Strange Jelly-Like Growth on Acropora

Rickyrooz · Jul 20, 2019

I need help with an ID, my JKR Rainbow has a strange jelly-like growth in the middle of the coral. It started about 4 months ago and has slowly progressed. I have tried blowing it off with a turkey baster and it reminds me of blowing off brown jelly on Euphyllia corals. Within two days it grows back, any ideas?

Rickyrooz · Jul 20, 2019

bubbaque · Jul 20, 2019

Is it growing off the rock and covering your coral or actually out the coral?

Rickyrooz · Jul 20, 2019

bubbaque said:
Is it growing off the rock and covering your coral or actually out the coral?

It is on the actual coral itself. I think it may have started as a large food pellet being lodged in between two branches and bacteria began to consume it and the coral made a film around it but now it is kind of out of control. Worst case scenario, I will frag the coral. Kalkwasser burn the base and regrow it.

Graffiti Spot · Jul 20, 2019

That’s a first for me,your plan sounds good, if it’s not a sponge like growth then maybe it is bacterial. It looks very firm though have you touched it with your fingers? Maybe try cleaning it and supergluing the area where it starts

Rickyrooz · Jul 20, 2019

Pedoconfuego said:
That’s a first for me,your plan sounds good, if it’s not a sponge like growth then maybe it is bacterial. It looks very firm though have you touched it with your fingers? Maybe try cleaning it and supergluing the area where it starts

I have not touched it with my bare hands but I have used tongs and it reminds me of how when newly superglued frags bubble up when air is trapped once it touches water.

bobby.w.hodges · Jul 20, 2019

Looks like sponge to me.

IKD · Sep 20, 2022

Rickyrooz said:
I have not touched it with my bare hands but I have used tongs and it reminds me of how when newly superglued frags bubble up when air is trapped once it touches water.

This is an old thread but wondering if you ever figured out what this was. I have something similar on my Walt Disney Acro and looks bacterial to me. It can be brushed off with a soft brush and waiting to see if it grows back or heals up.

sculpin01 · Sep 21, 2022

If it regrows, take a sample and do a microscopic eval. If it is sponge or algae, it should show obvious cellularity. If it is bacterial, it will just look like mush.

If it does look bacterial, I would maximally remove the growth and then do a 30 minute dip (with aeration) in fish antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline [API Fin & Body]).

IKD · Sep 21, 2022

sculpin01 said:
If it regrows, take a sample and do a microscopic eval. If it is sponge or algae, it should show obvious cellularity. If it is bacterial, it will just look like mush.

If it does look bacterial, I would maximally remove the growth and then do a 30 minute dip (with aeration) in fish antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline [API Fin & Body]).

Thanks, will try to get a microscope analysis. Will be hard to treat as the coral is well encrusted on a large rock structure so it’s not removable for treatment.