Coralline ID?

[Canned55]

So I bought this cured rock from a LFS for the 55 gallon that I am starting. I assumed that coralline algae comes in many different colors so I did not think anything of it.
This one looks orange. I swear that in the past I have had something orange-ish like it in the past.
I am just checking with everyone to see if they think its just paint... haha
One piece is almost completely orange and the other has a small dusting

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Unfortunately, now that it's been out of water, if it's coralline it will probably die.

 

[Fish Styx]

Looks more like encrusting sponge IMO. However, like @EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said regarding coralline, the same applies here. Exposure to air will likely kill most, if not all of it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I bought this cured rock from a LFS for the 55 gallon that I am starting. I assumed that coralline algae comes in many different colors so I did not think anything of it.
This one looks orange. I swear that in the past I have had something orange-ish like it in the past.
I am just checking with everyone to see if they think its just paint... haha
One piece is almost completely orange and the other has a small dusting

Looks like what is known as Foraminiferans which is a photosynthetic organism found on and grows on reef rock. They are made up of spheres and best removal (while some people keep them ) is to take rock out of the tank and place in container of water. You can try to press it down with thumb pressure and peel it back and remove otherwise scrub with firm brushes like below from Harbor freight.

 

[Canned55]

Unfortunately, now that it's been out of water, if it's coralline it will probably die.

Well its been like this for the whole 2 months that i have had it.

 

[bushdoc]

I always thought that Foraminiferans are single cells organisms, so I second encrusting sponge theory.
There's believe that sponges are very susceptible to be damaged by exposure to air, but it doesn't always seem to be true.

 

[Canned55]

I always thought that Foraminiferans are single cells organisms, so I second encrusting sponge theory.
There's believe that sponges are very susceptible to be damaged by exposure to air, but it doesn't always seem to be true.

I always thought that Foraminiferans are single cells organisms, so I second encrusting sponge theory.
There's believe that sponges are very susceptible to be damaged by exposure to air, but it doesn't always seem to be true.

Do you think it would be hard though? This is hard like coralline

 

[bushdoc]

It still looks more like encrusting sponges to me, but I might be wrong.
Hopefully somebody will find the answer.
Coralline will also grow on plastic, like powerheads and glass, sponges, rather not.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Well its been like this for the whole 2 months that i have had it.

Then I guess it's hardy coralline

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Looks like what is known as Foraminiferans which is a photosynthetic organism found on and grows on reef rock. They are made up of spheres and best removal (while some people keep them ) is to take rock out of the tank and place in container of water. You can try to press it down with thumb pressure and peel it back and remove otherwise scrub with firm brushes like below from Harbor freight.

Oh, my... no. Not photosynthetic, lol.

From Ron Shimek's article linked below: "Foraminifera... are marine creatures found in a wide variety of habitats. They are not animals; they lack not only a number of animal characteristics, but also the photosynthetic capabilities of organisms such as plants or algae. So, biologists consider they are neither plants nor animals, and they are taxonomically placed in a separate kingdom, with a number of other groups of bizarre creatures. This kingdom is called the Protista. Even though they are not animals, some protists, such as forams and some other protozoans, act somewhat like animals."

Read more here:

https://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/index.htm

 

[CheckeredPants]

Did the LFS know anything about its origins? Has it grown or gotten lighter or darker?

 

[WheatToast]

Well its been like this for the whole 2 months that i have had it.

Various red algae turn neon-orange when they die, though there are naturally orange species of coralline algae that very rarely enter the aquarium trade and may be what you are describing here.
https://www.aquaculturenurseryfarms...-critters/fluorescent-orange-coralline-algae/

Looks like what is known as Foraminiferans which is a photosynthetic organism found on and grows on reef rock. They are made up of spheres and best removal (while some people keep them ) is to take rock out of the tank and place in container of water. You can try to press it down with thumb pressure and peel it back and remove otherwise scrub with firm brushes like below from Harbor freight.

Encrusting forams are also rare in the trade, but they appear more purple and knobby than what OP is describing. As they are harmless filter-feeders, I would personally not remove them (in fact, I have some slightly different forams growing in my tank right now).

I always thought that Foraminiferans are single cells organisms...

The forams we see in the hobby are colonial organisms (which I assume is the reason why they are relatively large) that grow a hard shell (fun fact: naturally occurring "pink sand" is colored by ground-up foram shells, though the pink grains in CaribSea Fiji Pink are artificial, to my knowledge). Being single-celled does not always mean that an organism is small. For instance, Caulerpa and Valonia (bubble algae) are single-celled organisms that grow relatively massive since they contain multiple nuclei.

 

[Canned55]

very cool!
I guess this is when it would be useful to have gone to school for marine biology.
Is this something I should not put into my tank though?

 

[WheatToast]

very cool!
I guess this is when it would be useful to have gone to school for marine biology.
Is this something I should not put into my tank though?

My assumption is to treat it like any other species of coralline. I have never heard reports of orange coralline becoming an issue.

 

[kevgib67]

^what he said. I came across this a couple of years ago and it caught my eye because I didn’t know it came in orange.

 

[Canned55]

So i tried scratching it with my nail and the best way i could describe it is like wet sidewalk chalk. Idk if that helps.