What's goin on here

[Samper]

When I got this coral I was told it was a fungia....I now don't think so due to this strange behavior that you can see in the pic. It's always been slightly meatier than the others so I'm curious what it is and what's goin on with it. It's blown up like a balloon right now and the other fungias that you can see beside it look nothing like it. I've never seen it swell up like this before and wonder if this a cause for concern. I did have more evaporation than usual yesterday and I'm sure my salinity went up higher than it normally does....maybe this has something to do with it but nothing seemed bothered.

Just a note the Herpolitha to the right of it has just split a small quarter size piece off so I have a newborn!!!

[Poseidon]

Boy you got me Chuck... I'll bet Gene or George will have a better answer! Actually I think you are better at this then me now!!! You have so totally immersed yourself in the hobby! Way to go!

[Samper]

I appreciate the vote of confidence however there's nothing better than time and hands on experience both of which you have more of. I do still love the hobby though and everyone I've met through it. I usually get tired of things real quick but it'll never happen for me on this one....after all I am a Pisces

[zhenya]

Chuck, i think what you have is indeed a Fungia. The tissue swells in this species usually at night and tentacles extend much more than during the day( feeding response at night). It can also inflate and produce mucous to clear its tissue of debries and, this corals are quite mobile and swell up when they are trying to move. See if anything is too close to it and/or irritating it.

Congrats on your Herpolitha, very cool!

PS. According to Eric Borneman( in his book Aquarium Corals), Fungia is capable of migrating up to 30cm(12 inches) a day and can climb a 30 degrees slope... Not too bad for an animal without feet...

[Reefland]

Shoot I can't climb a slope that steep!

[zhenya]

Shoot I can't climb a slope that steep!

Neither can I on the day like today...

[Samper]

I've read the book and have definately noticed a small amount of swelling at night but nothing like is going on at the moment. There is another Fungia touching it...the orange morph but they've been touching for months. None of them have moved since I got them but then again it might be trying to now. If you look close in the pic there is a small amount of sediment on the coral in question. I took a baster and blew it off after the picture was taken but the bloating hasn't subsided. Should this guy move around do I need to be present to prevent any damage from it touching other corals or to prevent it from damaging anything? It's not as disastrous as an anemone moving around or anything is it?

[zhenya]

Chuck,

No, I don't think it will do the type of damage that "travelling" anemone can( they don't have the reach) and from what I've seen in your image the corals around it probably are not in any danger. At least I don;t think they are.

[Poseidon]

Your Welcome...

Looks like a traveling Fungia then... Boy what will they come up with next??? Amazing the stuff that lives in the ocean!

[kevinpo]

Hello Chuck,
The behavior is quite common if well fed and given a good habitat. There are probably more than 20 species of Fungia. They have a wide range of colors, textures, and shapes. The species that swells is less commonly seen in the hobby than the thinner plate types. Here is one I had a couple of years ago. They can get 8" plus. I would position it to prevent contact with other corals just to be safe.

Regards,
Kevin

[charlie]

Chuck,
No need to worry, mine swells and moves around just like yours. My slipper coral is the same way. It seems they will move until they find a spot they are happy with, then just settle down.HTH.

[Samper]

Update:

The fungia moved about 2" then deflated.