What's growing on my Candy Cane?

[SueQ]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j212/suzq21/lps_sponge.jpg

I know this isn't the greatest pic... The growth is grey, looks kinda like a sponge and is on the back of one of the cc stalks, creeping over the top. Anyone know what it is and if it's good/bad?

[Justin74]

Your right, the pics not the greatest. But in combination with your desription, does sound like a sponge. Calaustrea from what Ive read are very susceptable to sponge growth between there branches. So as of now I think no harm, no foul. Just keep your eye on it, your candy cane should stay above it, but chance the sponge catches up and starts to overgrow it definately shave the stuff back. It can be pretty fleshy stuff but nothing a good pearing knife cant fix ;) All in all pretty normal, got some on mine too; just as you described. Cheers!


-Justin

[duec22]

Those don't looks like they are doing all that great. Since most of the skeletal structure is covered with cloraline, it would indicate very little growth, and my experience with these corals is very very fast growth. Do you ever feed the heads? If not you may want to try...and try putting it in an area with a little more flow and direct light, and you might be able to get the sponge to receed.

[SueQ]

Actually, they have some history:D I picked them up for free from a reefer in our local club who is moving. He in turn got them from a LFS that gave them to him several months ago for $5. He knew they weren't in good health, but wanted to take a stab at bringing them back. I'd would havedone the same thing b/c I'm that person who goes into the big chain box stores and buys the sickly clearenced plants and brings them back, or at least tries to:) They apparently looked a lot worse back then. Even in the month that they've been here I've seen the heads start popping out from the coral stalk more and more.
I've tried feeding the heads before, but don't know if I'm doing it right. How do you recommend duec22?

[DonavonsReef]

Chicken liver sponge, it's harmless & very hardy once acclimated.

[duec22]

As for feeding it may be a little tricky at first, because a lot of times when LPS go without direct feeding they tend not to put out any feeders. What I would do is get some frozen mysis and use a knife to shave it into small pieces and dissolve them in some tank water. Then get one of thoe dissposable pipets, a lot of fish stores carry these or at least I've seen them in mine and should only be a few cents...if not an eye dropper will do the same thing. Turn the pumps in the tank off, and place a few small pieces of the mysis directly onto the heads and see if you get a feeding response. Just to warn you though, they many not react the first couple of times, or they may even over inflate trying to get it off of them. I had an open brain that I stopped feeding for about a year, and when it started to decline it took me a couple weeks of trying this every couple days before it finally started to feed again...but now looks great.. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any more ?'s.

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8622168#post8622168 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DonavonsReef
Chicken liver sponge, it's harmless & very hardy once acclimated. im baffled, never heard of that before...:confused: