Is this Normal?

[New2Salt]

Ok, Our ricordea, or at least that's what I believe it is, is doing something out of it's mouth, I'm hoping it's not sick it seems to eat ok. I've tried looking up to find out what's it's doing but not able to find any information. Thanks!

 

[reefrunner69]

Looks like one of two things....to me
1) The animal is regulating it's zooxanthellae (photosynthetic algae)
2) The animal is uh....pooping

ISince the animal is fairly new, I would almost certainly think it's the 1st, but the color doesn't really seem right. Zooxanthellae is a tan/brown color where this stuff is clear. It could be slome, but that is not usually only associated with the mouth of the animal. Is there a lighting trick going on that is causing it to look white/clear, but it is really darker in color?

 

[New2Salt]

It's kind of milkish white color, it attached to a rock and broke off, there's just a little left in it's mouth now. Can you suggest a book that would give me some of these things I can expect so that I don't have to look stupid online.

I know I should know all about this stuff before buying, heck I didn't even know they could poop!

Thanks Kevin!

Having problem with our Leather Toadstool too, it hasn't come out for 2 days, no mucus coating I thought it might be doing that but hasn't surfaced in a while kind of bummed about that. Got the box thing for our CPR skimmer it has made a big difference taking all the gunk off the top of the surface plus we have another power head aimed at blowing all the stuff from the top of the water towards the skimmer, had a gross layer on top of the water yesterday and I'm hoping that is what is causing the leather not to appear.

Thanks again!

Kaurene

 

[reefrunner69]

Can you suggest a book that would give me some of these things I can expect so that I don't have to look stupid online.

If you go to the home page...on the right hand side....below the Statistics box, is a link to amazon.com,,, if you purchase your books through that link the site get's a little kick back. You can get your aquarium books at a good price from a reliable vendor and help support the site OK, enough with the self serving stuff Books I would recommend for you and your corals are....

Aquarium Corals by Eric H. Borneman
ISBN 1890087475
Buy this book today at Amazon.com

Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner
ISBN 1890087025
Buy this book today at Amazon.com

Other books can be found here.

Having problem with our Leather Toadstool too, it hasn't come out for 2 days, no mucus coating I thought it might be doing that but hasn't surfaced in a while kind of bummed about that.

Does it look shiny? It is most likely sheedding, they do this from time to time. Mine usually takes a day or two to complete it's shed. It closes, the waxy film is secreted by the coral, and then it starts to open up, this breaks the film apart and it begins to come off.

 

[New2Salt]

Thanks, have clicked on that several times but never actually purchased, I plan on doing that, it's the least I can do for all the times you and Aaron have helped us on here. We have a couple books we bought at our local Barnes and Noble but they were the only two books they had, they were Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook and The Tropical Maine fish Survival Manual, they've helped us a little but we want something more in depth, will definately pick up these two books that you recommended thank you.

As for the leather that's what I thought but it's closed up for a couple days before and then came back, but has never gone this long, it does look a bit on the waxy side and you can see it's trying to come through, I guess I just want it back to looking beautiful again, patience patience I know.

As for the mushroom it's doing doing what ever it ws doing, the mouth looks like it's suffered a stroke though, kind of slumped off to the side of the rock, weird coral but interesting too.

Thanks again, off to buy some books

 

[Anemoneman]

the mouth looks like it's suffered a stroke though, kind of slumped off to the side of the rock, weird coral but interesting too.

It sounds a little like it's spitting. Keep an eye on it, you may have two soon. Feeding heavy sometimes causes then to split.

 

[New2Salt]

Oooo that would be really cool! I'd love to have more than one of these, I'm hoping we aren't overfeeding our fish, I do flake and cubed mixed frozen brine that has other stuff mixed in it, mysis, Marine shrimp, marine clams, squid, zoo plankton, spinach, fish oil, mussel, green algae and some different vitamins, we want to make up our own but need to get a processor first, aww that's what I forgot today at Target! We got a real nice piece of Maiden's hair Saturday, it really sets the tank off it's so beautiful and fuzzy looking.

thanks for the help both of you, I've ordered both books and got free shipping can't beat that! Thanks!

 

[Anemoneman]

One thing I didn't mention, ricordea's split by pedal laceration but hairy shrooms split by division (like a one celled animal). That my be a way of ID'ing it.

 

[New2Salt]

Ok, so does ours look like a ricordea or hairy mushroom? Do I need to wait until it splits?