Red Fish Egg Type Algae?

[Altohombre]

I don't know if this is visible or not but about 2 months ago I noticed one of my hermit shells had a reddish orange substance growing inside it. It proceeded to expand until it was breaking the shell apart. About a month later I noticed one of my rocks had the same stuff growing on it and it continued to grow. Does anyone know
what this might be?

 

[mnat]

Sponge?

 

[NikkiT]

Could also be red bubble algae.

 

[TanksNStuff]

That first pic does look like a sponge, but I doubt that would be strong enough to break a shell apart. Might be something else.

The pic is a bit blurry to say for certain.

 

[Classklown90]

Ive seen shells in freshwater break apart and essentially "melt" away from what i can only assume is low calcium levels. Maybe your cal is really low and causes the shell to break. The algae could be just a coincidence

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[Altohombre]

I only noticed this "sponge" a month after I received a clean up crew from Reef Cleaners. My fish all died of Ich and I have been going fallow for 90 days. I have kept up with water changes and have very little algae. At this point I am assuming it is some type of sponge that hitchhiked in and has grown. None of my other shells have broken apart. I'll try to take a better picture.

 

[Altohombre]

If it is indeed a sponge should I try to remove it or leave it in?

 

[ThatGuy]

If it is indeed a sponge should I try to remove it or leave it in?

Leave it. Sponges are good guys.