What's this?

Aaron Davis · Oct 1, 2017

Hey guys. Was doing maintenance on my sump an so noticed this think growing on a piece of live rock I got down there with the macro algae. It's small (about the size of a nail head), hard, red/pinkish, and has branches growing upwards. Never seen it before. Definitely new. Nothing new added to the tank recently except for another half bag of algae. Can someone ID this? The picture is the best I could get at the moment. Thanks

jsker · Oct 1, 2017

Apistasia

Aaron Davis · Oct 1, 2017

jsker said:
Apistasia

It's hard though? Like a coral skeleton

jsker · Oct 1, 2017

If you can, can you get another shot please, could be just a sponge

Aaron Davis · Oct 1, 2017

jsker said:
If you can, can you get another shot please, could be just a sponge

My phone was having a heck of a time focusing. But I will attempt again.

thanks!

DSC reef · Oct 1, 2017

Calcerous part of a vermetid worm.

Big G · Oct 1, 2017

Info from Reef Cleaners.org

Gelidium, Red Wiry Turf Algae

Many species of short creeping red algae exist so the hobby generally lumps all of them under the heading "Gelidium", (the genus that is home to many of those species), and the common name Red Turf Algae, or Red Wiry Algae.

Manual Removal - Difficult. Macros that have fragile runners and creep along the rock are the hardest to manually remove. Do the best you can. Use a dental pick to remove it if possible. Fragments of the algae can spread though, so make sure to net any pieces that break loose. Yeah I know, it is boring as can be, but if you do it once surgically with a dental pick the problem goes away for good. If you can take the rock out, all the better.

Clean Up Crew- Emerald Crabs, urchins, sea hares, and large turbos.

Tip - Don't pass on frags with this stuff to other hobbyists, don't put one in your tank. This algae has become extremely common on traded/aquacultured frags. So my advice is every time you add a coral or a rock look for it from now on. It is easier to keep out of the tank then deal with it once inside.