Can anyone tell me what these little blue guys are?

REEF_MAKER_JR · 12/24/2007, 12:12 AM

I have posted four pictures in my photo gallery. I know the image quality isn't the best, but a new digital camera is on my list for 2008.
I have a 55 gallon reef tank which I started in late October 2007. All of the rock is live rock from Bali.
Within a few weeks, I noticed one of these guys that seemed to grow right out of the rock. I described it to the folks at my aquarium place. (Here is a plug for THE AQUARIUM in CULVER CITY CA. These guys are the best!) They do not know what it is. And now, as you see, I have several of these coming out of the rock.

They are beautiful. They are blue, shading from bright - almost neon, to pale blue. They are opaque, that is you can see through their bodies. They have a definite shape - at first I thought they were seahorse larve or hatchlings of some sort, because they have a discernable head, body and tail. They have large white spots where one would perceive the head to be.
What are these? I now count about 8 of them, in three different pieces of rock.

If one of you experts can solve this for me, I would be very grateful.

funman1 · 12/24/2007, 01:21 AM

Domboski · 12/24/2007, 01:27 AM

It is really hard to see but my guess would be tunicates

mbbuna · 12/24/2007, 01:32 AM

To Reef Central

definitely not seahorse larva

cant really get any detail from the photos but i would guess a tunicate or sea squirt

adtravels · 12/24/2007, 04:32 AM

or sponges.

Runfrumu · 12/24/2007, 06:38 AM

possibly smurfs. I had an infestation once in my tank.

Equalizer · 12/24/2007, 06:53 AM

Flat worms?? Very hard to tell by the picture. Do they move around?

erendon · 12/24/2007, 07:51 AM

tunicates.

REEF_MAKER_JR · 12/25/2007, 07:46 PM

Smurfs- thats good.

Whisperer · 12/25/2007, 07:53 PM

Are they in a dark/shaded location? Looks like there is a rock of zoanthids overhanging the organisms in question. Might they be some zoanthids that have been under shade for a long time and are now just starting to come to life again? I am guessing they are zoanthids, orange center with green skirt

Psychojam · 12/25/2007, 08:06 PM

I would guess tunicates.

supervdl · 12/25/2007, 08:21 PM

Should be tunicates and if I remember right they are harmless and a sign of good water conditions.

Frick-n-Frags · 12/26/2007, 06:08 AM

if you see siphons in pairs, that's the clue to a tunicate.

a single solid cylinder devoid of siphons is not a tunicate. There is a type of zoo called isocarus or isocrisis heh or something like that that are really tall and don't really open so there could be weird zoos.
no telling here from that photo either

a macro photo would be seriously awesome. I hope this is something no one has ever seen before

I'm in the mood to see something I have never seen before.

Frick-n-Frags · 12/26/2007, 06:20 AM

do they stay put where they are attached?
do they get bigger and smaller or just constantly bigger?
are there any openings like vents or water tubes (thinking long stretch to something along the lines of a scypha sponge if so)?
do they respond to the light cycle?
do they seem like eggs with something inside of them?
any of your neighbors an ace with a camera?

Sk8r · 12/26/2007, 09:12 AM

I have that.
It ultimately grows like one of those diagrams of a venous system across your rock, is not a problem, and makes a kind of interesting texture---never interferes with lps or sps.
It might have been Boomer who said it might be a bryozoan.

It is spongelike, but never fattens, is always threads, and starts exactly like that. Seems to be a filter feeder. Feed lots of DTs or Phytofeast and you are likely to see it grow.
It is blue, a rare color in our tanks, and makes an interesting contrast against purple coralline.

I was shooting a couple of my larger worms, but you can see it just barely and a little out of focus up on the rocks, the thready stuff. So you can say for yourself whether you like the texture. I think it gives kind of a 'natural' look.

12/24/2007, 12:12 AM	#1
REEF_MAKER_JR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Culver City. CA Posts: 3	Can anyone tell me what these little blue guys are? I have posted four pictures in my photo gallery. I know the image quality isn't the best, but a new digital camera is on my list for 2008. I have a 55 gallon reef tank which I started in late October 2007. All of the rock is live rock from Bali. Within a few weeks, I noticed one of these guys that seemed to grow right out of the rock. I described it to the folks at my aquarium place. (Here is a plug for THE AQUARIUM in CULVER CITY CA. These guys are the best!) They do not know what it is. And now, as you see, I have several of these coming out of the rock. They are beautiful. They are blue, shading from bright - almost neon, to pale blue. They are opaque, that is you can see through their bodies. They have a definite shape - at first I thought they were seahorse larve or hatchlings of some sort, because they have a discernable head, body and tail. They have large white spots where one would perceive the head to be. What are these? I now count about 8 of them, in three different pieces of rock. If one of you experts can solve this for me, I would be very grateful.

12/24/2007, 01:21 AM	#2
funman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 4,898	__________________ Professional Pyro: NO REALLY; I get PAID to blow stuff up!! ~Steve~ Current Tank Info: 12G NANO

12/24/2007, 04:32 AM	#5
adtravels you cant buy blue fingers Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,542	or sponges. __________________ False facts are highly injurious to the progress of science, for they often endure long; but false views supported by some evidence, do little harm, for every one takes a salutary pleasure in proving their falseness. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon 36x24x24 reef

12/24/2007, 06:38 AM	#6
Runfrumu Hi Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NC Posts: 1,014	possibly smurfs. I had an infestation once in my tank. __________________ Red Sea Max 130d and 125 gallon mixed reef. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon oceanic tank, Lighthouse Pro XLS, 72" outer orbit fixture, H&S 150-F2000/1 skimmer, H&S 110 Calcium Reactor, Tunze 7096, 2 Tunze 6105's , Tunze Osmolator, Prime 1/4hp drop-in chiller. 5 years running. Red Sea Max, 3 years.

12/24/2007, 07:51 AM	#8
erendon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chicago, Il. Posts: 444	tunicates. __________________ He who tries and fails is wiser than he who does not try out of fear of failure. Current Tank Info: 180 Gal Reef, DYI fuge/sump, 3x 250's, 1400 K phoenix.

12/24/2007, 01:27 AM	#3
Domboski Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 143	It is really hard to see but my guess would be tunicates

12/24/2007, 01:32 AM	#4
mbbuna Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 6,847	*To Reef Central* definitely not seahorse larva cant really get any detail from the photos but i would guess a tunicate or sea squirt

12/24/2007, 06:53 AM	#7
Equalizer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsboro, IN Posts: 423	Flat worms?? Very hard to tell by the picture. Do they move around?

12/25/2007, 07:46 PM	#9
REEF_MAKER_JR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Culver City. CA Posts: 3	Smurfs- thats good.

12/25/2007, 07:53 PM	#10
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	Are they in a dark/shaded location? Looks like there is a rock of zoanthids overhanging the organisms in question. Might they be some zoanthids that have been under shade for a long time and are now just starting to come to life again? I am guessing they are zoanthids, orange center with green skirt __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank Last edited by Whisperer; 12/25/2007 at 08:21 PM.

12/25/2007, 08:06 PM	#11
Psychojam Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 153	I would guess tunicates. __________________ James BioCube 14 Current Tank Info: BC 14: Currently being re-constructed

12/25/2007, 08:21 PM	#12
supervdl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NE PA Posts: 1,315	Should be tunicates and if I remember right they are harmless and a sign of good water conditions. __________________ My tank thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1167897 Current Tank Info: 135 gal mixed reef with Radions and Zeovit; 210 gal SPS reef being set up

12/26/2007, 06:08 AM	#13
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	if you see siphons in pairs, that's the clue to a tunicate. a single solid cylinder devoid of siphons is not a tunicate. There is a type of zoo called isocarus or isocrisis heh or something like that that are really tall and don't really open so there could be weird zoos. no telling here from that photo either a macro photo would be seriously awesome. I hope this is something no one has ever seen before I'm in the mood to see something I have never seen before. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

12/26/2007, 06:20 AM	#14
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	do they stay put where they are attached? do they get bigger and smaller or just constantly bigger? are there any openings like vents or water tubes (thinking long stretch to something along the lines of a scypha sponge if so)? do they respond to the light cycle? do they seem like eggs with something inside of them? any of your neighbors an ace with a camera? __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

12/26/2007, 09:12 AM	#15
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I have that. It ultimately grows like one of those diagrams of a venous system across your rock, is not a problem, and makes a kind of interesting texture---never interferes with lps or sps. It might have been Boomer who said it might be a bryozoan. It is spongelike, but never fattens, is always threads, and starts exactly like that. Seems to be a filter feeder. Feed lots of DTs or Phytofeast and you are likely to see it grow. It is blue, a rare color in our tanks, and makes an interesting contrast against purple coralline. I was shooting a couple of my larger worms, but you can see it just barely and a little out of focus up on the rocks, the thready stuff. So you can say for yourself whether you like the texture. I think it gives kind of a 'natural' look. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.