Brain Coral Host

[kerry]

Can anyone ID this fern looking bugger and tell me what to do about it? Leave it? prune it? pluck it? I don't like jostling any of my LR or coral, but if it must be done, it must be done. Thanks all -Kerry

 

[Dentoid]

Does it move or retract into the coral head or does it just hang there like a macro algae? I assume you are talking about the fernlike projection in the lower 1/3 of the photo? Has it gotten any bigger over time. Does the coral look like it's suffering from it? It could be a symbiont. I'd leave it alone until you are sure of its identity.

 

[kerry]

It does not retract back into the coral, and it is definately growing. It does not seem to be bothering the coral, although you can see a hole above it that formed recently. That is how this fern started and then the coral started to close up around it. Um, that is all I can think of.

 

[kerry]

HELP! Brain Coral Host

Come on girls and guys, I am very curious about this

 

[Raf]

We have a similar creature living in our brain coral for over a year now with 0 ill effects......I would not worry.

 

[kerry]

THANKS, I will leave it alone with updates of course.

 

[mps9506]

I would leave it. Most likely the brain coral will grow over it given time.

 

[kerry]

Well, it has been a month and has grown "a little". At this stage I may no longer see my brain coral! Pretty though. Sorry about the fuzzy pic.