Is this a pest??

Shannon Harlan · May 16, 2016

This came up on one if my live rocks and can see little neon green ones starting to come up on that rock so I assume they are sane but at this point others are too small to see if same. Can't tell if is aiptasia or other pest coral.

Shannon Harlan · May 16, 2016

Here's another pic just south of zoas

Naiad · May 16, 2016

Looks like a head of that coral made a comeback

brandon429 · May 16, 2016

that's a pretty big deal right there. right next to it some flesh still lives in another cup to the right, might come back there too. I cannot tell from one polyp, but the stony lps coral 'siderastrea radians' is a common hitchhiker when choice quality live rock is used, from the ocean, and their empty skeletons are often found coated in coralline and fused to the side of the rock since ancient days when it was alive.

that appears to be a survivor. Its value ranges, if you were my neighbor and brought that over, id pay you $30 to let me dremel it out of the rock facing and keep it as a frag. it has value to me for its rarity. I think that is a naturally-survived SR coral/ they are never sold as frags in pet shops, although with the way online trading works now and quick shipping I wouldn't be surprised if it can be had as frags now.

But that specimen-it's from nature, it's an old clone so old we cannot fathom its lineage it's a big deal piece.

killingseed2000 · May 16, 2016

looks like a mushroom or like he said the lps on it is having a comeback. either way, it looks safe.

brandon429 · May 16, 2016

if its a siderastrea, that's a clone from a colony hundreds and hundreds of years established that's pretty sick.

jsker · May 16, 2016

Welcome to posting at R2R, it look like a acon coming back to life but this is a job for the the [HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG]

saltyfilmfolks · May 16, 2016

brandon429 said:
that's a pretty big deal right there. right next to it some flesh still lives in another cup to the right, might come back there too. I cannot tell from one polyp, but the stony lps coral 'siderastrea radians' is a common hitchhiker when choice quality live rock is used, from the ocean, and their empty skeletons are often found coated in coralline and fused to the side of the rock since ancient days when it was alive.

that appears to be a survivor. Its value ranges, if you were my neighbor and brought that over, id pay you $30 to let me dremel it out of the rock facing and keep it as a frag. it has value to me for its rarity. I think that is a naturally-survived SR coral/

Yup aptasia. You should probably send it to me ASAP before it nukes the tank.
Keep the zoas.

brandon429 · May 16, 2016

its bad! chip it out and mail it to me so I can analyze it in my tank. to see how bad it gets.

saltyfilmfolks · May 16, 2016

brandon429 said:
its bad! chip it out and mail it to me so I can analyze it in my tank. to see how bad it gets.

Lol

Yes an ancient coral. type. weird I dont ever see them for sale.
Could be this too, A slight morph cousin.
http://www.qualitymarine.com/Products/Invertebrates/Wild/Corals,-LPS/Montastrea-sp./Montastrea
Both species are likely billions of years old. Taking its shape from the first reef builders the "Stromatolite", actually a cyanobacteria.

Naiad · May 16, 2016

brandon429 said:
its bad! chip it out and mail it to me so I can analyze it in my tank. to see how bad it gets.

Hey I saw it first lol

Salty1962 · May 16, 2016

Looks like the "dead" coral on your rock had enough flesh to start growing. That's why I never second guess mother nature.

brandon429 · May 16, 2016

Killing seed may have called it too lol

What if a little rock anem anchored right in the cup and it's striping happens to match the septa in the old skeleton, either way this is no bad hitchhiker. Heck I'd still pay thirty if I could own it just to see what it is

DeniseAndy · May 16, 2016

I was guessing rock nem, but could be a coral of some sort. Cool any way you look at it! I had a coral hitchhiker on live rock once. Unfortunately in all my moving of rock and such I lost it over the years. I believe mine was called Siderastrea siderea startlet coral.

Shannon Harlan · May 16, 2016

Wow thanks I will let it be and see what happens, you can see a,few more poping up so maybe I can get to flurush and share! Hers another angle can see small ones peeking out, sorry it's bow tank so hard get pics

Shannon Harlan · May 16, 2016

Should I try and move zoas to give it room or leave be?

brandon429 · May 16, 2016

Anywhere it gets flow and light and isn't being pressed into the sand w work

Direct target feeding sustained three mos w bring it out and make positive ID

Salty1962 · May 17, 2016

brandon429 said:
Killing seed may have called it too lol

What if a little rock anem anchored right in the cup and it's striping happens to match the septa in the old skeleton, either way this is no bad hitchhiker. Heck I'd still pay thirty if I could own it just to see what it is

Yes, Welcome to R2R!
I see the tentacles now, Duh Huh

Surrounding rock looks different as well?

Wiz · May 17, 2016

If it grew there i would leave it be.

Shannon Harlan said:
Should I try and move zoas to give it room or leave be?

Shannon Harlan · Mar 1, 2017

Here it is,almost a year later it's growing better I'm my new tank. There's like 5-6 of them pretty tiny as you can see from frag I'm background but very pretty