What the hell is this???

[Sugar Magnolia]

To kill them, just take some aquarium epoxy and cover all of them with it.

This will work, I've done it in the past. An easy fix since your tank is so small. And, by no means should you put either a file fish or a puffer in there. Your tank is fully stocked as it is, and, the puffer is not reef safe and file fish are extremely hard to care for and best left to the advanced aquarist.

 

[Blown76mav]

Ok, got some pics this morning.

Mine are def. RED on the underside, they look like GSP to me. I even agitated them so you can see the Red is part of the mat, no tricks. I also included two other pics of the same stuff over 2' away. I didn't plant it there, I don't want them there yet they are there. So while I agree GSP spreads normally through its mat, how the hell did they get over here? No they weren't on the rock before as it like many started out as dried out old nasty rock.

My GSP's have NEVER had a Purple base, they started out as a quarter size piece on ONE rock isolated from all the others. I have found starts in the sandbed on the other side of the tank just randomly at times, those I just pull up an toss out. I would love to know how they are spreading like that without someone moving them?

 

[mayjong]

hydroids to the OP... i nuked mine with boiling water in a baster...

btw- that ^ looks like zenia to me, but i'm no expert.

i will say, i have a seperate rock with GSP (love the movement and color) that has spread via it's "mat" out from the rock.
a couple of days ago, i saw a single polyp of gsp floating around my tank!!!! i tried to suck it up,but it floated behind my rocks...

 

[TampaReefer79]

The red color looks like it comes from the purple GSP mat covered in algae to me.

 

[sslak]

@Blown76

1. That's NOT Green Star Polyps - It's an encrusting gorgonia, they look extremely similar

2. The red color is cyano - slime algae, not the mat itself. You can clearly see in the same pic tha the mat is a pale purple or whitish pink where the polyps are retracted.

 

[jimsta]

Blown76mav-- You actually have Encrusting Gorgonian. The green variety looks exactly like star polyps but has a pink base/mat. The red you see on the part that is lifted is probably a slight coat of red slime, they always seem to get it.

Green Star Polyps= Clavularia viridis
Encrusting Gorgonian= BRIAREUM sp. (not sure if green is different sp. than pink variety)

----I agree with everyone on the hydroids. Thats what you have between the hammer and they are not that bad but should be taken care of ASAP before they spread.

Good Luck HTH

 

[Blown76mav]

The red doesn't wipe off, if I pull the mat up its red underneath. Def. NOT cyano had to too many times I know what that nasty stuff is.

 

[Blown76mav]

btw- that ^ looks like zenia to me, but i'm no expert.

i

There is Zenia on the same rock thats not what I was talking about. I know the difference between Zenia and whatever the hell these are GSP, encrusting what ever's they are.

 

[Blown76mav]

Blown76mav-- You actually have Encrusting Gorgonian. The green variety looks exactly like star polyps but has a pink base/mat. The red you see on the part that is lifted is probably a slight coat of red slime, they always seem to get it.

After looking up Encrusting Gorgonian I believe your correct.

That would explain why my GSP's never had a purple base, Thanks.

Learn something new everyday.