What's going on with my Leptastrea?

[Just John]

This Leptastrea is healthy and growing, but this green has slowly been spreading across it. It started at the hard bump that slowly grew (in the photo) and spread over time. I had thought maybe it was a John Deere Leptastrea, but the bump thing makes me think that's not it. The green actually looks great, but what's going on after almost a year in the tank?

 

[Nano sapiens]

One of two likely options:

1. The coral had this GFP ('Green Fluorescent Protein'), but it was not being expressed previously due lack of intense enough lighting/and or correct spectrum, typically.

2. The coral picked up the GSP via a pigment transfer with another close by coral containing GSP.

 

[Just John]

One of two likely options:

1. The coral had this GFP ('Green Fluorescent Protein'), but it was not being expressed previously due lack of intense enough lighting/and or correct spectrum, typically.

2. The coral picked up the GSP via a pigment transfer with another close by coral containing GSP.

I just came from a good coral store I know and he said the exact same thing. But what about it originating from the mystery hard growth on there?

 

[Nano sapiens]

I just came from a good coral store I know and he said the exact same thing. But what about it originating from the mystery hard growth on there?

The hard growth may have just been the top-most area which first started expressing GFP. And the rest of the GSP started subsequently expressing itself shortly thereafter under the intensity of light that you are providing.

 

[Just John]

The hard growth may have just been the top-most area which first started expressing GFP. And the rest of the GSP started subsequently expressing itself shortly thereafter under the intensity of light that you are providing.

Thanks again! My wife just bought a discosoma for father's day, so I'm off to get in into in the tank.

 

[tbrown]

I'm thinking it's probably a Mayhem Leptastrea rather than a John Deere. It could also just be the standard Orange Leptastrea and the green is more pronounced in your tank. Something may have recently shifted in your tank parameters causing the green to be more pronounced. I know there are corals that "react" to potassium, iodine, etc. Did you recently change lighting or salt mixes? Start dosing a different brand of trace minerals?

 

[Just John]

I'm thinking it's probably a Mayhem Leptastrea rather than a John Deere. It could also just be the standard Orange Leptastrea and the green is more pronounced in your tank. Something may have recently shifted in your tank parameters causing the green to be more pronounced. I know there are corals that "react" to potassium, iodine, etc. Did you recently change lighting or salt mixes? Start dosing a different brand of trace minerals?

I was not supposed to be either. Got it at aquasd and it was pink then. But, the lighting did change a month or two ago when I put it in another tank. By the way, how much did you end up buying this weekend?

 

[tbrown]

I was not supposed to be either. Got it at aquasd and it was pink then. But, the lighting did change a month or two ago when I put it in another tank. By the way, how much did you end up buying this weekend?

Nothing. I just hang out for fun right now. My current tank is full right now and my new tank isn't going to be ready for corals probably for another two months. I'm thinking I'll wait until around September to cool down a little too. We're breaking 100 every day (and most nights!) right now and it's only getting warmer.

 

[tbrown]

I was not supposed to be either. Got it at aquasd and it was pink then. But, the lighting did change a month or two ago when I put it in another tank. By the way, how much did you end up buying this weekend?

I'm thinking it's probably the lighting changes. The hard bump is just where a polyp didn't grow would be my guess so that's the skin coloration. Lighting intensity/color spectrum can cause corals to change as well due to an increase/decrease in zooxanthellae. Most of us buy stuff from vendors and then get disappointed when the colors shift a couple of months later as they adjust to our tanks.