I bought a Leather Coral about a month ago and noticed that on the rock it was attached to, there were these weird brown circular formations on it (maybe about an inch in diameter with tiny tiny white specs. I thought maybe something used to be there but died. A few days later the little white specs looked a little furry. We have since put it in the back of the tank, so I don't see the rock it's attached to too often, but today I was back there helping Big Bertha the snail get back up and I noticed it looked very fleshy and plump and the little white specs looked like little flowers sitting on top of it. The hardened part plumped up and is actually broken into sections that jut out. They look like a bunch of little orange pedestals with white flowers at the tips. Any idea as to what it is? (Remember you can click on these photos for a larger view)
One of the snails brushed by it causing it to retract the polyps:
One of the snails brushed by it causing it to retract the polyps:
