Encrusting Gorgonian releasing _____ ?

For a few days, most of this encrusting gorgonian has looked shriveled up.
I suspected my fish were bumping into it, and thought nothing of it. Then today I see these spheres engangled in it, and the current blowing them around.




I know my fish all tasted them as they blew around the tank, and spit them out. So I was thinking it was excrement of some sort. But it's an odd color for
poo :-X.

Are these some kind of 'egg'?

I've seen video of corals releasing 'clouds' of sperm and eggs, but nothing this large.
(Is this my Mothers Day present? I'm a DAD!)

 

The eggs released by corals can sometimes be quite large as compared to the coral's polyp size if that is what surprises you. I believe you are witness to coral spawning in your tank. If you have any other corals then be sure to observe them carefully as spawning by one coral often induces the others to follow suit. Make sure that your filteration is capable of handling this sudden load. Your fishes will be very happy with the natural food. Coral spawinings in some pacific coral reefs are so intense that the locals collect this with sieve nets & eat it. They believe it to be an Aphrodisiac.

 

an aphrodisiac?

I wish you would have told me that yesterday!;D

Actually, from what I've been able to piece together my coral released Panula,
I didn't see thousands of male or female gametes cloud the water and overwhelm my filter. No, just these orange smaller than a pin-head sized spheres. I watched as fish after fish tasted them and then spit them out.
I saw where several landed, so I will track their progress.

 

sounds interesting keep us posted