What is on my Green Bubble coral???

[bureau13]

Here is a picture of a small green bubble coral I have. Lately, I've noticed something attached to the edges of some exposed skeleton...it looks like red slime with little clear bubbles in it (see picture below). Is it actually red slime? Or maybe dynoflagellates (not sure I've got that completely right)? Oddly enough, I don't see it anywhere else in the tank. Other than that, the coral seems fine, the bubbles are fairly full with the lights on. At night they shrink down a lot and I see some feeder tentacles, although the change is not as drastic as I've seen on other bubbles.

TIA,
jds

 

[ClownNut]

looks like red slime algae

 

[SVXH6]

cyano..

 

[bureau13]

I've had it pop up on the sand before in a previous tank, but I've never seen it so localized on a coral before...maybe its just starting.

So far, water parameters are not indicative of too many nutrients. Phosphates are at 0 and nitrates maybe 5 or so. Should I be concerned with this, or just wait and see if it spreads?

jds

 

[Sk8r]

One of your pointy-top snails may get it. Had exactly the same thing; between the court jester goby and the snail, it's now clean.

 

[JRistau81]

Would sucking that cyano off w/ a turkey baster temporarily help the coral while he fixes the nutrient problem?

 

[waterfaller1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7576725#post7576725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JRistau81
Would sucking that cyano off w/ a turkey baster temporarily help the coral while he fixes the nutrient problem?

Yep..but I would gently blow it off with the turkey baster. How is the flow in that area of your tank? The phosphate test could be giving you a false reading. Some excess nutrient is fueling the cyanobacteria. Is this the only place you see it? You could also gently syphon it off. If you are having this problem in other areas of your tank I would begin to step up your water changes. If not this could be the start of a problem. Either way I would recommend getting it off the coral before it smothers it.

 

[bureau13]

Flow is not that great in that area actually....I repositioned the nearest powerhead slightly, so hopefully that will increase it a little.

I'm not sure I understand the phosphate test comment...I'm using the Salifert kit, and my results are repeatable.

jds

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7581533#post7581533 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waterfaller1
Yep..but I would gently blow it off with the turkey baster. How is the flow in that area of your tank? The phosphate test could be giving you a false reading. Some excess nutrient is fueling the cyanobacteria. Is this the only place you see it? You could also gently syphon it off. If you are having this problem in other areas of your tank I would begin to step up your water changes. If not this could be the start of a problem. Either way I would recommend getting it off the coral before it smothers it.

 

[waterfaller1]

It only means that sometimes a test kit won't show a value for elements such as phosphates because the algae is feeding off of it. I use Salifert too. Good luck..it looks healthy otherwise.

 

[bureau13]

Ahh, I understand. I don't have my chaeto in the sump yet...I should probably get that over there now.

jds

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7583243#post7583243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waterfaller1
It only means that sometimes a test kit won't show a value for elements such as phosphates because the algae is feeding off of it. I use Salifert too. Good luck..it looks healthy otherwise.

 

[Apparition]

I actually have a bubble coral showing this same algae at just one spot on the tip of the skeleton. For me though, the bubble coral came with the algae (Couldn't tell at the LFS as it was fully inflated and not visible) and the algae is nowhere else in the tank. I've blown it off and siphoned it out, but it just comes back the next day and only on that one tiny spot on the bubble skeleton. Does anyone have any other ideas on what to do with it? Other than that, it's perfectly healthy. WetWebMedia suggested to someone else with the same problem to just leave the bubble coral alone and that it would take care of the problem, but I'd like to help it in any way I can.

Any other suggestions would be great.

Thanks.