# What's on my Octospawn??



## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

Hello everyone.

I've noticed some sort of organism growing on the Skelton of my Octospawn frag.

Purchased 1 week ago. Coral was dipped before adding. Doesn't seem to affect the coral at all. Opens fully and seems healthy otherwise. 
The organism/disease looks circular, Brown black in color with orange hairs.

Anyone see this stuff before?
Thank you for your help.









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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Your coral has a sponge (orange) and tuberous worm(long thin tube thing) and what may be tunicates. It’s hard to say. Tunicates can grow in less light, so the shaded part of a coral stem would be one place to find them.
It’s hard to be certain without a close up inspection. Tunicates can appear to have hairs, so the colour and description sort of fit. Is this perfectly flat or does it have some thickness?
If it appears to be about 1-2mm thick and looks almost like beads, then for sure tunicates.
Which are fine.
But there are so many other things it could be as well! Monitor. If no harm is being done, I would not worry.


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## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks for the insight. The information seems on point and exact. That's why I love this forum!

I figured the top and bottom critters were a tube worm and an orange sponge but that black mass in the middle had me stumped. I examined it a bit more and It's definitely a couple of mills thick. tunicates no doubt, I can make out the individual tubes. 

Everything seems good with the coral itself. Opens fully and growing even. But I will be sure to keep an eye on it. 

Thanks again. 


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Tunicates are good. Let them grow! They won’t hurt the coral. You may find some fish eat them. You are lucky yours have orange. Mine are just purple and black. And not the exciting kind of purple, just the boring grey kind of purple.
If they ever spread out onto another rock, think of me............hint hint hint.


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## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

An update on my Octospawn. Over the past 3weeks or so I've notice it get smaller and smaller and the tunicate get bigger and bigger. All other corals in the aquarium are doing great including 2x torch corals, Rbta, blastos, Monti, mushrooms, and zoas.

I've included a picture of my Octospawn at full open. The tunicates in the pic have grown to 5 times the size over the last 3 months. But the coral itself didnt show any signs of shrinkage till about 3 weeks ago.

I'm not sure if the tunicate growth is causing my Octospawn to not open fully or Something else.

Funny thing is I kind of like the tunicates in a weird way, some nice color on them.

The aquarium is a 10 gal all in one. 
ALL perimeters are in check.

If Anyone has any ideas, please let me know.










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