What are these growing in my sand?

aastretch64 · 08/16/2007, 04:52 PM

More recently then every, I am getting a huge amount of fuzzy balls growing in my sand. They are also growing on my return pump and a small patch on my liverock. They are a cream color and kind of like strandy cotton balls. They start out small but will get huge if I lett them grow. There are probably about 40-50 of these things.

I also have growing in my live rock a burguny/red round ball with thin clear tenticles and a white ball on the end each tenticle. They are less then 1/4" in size and with close up if I touch then. They never move from the spot I first saw them in. What is that?

Alex

Rouselb · 08/16/2007, 06:57 PM

got any pics?

aastretch64 · 08/16/2007, 11:27 PM

Tried to take a few, but it wouldn't turn out. Just looked like sand.

Anemone · 08/17/2007, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by aastretch64
More recently then every, I am getting a huge amount of fuzzy balls growing in my sand. They are also growing on my return pump and a small patch on my liverock. They are a cream color and kind of like strandy cotton balls. They start out small but will get huge if I lett them grow. There are probably about 40-50 of these things.

Sponge? ALgae? Who knows? Without a picture, I'm not sure anyone is going to be able to identify them.

Quote:

Originally posted by aastretch64
I also have growing in my live rock a burguny/red round ball with thin clear tenticles and a white ball on the end each tenticle. They are less then 1/4" in size and with close up if I touch then. They never move from the spot I first saw them in. What is that?

These sound like pseudo corynactis, a corallimorph (mushroom relative). Generally grow in unlit areas. Not a problem. Comes in a variety of different colors - pink, orange, red, yellow. Most are pretty translucent, and the white balls at the tentacle tips are what really give it away.

Kevin

leeweber85 · 08/17/2007, 06:10 PM

feather dusters? NEED PICS!

Bandsaw · 08/17/2007, 06:15 PM

Anemone, do you have any pictures of those pseudo corynactis. Those sound intresting.

Thanks

Anemone · 08/17/2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bandsaw
Anemone, do you have any pictures of those pseudo corynactis. Those sound intresting.

Thanks

The smaller variety common to our tanks are hard to photograph (they're nearly transparent and hang out in dark areas of our tanks), but this page has a pretty good pic of what we commonly see:

http://www.meerwasser-lexikon.de/de/...s/sp.%2001.htm

This article has some good info on corynactis and pseudocorynactis:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...002/invert.htm

(it's down the page a ways).

HTH,
Kevin

08/16/2007, 04:52 PM	#1
aastretch64 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 384	What are these growing in my sand? More recently then every, I am getting a huge amount of fuzzy balls growing in my sand. They are also growing on my return pump and a small patch on my liverock. They are a cream color and kind of like strandy cotton balls. They start out small but will get huge if I lett them grow. There are probably about 40-50 of these things. I also have growing in my live rock a burguny/red round ball with thin clear tenticles and a white ball on the end each tenticle. They are less then 1/4" in size and with close up if I touch then. They never move from the spot I first saw them in. What is that? Alex

08/16/2007, 06:57 PM	#2
Rouselb Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Detroit Michigan Posts: 1,238	got any pics? __________________ Larry Current Tank Info: 425g Mixed Reef, (6) Orphek LED mods, (4) MP60s, (2) Bubble King SM250 Skimmer, LMIII for Dose & ATO

08/17/2007, 06:10 PM	#5
leeweber85 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 2,482	feather dusters? NEED PICS! __________________ -Lee Current Tank Info: 120g reef, 20g reef

08/17/2007, 06:15 PM	#6
Bandsaw Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Eastern Ontario (above Sudbury) Posts: 720	Anemone, do you have any pictures of those pseudo corynactis. Those sound intresting. Thanks __________________ VE3SZB Failure is not an option - It is a requirement if you expect to learn anything. Click on my home page button for pictures of my aquarium. Current Tank Info: 75g Display, CPR SM Aquafuge, 8g sump, 20g tall fuge, Maxspect R420R LED, KoralLin 1502 CaRa, EV-180 Skimmer

08/16/2007, 11:27 PM	#3
aastretch64 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 384	Tried to take a few, but it wouldn't turn out. Just looked like sand.