Possible coral id

[joeyv69ragtop]

I got some LR from liveaquaria and its had nothing but nuisance algae on it for the last couple months. I recently noticed some pink branching growth in two spots and I'm wondering if it could be a coral, maybe birds nest. Please have a look and let me know what you think. Also, possibly a mushroom of sorts below it in the second pic?

Thanks!
-Joe

 

[tripdad]

Is the growth hard and calcerous or flexible?

 

[joeyv69ragtop]

It's difficult to say. It is only about 3mm long 1mm or less in thickness. When i push it it pivots easily from where it attaches to the rock but doesn't itself bend.

 

[tripdad]

I am not at all certain but I would guess a Sponge or similar. The reason being the "time" factor. Usually I get these types of growth about 2 to 3 mos. after set-up with wild sourced live rock. It usually occurs as tank is starting to clean up and growth is very rapid. Sound at all like your situation? It should have a not hard feel to it if you squeeze it between your fingertips.

 

[joeyv69ragtop]

That sounds exactly like my situation. I've had the rock about 2 months and there's been a real boom in algae the last couple weeks. I'll refrain from touching it anymore at this point so it can grow more, I don't want to damage it. There's another small piece of it a few inches away that looks like it broke in half because it is in a particularly high-flow area of the tank. Somehow I doubt the stock pumps in a jbj nano would be powerful enough to snap a piece of coral haha

 

[joeyv69ragtop]

Also, apologies for not using the ID sub-forum. I posted originally from my phone and didn't notice the sub-forum.