Dr Ron

[sammystingray]

You're getting to be kind of famous among the internet forums, and I would love to know how you plan to keep up with all the posts that want the best info? Anyway, I will help to add to the load!! I have a very bright neon pink thing on a rock. It's kind of mushroom shaped in the sense that the base is not as wide as the top. It has very fine hairs that seem to always collect debris and is very hard because I can't even move or bend it with moderate pressure. The base is about 1/8 of an inch, and it tapers to about a half inch. It has not grown or changed in the 9 months it's been there, but still retains the bright pink color. I'm not sure it's even alive, but it is very hard, so I will mention that I do dose kalk and strontium. Any ideas?

[rshimek]

Originally posted by sammystingray
You're getting to be kind of famous among the internet forums, and I would love to know how you plan to keep up with all the posts that want the best info?

We'll see if there is a problem. If it gets too much, maybe I will start charging $$ for answers. That ought to cut down on the interest in a hurry. :D

Anyway, I will help to add to the load!! I have a very bright neon pink thing on a rock..... so I will mention that I do dose kalk and strontium. Any ideas?

First, quit dosing strontium. About all that will do is to slow down the calcification of corals, and transfer money from your bank account to some one elses.

Second, the critter that you are wondering about is Homotrema rubrum. It is a foraminiferan, basically an amoeba inside a calcareous shell. Here is a bit of information about it...

Red Foram = Homotrema rubrum

This species is probably the only foraminiferan that is easily identified by hobbyists. They look like small red or pink crystals composed of spikes or branches. The maximum size is about 3 to 5 mm high and 2 to 3 mm in diameter. They are found growing off of rock, glass, or occasionally sediment particle surfaces. Often fine threadlike pseudopodia may be seen extending from the tips of the branches. They probably eat small particulate material suspended in the aquarium water.

Homotrema rubra are harmless. They are probably food for some grazers such as keyhole limpets or perhaps sea urchins; bottom nipping fish may also eat them. They may compete with small-polyped stony corals for particulate micro-food and dissolved calcium, but such competition is probably insignificant in a well-fed tank with sufficient dissolved calcium.