Bright pink spots on rocks

[danh]

I've noticed these dime size spots on my rocks for the last 6 or 8 months. They seem to move from place to place but you can't see them moving. I didn't really think much about it.

I was youtubing the other day and came across some random guy who was talking about his reef crash or something and he mentioned that these spots are coraline eating asterina. Does anyone have any experience with these spots? I definitely can't see any star fish or anything that is causing the pink spots. It just looks like bright coraline.

 

[bhodges82]

Pictures help

 

[danh]

It's really hard to get good pictures with my phone. They are bright but somewhat faint most of the times. There's nothing to see other than a small blotch of bright, fluorescent pink. You can't see the spots moving but one day they are there and the next they aren't or they've moved to another spot. I'll do my best to get some pics though...

 

[FutureInterest]

With just your description, it kind of sounds like harmless foraminifera or an equally harmless pink colored coraline algae fighting for turf.  Just a guess though.

 

[picoreefguy]

do they feel soft or hard like coraline? if theyre soft its probably a tunicate or sponge and likely is harmless and if its hard then its most likely coraline

 

[danh]

There is one spot of faint pink over the weekend. The smaller spots of really bright pink didn't show up over the weekend. There's nothing really there to feel. It's not raised or crusty. It seems as thin or thinner film than coraline.