Red streaks and spots on dry rock

[feeeesh]

Hello friends, I have some dry rock that I received from my local fish store and I smash them up and glue them together and I had them sitting in a bucket of RO water for two weeks just to get all of the Dust and particles off them. Today when I went to go take them out and add them to my aquarium, I noticed that they had red streaks and red dots on it. Please see picture. Can someone tell me what this is and if I should not put it into my aquarium or what I should do? The rocks have been just sitting in a bucket at the store for months on end, definitely not live When I got them. I also have a 75 gallon FOWLR. I’m wondering if the solution is just to let it stay outside for two weeks or so to let everything just die off?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mistaken for cyano, it’s Foraminifera which is a vibrant slime. Ninja star snails sometimes consume it when wet.

 

[Tamberav]

That looks like fake painted rock. So I would say... something related to the fake rock or something that grows in freshwater since that is what it was sitting in... in which case.. it would die in salt.

I probably wouldn't worry about it.

 

[feeeesh]

Mistaken for cyano, it’s Foraminifera which is a vibrant slime. Ninja star snails sometimes consume it when wet.

Thank you Vetteguy53081. If it is foraminifera, what do i need to do to ensure it dies and does not spread when i add it to my aquarium. Should i wait a few weeks before adding it or is there something I can use to kill it? I try to scrub it off and it’s a little bit difficult with just elbow grease

 

[feeeesh]

That looks like fake painted rock. So I would say... something related to the fake rock or something that grows in freshwater since that is what it was sitting in... in which case.. it would die in salt.

I probably wouldn't worry about it.

Tamberav, thank you! You’re correct it is painted rock. If it will die in salt, will it just come off or will always have these marks?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you Vetteguy53081. If it is foraminifera, what do i need to do to ensure it dies and does not spread when i add it to my aquarium. Should i wait a few weeks before adding it or is there something I can use to kill it? I try to scrub it off and it’s a little bit difficult with just elbow grease

If it’s dry it likely won’t
If wet scrub it in tank water and hydrogen peroxide with a firm toothbrush

 

[Tamberav]

Tamberav, thank you! You’re correct it is painted rock. If it will die in salt, will it just come off or will always have these marks?

I just meant if it is a freshwater organism then it should die off. If it is something hard it may be part of the rock or an old calcified organism which might be able to be scrubbed or chipped off. However if it is hard, coralline should eventually cover it or even corals.