured rock.
Patrick

 

[Saltliquid]

Can you get a closer pic mate, to me that red mass doesn’t look anything like any in this link.
Bryozoa is common around here but I cant see anything like that in your pic, but then my eyesight isn’t that good.
I thought your rock was from the wild?
https://www.google.com.au/search?hl...0.nEsj_BScZQM#hl=en&q=marine+bryozoa&tbm=isch

 

[Calappidae]

Can you get a closer pic mate, to me that red mass doesn't look anything like any in this link.
Bryozoa is common around here but I cant see anything like that in your pic, but then my eyesight isn't that good.
I thought your rock was from the wild?
https://www.google.com.au/search?hl...0.nEsj_BScZQM#hl=en&q=marine+bryozoa&tbm=isch

I can't get a better pic, my cameras are awful :sad2: Litterally.. my nintendo 3ds is the best camera in the house currently and its not that great. Its really smooth and flat on the rock. It almost looks like there are veins in it.. kinda looks like red human skin. I haven't touched it yet.

I'm using this rock http://www.gulfliverock.com/premium-decorative-rock.html

 

[Saltliquid]

I thought your live rock is from the wild and it’s sort of similar to what is from around here as well.
No worries with what it is, as long as it is not slimy smooth, as in cyano bacteria massing then its all good.
If it is the capensis, it’s a nice form of flexible coralline and depending on how much light it gets, it can look quite pretty as it is usually red in full to medium light and multi coloured out of the light.
Anyway its nice looking rock.