Will frags encrust over algae?

[Skep18]

I've got some frags in plugs in QT. The plugs came in with some light brown hair algae (just description, idk the specific algae) on them that seems to be growing, albeit slowly. The algae comes right up to the frag. Will this stop the encrusting process or will the frags just encrust right over the algae?

 

[cristata.reef]

The algae is more likely to encrust the coral IMO

 

[Sabellafella]

I've got some frags in plugs in QT. The plugs came in with some light brown hair algae (just description, idk the specific algae) on them that seems to be growing, albeit slowly. The algae comes right up to the frag. Will this stop the encrusting process or will the frags just encrust right over the algae?

Yes if the coral is healthy, you should eventually see them push out there filaments and devour the algae before the coral encrusts. That goes for coralline algae as well. I'll spend some time looking for photos, I'm sure I'll have a reference on my build thread

 

[cristata.reef]

Yes if the coral is healthy, you should eventually see them push out there filaments and devour the algae before the coral encrusts. That goes for coralline algae as well. I'll spend some time looking for photos, I'm sure I'll have a reference on my build thread

Are your referring to messenterials? Those are for digesting other corals not necessarily algae.

 

[mckinney0171]

Honestly I have never really seen it happen. When this happens the coral seems to grow around the algae but never really grows over it.

 

[29bonsaireef]

They will kill back coralline and grow over, but hair algae.. less likely. Really depends on overall health of that particular piece imo.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I have a garf bonsai encrusting now and it kills the algae and grows over it

 

[Sabellafella]

Are your referring to messenterials? Those are for digesting other corals not necessarily algae.

Yes, at night the acros I have that are still encrusting are doing this, here's some photos off my build thread. The filaments aren't out in this photos but at night is when I see this phenomenon

you can see the algae die off, the filaments will engulf the algae, eventually killing it off so the coral can encrust.

 

[Sabellafella]

calurpa and bryopsis seem the be the ones that fight back.

 

[Stratos295prelt]

Yes, at night the acros I have that are still encrusting are doing this, here's some photos off my build thread. The filaments aren't out in this photos but at night is when I see this phenomenon

you can see the algae die off, the filaments will engulf the algae, eventually killing it off so the coral can encrust.

I see this also, I see the coraline appear to die off just ahead of the new growth, very good pics

 

[hatfielj]

Yes, you can usually tell when a coral is about to have a growth spurt because you'll notice a white ring around where they are about to grow. It's chemical warfare in our tanks. This is one of things I find most fascinating about these corals. This is also one of the many things that makes corals so interesting to researchers as well because of the potential things we could learn from how they do what they do. Drugs for fighting cancer for instance, not hard to imagine that they are capable of producing chemicals capable of killing other cells, maybe even cancer cells.

 

[Skep18]

Wow, thanks for all the responses!

Yes, at night the acros I have that are still encrusting are doing this, here's some photos off my build thread. The filaments aren't out in this photos but at night is when I see this phenomenon

you can see the algae die off, the filaments will engulf the algae, eventually killing it off so the coral can encrust.

That's crazy!!! Definitely awesome photos! Learn something new every day.

Yes, you can usually tell when a coral is about to have a growth spurt because you'll notice a white ring around where they are about to grow. It's chemical warfare in our tanks. This is one of things I find most fascinating about these corals. This is also one of the many things that makes corals so interesting to researchers as well because of the potential things we could learn from how they do what they do. Drugs for fighting cancer for instance, not hard to imagine that they are capable of producing chemicals capable of killing other cells, maybe even cancer cells.

Yea, I guess I've never thought about it to that extent. Good call on the white ring too! Thanks

 

[cristata.reef]

I see. Never knew that acro messenterials were that strong. I would assume as long as the algae isn't diatomaceous or some sort of crazy invasive chlorophyte then the corals will win. You learn something new everyday

 

[Skep18]

Here's a photo of mine, the Green Slimer. You can see the left side, the cut must've been slanted or something, but algae is in that area where the frag hasn't encrusted.

Very new delivery so still adjusting in QT. I think I'll cut it off the plug anyways but it just got me wondering. Also thinking I'll fill that with glue or something so maybe it'll encrust.

 

[jd371]

I have a garf bonsai encrusting now and it kills the algae and grows over it

Yep, the same thing happen to me. I had a Garf Bonsia frag break away from the plug but it had already started to encrust the rock the frag was on. Algae started to grow were the frag broke away from the plug and pretty soon there was a tuft of GHA surrounded by the encrusting Garf Bonsia, eventually the GHA was smothered by the encrusting Bonsia.

 

[Scorpius]

Garf Bonsai Acropora will mow anything down in it's path. It's one of the meanest Acropora I've come across so far.