Goniopora growth

melypr1985 · Jul 27, 2015

My goniopora had a weird growth on it. Its news to me as i only just noticed it yesterday. Its normally open and beautiful, though it does have its tempermental moments. I touched the growth and it feels kinda spongy but firm. There also seems to be a clam looking thing attached to the growth! This is weird. Any ideas what this thing is? Thanks.

melypr1985 · Jul 27, 2015

If you need better pictures I can pull out the real camera. It's firmly attached there. I tried to move it thinking it was just a snail or something touching it at the bottom, but it wasn't. when I moved it, the whole coral turned with it.

melypr1985 · Jul 27, 2015

nobody has any ideas?

Z06-Hec · Jul 28, 2015

Never seen it, but IMO if its hard then it wouldn't be something bad... I could be wrong
Soft fleshy or jelly substance are problems...
I dont see the clam looking part though...

Z06-Hec · Jul 28, 2015

I love Goni, I had some in the past but my Powder blue destroyed them...
Picking one up soon, going to trade some Nepthea and a Plate for one with a friend..

melypr1985 · Jul 28, 2015

Its not hard per se. it's firm but spongy. The goni hasn't opened since I noticed it, but then again I would think it had been there longer than two days- well now three

The clam looking part is on the end of the spongy growth. It's darker and looks like the kind of clam you eat completely closed up.

Z06-Hec · Jul 28, 2015

If you a really worried about it, i would dip it. Coral RX or maybe some Peroxide. Ive done both with good results.
If that is a clam though i would not want to remove it, just me. Worst case i would cut that piece off and save it, then dip the Goni.
@Tab28 is really good with Goni, she can chime in.

WetWhistle · Jul 28, 2015

If it is not opening I would try and take it off. If it has what looks like a clam on it that spongy portion it could be some kind of attachment point for the clam or a sponge with a clam attached to it. Hard to tell from the pic. But if the goni is not opening it is probably irritating it so I would remove it.

melypr1985 · Jul 28, 2015

My only worry with dipping it is the worm that lives on it. I understand that they have a symbiotic relationship and have heard that if the worm dies so does the goni. Wouldn't dipping it kill the worm too? I'll try to break it off and see what happens.

Z06-Hec · Jul 28, 2015

you may be right, I have never heard that though...
In fact with me, when i did see a worm on mine i noticed it did not come out as much. After I dipped mine after a few days it came back strong and i had it for over a year before my Powder blue killed it.
Again though, I have never heard that. I tagged Tab28 so she'll see this and post when she is on.

melypr1985 · Jul 28, 2015

Thanks for that. It's just something I was told by several people at different LFS around town. It has never bothered my Goni before. I hope Tab28 has some insight for me before I start messing with it.

WetWhistle · Jul 28, 2015

From what is in the picture in this case I don't think dipping will help. If you cut it off and that doesn't fix the issue then look at other options. I found goni didn't like to be dipped and mine died shortly after.

melypr1985 · Jul 28, 2015

Well i cut it off. The top picture is the clam... thats right clam that was stuck to the growth. The the second pic is the growth i cut off. It really just peeled off thankfully. I know the pic of the growth doesnt really reveal much. Sorry. Wish me luck.

WetWhistle · Jul 28, 2015

At least you got a clam out of it.

melypr1985 · Jul 28, 2015

very true. it's the size of a dime and closed, but still kinda cool.

Z06-Hec · Jul 28, 2015

melypr1985 · Jul 29, 2015

Its not fully open yet, but showing improvement since I removed the weird growth and clam. The clam was claimed by my jawfish and is now "guarding" one entrance to his maze of tunnels.

Paulday · Jul 29, 2015

Z06-Hec said:
I love Goni, I had some in the past but my Powder blue destroyed them...
Picking one up soon, going to trade some Nepthea and a Plate for one with a friend..

Your powder blue tang destroyed them. Is this something that fish does

Z06-Hec · Jul 29, 2015

Paulday said:
Your powder blue tang destroyed them. Is this something that fish does

from everything i have read they are "reef safe"... but when i put the camera on and watched him he was picking at my clams, goniopora and other things in the tank.
I lost 4 clams from 5+ to 7 inches. Lost one green goni the size of a hand ball closed and a large red encrusted goni all over a rock about 8 inches.