Branching Red Plates?

[EnemyAnenome]

Unfortunately they don't respond to pokes so I'm thinking maybe it isn't a coral.

Was it actually attached to the rock or would it blow off with a baster or pipette? Looks tiny, any bigger pieces?

Yes it's attached, if I try blowing it off it'll stay on the rock, it's only when I try it manually remove them it comes off.

 

[EnemyAnenome]

Unfortunately they don't respond to pokes so I'm thinking maybe it isn't a coral.

Was it actually attached to the rock or would it blow off with a baster or pipette? Looks tiny, any bigger pieces?

I used to keep red gracilaria in my old tank so that might be the case. I think we'll just have to wait until it matures a bit more to ID this thing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here are some white light pics

These look to me to be a substance known as foraminiferans. I find them to be pretty and generally appear with live rock

 

[Reefering1]

I used to keep red gracilaria in my old tank so that might be the case. I think we'll just have to wait until it matures a bit more to ID this thing.

A microscope image would help...

 

[EnemyAnenome]

A microscope would help...

I don't have one at the moment sorry about that

 

[Reefering1]

I don't have one at the moment sorry about that

Do you have herbivores in the tank? Does anything eat it? I don't see bite marks or cuts..

 

[EnemyAnenome]

I don't have one at the moment sorry about that

Do you have herbivores in the tank? Does anything eat it? I don't see bite marks or cuts..

Nah most of my fish eat mysis shrimp and my inverts are only snales and a tiger conch

 

[SudzFD]

Hello! So I have these branching red "mushroom" shaped plates that are growing on my rock. I don't think it's Corralline since it should be flat on the surface. I was wondering if anyone could ID what's this is?

It’s a blue square. Sorry need a way better photo. Turn your white lights on.

 

[Reefering1]

No crabs? What all is in this tank, can we get a full tank picture.

Sorry for the million question, trying to offer something helpful..

 

[BonnieB]

Here are some white light pics

These look to me to be a substance known as foraminiferans. I find them to be pretty and generally appear with live rock

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas
Would appreciate your thoughts on this...

The red shrooms can be broken off the rock with ease. The texture seems to be squishy when held and it doesn't blow away instantly. It seems to hold together quite well.

Definitely a red macroalgae of some kind (as a side note, these are not cyanobacteria or foraminiferans: foraminiferans develop tough skeletons/shells - called tests - and feel stony as a result; foraminiferans/forams are also harmless filter-feeders).

My first thought would be a Peysonnelia sp., at least some of which reportedly feel leathery (so, solid yet squishy), but algae ID is tough and I'm pretty rusty on it.

 

[Reefering1]

Definitely a red macroalgae of some kind (as a side note, these are not cyanobacteria or foraminiferans: foraminiferans develop tough skeletons/shells - called tests - and feel stony as a result; foraminiferans/forams are also harmless filter-feeders).

My first thought would be a Peysonnelia sp., at least some of which reportedly feel leathery (so, solid yet squishy), but algae ID is tough and I'm pretty rusty on it.