Can I get some help identifying?

Nirnex · 03/30/2010, 06:58 AM

This came along on my live rock, it looks vaguely familiar but I can't put a name to it. I know the pic is horribly yellow, sorry I haven't gotten my lights yet (hopefully later this week).

IMG_0813.jpg

Percula9 · 03/30/2010, 11:13 AM

Can't tell from the pic.

jrlim · 03/30/2010, 11:20 AM

Sponge?

Nirnex · 03/30/2010, 11:52 AM

I know it's really hard to tell... everything's yellowed out. It seems like a cluster of flattened tubes or cups, which are all a yellowish white to start with. I'm not certain if it's still alive or not, though it doesn't seem to be decaying like the other stuff that I know is dead on the rock.

joeychitwood · 03/30/2010, 12:18 PM

They could be remnants of a colony of tube worms. Are they soft and flexible or hard and brittle? Take a look at night with a red light to see if any critters are coming out of them.

Nirnex · 03/30/2010, 04:30 PM

They are definitely soft and flexible. Having gone in to look with a red flashlight on several nights we've never seen anything there. They do move in the current though and a couple have come off.

badwrasse · 03/30/2010, 05:33 PM

my guess is tube worms or fan worms

Nirnex · 03/30/2010, 07:56 PM

Now I guess my questions is if it is in fact tube or fan worms, are they anything I need to worry about?

thebkramer · 03/30/2010, 07:59 PM

it kinda looks like vermitid snails, which are harmless. they just eat from water.
if they are alive, they send out a string of mucous, collect their food and then suck it in and go to lunch
fan worms are filter feeders, but not sure if that what they are

joeychitwood · 03/31/2010, 09:17 AM

As jrlim mentioned, since they are soft, they could be sponges. Almost all of the filter feeders already mentioned are harmless, and in fact help clean the water column.

Nirnex · 03/31/2010, 12:49 PM

Thanks a ton all for taking a look and trying to help me figure this out... if I can ever figure out for sure what they are, or get a good pic I'll have to be sure to put it in here

.

03/30/2010, 06:58 AM	#1
Nirnex Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 20	Can I get some help identifying? This came along on my live rock, it looks vaguely familiar but I can't put a name to it. I know the pic is horribly yellow, sorry I haven't gotten my lights yet (hopefully later this week). IMG_0813.jpg

03/30/2010, 05:33 PM	#7
badwrasse Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: St. louis Posts: 1,203	my guess is tube worms or fan worms __________________ GOT CRABS? Current Tank Info: 90gal RR,rock wall in progress, MRC sump, reef octopus XP2000I skimmer, marineland pro lighting 2-150w MH 4-54w T5's, hydor wavemaker with 2 #4 controllable pumps, and QuietOne 4000HH return pump.

03/30/2010, 11:13 AM	#2
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	Can't tell from the pic.

03/30/2010, 11:20 AM	#3
jrlim Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 75	Sponge?

03/30/2010, 11:52 AM	#4
Nirnex Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 20	I know it's really hard to tell... everything's yellowed out. It seems like a cluster of flattened tubes or cups, which are all a yellowish white to start with. I'm not certain if it's still alive or not, though it doesn't seem to be decaying like the other stuff that I know is dead on the rock.

03/30/2010, 12:18 PM	#5
joeychitwood Schrödinger's Mod Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3,488	They could be remnants of a colony of tube worms. Are they soft and flexible or hard and brittle? Take a look at night with a red light to see if any critters are coming out of them.

03/30/2010, 04:30 PM	#6
Nirnex Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 20	They are definitely soft and flexible. Having gone in to look with a red flashlight on several nights we've never seen anything there. They do move in the current though and a couple have come off.

03/30/2010, 07:56 PM	#8
Nirnex Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 20	Now I guess my questions is if it is in fact tube or fan worms, are they anything I need to worry about?

03/30/2010, 07:59 PM	#9
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	it kinda looks like vermitid snails, which are harmless. they just eat from water. if they are alive, they send out a string of mucous, collect their food and then suck it in and go to lunch fan worms are filter feeders, but not sure if that what they are

03/31/2010, 09:17 AM	#10
joeychitwood Schrödinger's Mod Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3,488	As jrlim mentioned, since they are soft, they could be sponges. Almost all of the filter feeders already mentioned are harmless, and in fact help clean the water column.

03/31/2010, 12:49 PM	#11
Nirnex Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 20	Thanks a ton all for taking a look and trying to help me figure this out... if I can ever figure out for sure what they are, or get a good pic I'll have to be sure to put it in here .