Strange substance on Acropora

[clarencesimple]

Hi all,

I am part of a research team in Okinawa, Japan, researching on coral diseases. We came across this Acropora table and was wondering if anyone knows what the blue/green coating is on the left side of the picture (see attached)? My guess is the Acropora got affected by White Syndrome and the dead cells got colonised by cyanobacteria. May I know if someone has any other opinions? (Could be sponge or some other algae?)

 

[vashawn]

turkey blast it, looks like slime algae, could be from low flow are. i had this issue

 

[Geraud]

It does look like your theory is accurate: colonization by cyanobacteria after bleaching.


Is there anything still alive underneath the cyano? Usually they just grow on top of exposed skeleton (at least in my experience)

 

[Josh]

No, there is likely nothing alive underneath the green slime algae.