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Bullredchaser
02/09/2007, 08:01 AM
Anyone know what the condition is called when you see a bubble on a coral.In this case its on a purple Stylaphora and its like the bubble lifts the skin off the skeleton and is about a 1/2 inch diameter.It's on only one coral and has been this way for several months.Is there any known causes or cures?

slojmn
02/09/2007, 10:10 AM
There have been a few threads regarding blistering of acroporas. Check the search button for blistering adn you will probably find the threads. I can't recall exactly what the consensus was on the cause or long term affects form the blistering on the corals in question.

Rhodesholar
02/10/2007, 01:04 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9197306#post9197306 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bullredchaser
Anyone know what the condition is called when you see a bubble on a coral.In this case its on a purple Stylaphora and its like the bubble lifts the skin off the skeleton and is about a 1/2 inch diameter.It's on only one coral and has been this way for several months.Is there any known causes or cures?

I can only speak from my experience with Acropora, I am not sure if the same issue applies for Stylaphora.

I have pasted my correspondance with a member of WWM. I was not aware of RC at the time and they were/are always helpful. Perhaps it will be useful to you, or perhaps not.

His responses have - at the beginning and end of them.


Bubble" on My Acropora - 10/20/06
Hi.

Hello

I have a very quick question I hope you can help me with.

-I shall try-

I have an Acropora coral that has a bubble type appendage toward it's base where it appears it was snapped off from the mother colony. The bubble is not brown (dreaded jelly disease) and looks healthy with extended small polyps extending off the bubble. I have had the coral for at least 5-6 months now. The coral is growing well and other then the bubble in question is in perfect health with very good color and polyp extension mostly at night with a little during the day. I have no idea what this bubble is and I can't find anything on it. All my other Acros are doing great. If I am naive and this is the start of some kind of infection I want to get on it before it gets out of hand.

-I doubt this is an "infection," these usually act quite fast and you would heave noticed some deleterious effect by now. I suspect what you have is a "parasite"...despite how that sounds, in this instance these are usually symbiotic or at least commensal relationships and thus benign. Some crustaceans are known to take up residence on the skeleton/in the flesh of acropora corals. The most common that I have witnessed are small barnacle looking crustaceans and very small crabs...the latter is visibly active (feeding) from a small opening in the corals flesh, the latter is usually completely encased in a lump or goiter of the corals flesh. To my knowledge and in my experience, neither do permanent harm or prevent the coral from growing/flourishing

I don't think you need be concerned. Any "treatment" of the coral is likely to do more harm than good-

Thank you very much you are always a great help.
Regards,
John

-Happy to assist. Eric Russell-


FWIW