Bubble-like Sacks on Stylophora sp.

[kiah]

Every now and then this otherwise healthy coral grows(?) bubble sacks that get larger and change from pink to translucent with black dots and then disappear. the coral grows well and has good polyp extension except around the sacks. None of the other sps in the healthy system exhibit any abnormalities.

Do you have any idea what it is? Eggs of some sort? Thank you for any help in sorting this out.

System: 270 gal reef tank with total water volume (sump plus misc frag tanks) 500 gal. System is mature and stable:
Temp 80 - 81F
pH 8.2 - 8.4
Ca 400 ppm
Alk 9.4 Dkh
Mg 1375 ppm
Salinity 1.025
Ammonia / nitrite / nitrate = 0

 

[Anthony Calfo]

hard to see/say... but not eggs at all. Some irregular forms of calcification get expressed in gelatinous sacs (see the Turbinaria pic in my edition 1 Book of Coral Porpagation).

Corals will also do this from irritation by other chemically aggressive corals in the tank too (it may lead to polyp bail out). Very common with corals stocked mere inches from each other (not good though)

 

[kiah]

Thank you for the help. I'll relocate the colony and see what happens.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

moving the coral will be an unecessary (and likely useless) stress. The tank water is toxic soup anywhere you place the coral. You likely need better carbon use, larger water changes and (ideally) ozone. Or... less corals One coral per ten gallons is more than enough for the short term at best.