Identify: Red branching coral-like growth all over tank.

[mitchelljared]

In our 135 gallon tank, we have noticed maybe 20 or so bunches or growth seen in the pic below. Maybe coral, maybe not sponge? They are about 1-2mm in size, and seem to have a calcareous skeleton. They are in bright light, as well as under overhangs. Any ideas?
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=204&pictureid=2114
We have a medium devil's hand/strawberry coral in the tank, maybe related?

[fishytime]

Looks like some sort of sponge to me.

[marie]

It appears to be a foraminiferan

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/

[cchomistek]

Those look as though they may be foraminiferans. I have had those in my tank before. Wrasse eat them in the wild and they will eat them in your tank too.

[mitchelljared]

Homotrema rubrum. I found it on the link you gave me. Thanks. Looks exactly like it too. They are a good thing. Case closed.

[Delphinus]

Aren't foraminiferans tiny and hard and have sharp pointy bits? I'm with Doug, I'm thinking this is a red sponge, it looks more spongy and soft to me?

I've seen sponge grow in different colours in my tank - reds, blues, oranges, white, yellow. It seems like the yellow for some reason has more staying power though for some reason.

[simplycoral]

Looks like the start of "Callyspongia spp." to me. (Frilly Sponges) :smile:

Frills on the top look soft but are rather stiff.


5165


Simon.

[mitchelljared]

Well the points are indeed sharp and calcareous, so it's either the sponge above (Callyspongia spp", which would be cool because well...they look cool)...or the Homotrema rubrum (foraminiferan...which seems to be 90% likely what they are). Either way...good for the tank.

[simplycoral]

Its a common misconception that all sponges are soft & well spongy

An internal ‘skeleton’ is present in almost all sponges. There are two basic components - spicules and collagen fibers.

Spicules are elaborate crystals produced from compounds precipitated by scleroblast cells in the sponge tissue. Spicules are either calcereous (precipitated from calcium ions and carbonate ions) or siliceous (precipitated from silicate salts). The spicules serve at least two roles in the sponge: a kind of mesh-work internal skeleton, and, in some cases, as a protective device against predation.

The Callyspongia spp. in your tank has calcereous spicules..

Simon.