Do you know what this is?

[jenny989]

Hello!! I am new to this hobby about 6 months and feel I am failing miserably. I currently have a 46 (6 months young) and just finished cycling a 125. I just noticed this red stuff on some of the live rock on the 125. I have no idea what it is good or bad. Please help!

 

[thehammer1985]

This defiantly look like foraminiferins. If they live after the cycle you'll notice little white threads coming out of them. These are filter feeders and completely haess

 

[Tahoe61]

This defiantly look like foraminiferins. If they live after the cycle you'll notice little white threads coming out of them. These are filter feeders and completely haess

Yup, nice ID.

 

[Myka]

Foraminiferans is also called forams for short. Foraminiferans is one of my favorite reefing words - it's a big word like may-on-naise.

 

[thehammer1985]

Myka thank you I though I was the only one who thought this was a fun word. It makes me feel like I should be in one of those pharmaceutical commercials throwing a football through a tire swing.

 

[thehammer1985]

And thank you Tahoe

 

[jenny989]

Thank you so much! I just read an article in a reefing magazine about different bad algae and I got a little nervous.

 

[thehammer1985]

Ha don't worry about it. I love having these little things in my tank . Great biodiversity and defiantly welcome any filter feeders like this. Plus the nice purple base gives some texture. I've noticed when they grow they produce a wonderful pink base.

 

[Allen Douglas Earnest JR]

 

[Allen Douglas Earnest JR]

anyone know how to breed plate corals??

 

[thehammer1985]

Allen I would suggest starting a thread as to not hijack(not to be a jerk) . However plate corals can reproduce sexual with other plates in the tank (pretty rare). They can also produce clones of themselves through decalcification and these babies will live on the parent until they pop off. The plate may appear as if it's dying but it is just utilizing itself to make little clones of its self (anthocauli). Still the easiest and far more likely way of production is fragging. However be aware that plates a relatively slow growers and may take a while for it to return back to a circle.

 

[Allen Douglas Earnest JR]

thank you is there any truth too turning it upside down to increase the chance of babies?

 

[jenny989]

Ha don't worry about it. I love having these little things in my tank . Great biodiversity and defiantly welcome any filter feeders like this. Plus the nice purple base gives some texture. I've noticed when they grow they produce a wonderful pink base.

Thank you! I love the different color things that pop up as well but am still learning the good vs. The bad. I got excited when hair algae first popped up not realizing.....whoops and the battle continues haha

 

[thehammer1985]

Lol trust me I know the feeling I was right there where you're at 9 years ago thinkin bubble algea was cool... it was not cool

 

[thehammer1985]

And as far as turning the plate coral upside down. I have heard of people doing this in extreme situations where there play coral is dying. But doing it to a healthy coral just causes tissue recession and may produce clones but at what cost. You would essentially be killing the coral just to make clones. There's also been no study proving that this assists in cloning it.