Coralline Algea Growing on Corals

[Corvus]

Guys,

I know coralline algae is considered a healthy sign when it comes to a reef environment. My 10-month-old tank has plenty of coralline algae in it, but perhaps a bit TOO much....

I have an acropora coral and a montipora capricornus coral that are both covered with coralline algae. About 90% of the acro and about 80% of the monti are covered with the otherwise desirable purple stuff.

So...are my corals dead and the coralline stuff taking over?

C.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Yes, Coralline Algae will not grow on live corals.

 

[goma]

I have coralline growing on dead parts of some of my acros as well.

 

[Corvus]

Well, that answers my question. Thanks, guys. I will cut out the dead corals (although earlier this evening I thought I saw a few hair-like feeder tentacles sticking up on the acro) and buy some new ones. Now that I have a good lighting system (Razor 27") I'm sure I can get a new acro and perhaps a new montipora off to a much better start.

Should I indeed cut out the acro, or should I remove it, drop it into another part of the tank, and see if part of it "sprouts" again?

The monti was doing so well for many months, but perhaps the lack of light from my old light doomed it. It used to have white edges (growth, right?) all around it, but those days have been over for quite a while.

Thanks, guys!

C.

 

[Mike Johnson]

I'd cut the dead parts off and leave the rest in there; you might get lucky and it'll start growing again. Each polyp is a separate animal and can start a colony.

 

[Corvus]

I'd cut the dead parts off and leave the rest in there; you might get lucky and it'll start growing again. Each polyp is a separate animal and can start a colony.

OK, Mike. There are tiny parts of the coral that are still green, so.... I might remove the coral from the tank and trim it a bunch and try putting a green piece back in the tank (it's a Marshall Island Yellow Fuzzy Acro, btw).

I think it'd be too tough to try to cut the monti capricornis, though....

C.