Weeds or Brown Strings Growing Out of Button Polyps

[GilroyC]

Morning All,

I have recently added Button Polyps, Purple Mushroom & GSP to my tank. While all the corals seems to be doing great, I have one segment of Button Polys which are partially open and it seems like there is a lot of fungus and brown strings growing out of it.

I try to remove the same with a pair of tweezers, only for it to grow back the next morning. I am thinking of moving this rock out of my tank and keeping it in a glass tumbler. While trying to break the rock using a chisel and hammer to ensure only the good growing polyps remain to be placed back into the tank.

Also, are these dangerous to handle with bare hands, as so far have never used gloves or anything to handle these corals.

Please advise.

[Spartan]

Send pics to try to identify w/o them is futile.
Sounds like a type of algae. If extruding from the mouth of the polyp though then its either expelling some zooxanthallae or ingested material.

[NanoReefWanabe]

Agreed without pics it is very difficult. .. Google dino's in reference to saltwater tanks and check out the pics perhaps it is them. . Perhaps the coal is pooping or expelling its symbiotic algae. ..

[GilroyC]

Thanks for your response....Guess it was some kind of algae which has now subsided. All of my corals so far are doing well, with most opening fully and can find some new polyps pop up once a week.

Yes, my tank has quiet a lot of algae, however, there is so much of rockwork, that getting to have the rocks and glass cleaned would mean having to move everything out of place...Tried doing that once, and it took my corals 2 days to open....

Also, how long does it take for GSP to grow. I currently have some frags placed on a separate rock and another at the back of the tank, hoping that it grows over the rock and back of the tank wall.

Will add some picks of the corals so as to get some advise on things I might be missing.

[farfromsea]

I would consider rearranging the scape if cleaning it is literally impossible. In my experience time (if a new tank) and better husbandry practices (I'm lazy) as well as a decent light that isn't majority white lights (made a bad purchase) helps reduce algae.

Water changes, nutrient export, and some decent algae eaters in your clean up crew will help!

Can't speak to the GSP. Just got some as well

[dallen2233]

next time it happens, just use a turkey baster to remove it.