A Strange Q About Mushroom Coral

[mattrock]

ello all

iv got a hard mushroom coral this may seem strange but iv got 3 green chromis fish and there swimming about it and rubbing them selfs up it this is the coral below

Do these coral give off sum sort of sent 2 arouse the fish its not like there itching them selfs because there rubbing there backs and bums? if that makes sence

the other Q i have is im getting parts of my live sand going a redish colour.. what could this be?? im turning the sand over everyday is that normal??

cheers matt

 

[chrissaysyes]

Ok so I've never heard of a hard mushroom coral. What that picture looks like is a sarcophyton with it's polyps retracted. Chromis could be attempting to host the sarcophyton. The only other reason that I personally have heard of fish rubbing on anything is because of parasitic infection or in an attempt to remove dead cells. As far as the coloration on your sand, sounds like algae. Flipping it will cover it up but you could possibly have an algae outbreak on the way. It could also be diatoms if your tank is fairly new.

 

[mattrock]

ello m8

yer i hurd of the itchy thing before, that coral in the pic is always like that no polups etc . ill keep an eye on it cheers..whats the best way 2 treet the algae?? 1 of my rocks has got some green algae on it which iv gota clean off could it have come from there?



cheers matt

 

[mattrock]

ello again

iv jus come home from work and in the space of 8-10hrs there is a lot of this red stuff on the sand and on 1 corner of the fish tank how do i get rid of this stuff

what ever it is is spreding fast!! the tank isent new its been goin 9-10months so its not really a new tank


cheers matt

 

[SkiFletch]

Cyanobacteria. Have you changed anything with your feeding regimen and/or livestock, and/or input water source lately?

 

[mattrock]

ello m8


the only new thing is the tom clownfish nothing eles all food etc the same, my salt level was a little low so i uped that is it that??


so how do i treet this Cyanobacteria problem??

cheers matt

 

[Musho3210]

well researching is a start

 

[Lynden]

In my opinion, the best, and only, way to defeat cyanobacteria is to have a good population of competing organisms such as macroalgaes and corals, and to have near pristine water conditions. Corals, especially the genus you happen to be showing us (Sarcophyton), release huge amounts of chemicals that have one purpose; to kill anything that considers settling upon or competing with the coral itself.

Unfortunately, cyanobacteria is a resilient nemesis, and can thrive even in the most well maintained tanks. There also isn't a huge amount of literature available of successful combat methods, and according to some sources there is sufficient airborne spores to ensure that every tank will have a taste of it someday. Something doesn't survive nearly 2500 million years by being delicate.

Try siphoning the cyanobacteria out, as well. Critters that turn the sand, such as hermit crabs and certain fish/snails, can be helpful, but no creature I am aware of eats cyanobacteria on a regulaar basis.

I am sad to say that you have a long road ahead, but so did I once, and I have largely conquered it.

 

[shibby]

i conquered it in tank at work, by siphoning it of as much as possible and upping the clean up crew of hermits and snails.

 

[mattrock]

ello all

ok cool i will try that iv got some snails and hurmet crabs and will get some more

iv done a water change & halfed the food and light in take as well in case it was that, some 1 said i might be giving to much food and its lying on the tank bottom and rotting down and could b that starting it off

the other thing is its only at the front of the tank not anywere eles

cheers matt