Interesting Looking Hitchhiker – What is it?

SuperDaveA · 05/27/2011, 12:37 PM

Just started my first SW tank. It's a 12 gallon JBJ nano. The below picture shows a little pink bubbly looking guy that I just noticed pop out of my live rock. It's probably 1/8" in diameter. Anyone have any idea what it is? Thanks!

lordofthereef · 05/27/2011, 12:48 PM

Looks like some closed zoa polyps to me.

disc1 · 05/27/2011, 12:55 PM

That is a tunicate and a very nice one at that.

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disc1 · 05/27/2011, 12:58 PM

Look them up. Its more closely related to you than it is to any of the other things in the tank except maybe the fish. It fits into the classification with vertebrates. Really neat animal. If it lives through the cycle, you can feed it a little phyto if you want it to grow.

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SuperDaveA · 05/27/2011, 01:59 PM

Thanks! I sure hope it lives thru the cycle :-)

SuperDaveA · 05/27/2011, 02:06 PM

I was just looking at the picture I cropped to attach to this post and I noticed there are actually half a dozen other very small colonies of these guys around the bigger one that I posted. Funny, I didn't even notice until I took the picture of the one :-)

neoalchemist74 · 05/27/2011, 02:18 PM

+1 on the Tunicate, your going to have to feed it often to keep it alive. Ask some peolpe in the nonphotosynthetic forum for suggestion on proper foods as they can be picky feeders.

Lynnmw1208 · 05/27/2011, 10:25 PM

neat! I have one of these too that showed up under one of my frag discs!

kgross · 05/27/2011, 11:13 PM

That is a nice looking Tunicate. That is a great find.

SuperDaveA · 05/28/2011, 12:12 AM

I just started my tank so it has hardly started cycling. Do you think I should start feeding this guy now? Or will he be ok?

By the way, does anyone know how to put larger pictures into posts? I created a photobucket account and uploaded a pic and then tried to upload the picture to this post but it keeps telling me the picture is too big. What is the max size allowed?
Thanks!

kgross · 05/28/2011, 11:53 AM

Rather than upload the picture, post the img link from photobucket. Then it will display the photobucket picture directly.

disc1 · 05/28/2011, 12:29 PM

As pretty as that is, if it's on a smallish rock it might be worth it to see if someone would keep it for you while you cycle. Tunicates are capable of making it through the cycle if it's not too bad. If you started with cured rock you won't get as high of an ammonia spike in your cycle and I think it will probably make it.

SuperDaveA · 05/28/2011, 02:35 PM

I started with cured rock and so far I haven't had too much ammonia going on. Unfortunately I don't know anyone who could hold onto it for me. Here's hoping

By the way, here is the larger picture. You can see two other little colonies to the left.

kgross · 05/28/2011, 03:52 PM

That is some great rock you got.

SuperDaveA · 06/08/2011, 08:58 PM

Update. My stupid peppermint shrimp ate the tunicate..... o well so much for that

scapes · 06/08/2011, 09:04 PM

ahhh...that's too bad. they looked cool

05/27/2011, 12:48 PM	#2
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	Looks like some closed zoa polyps to me. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

05/27/2011, 12:55 PM	#3
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	That is a tunicate and a very nice one at that. Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

05/27/2011, 12:58 PM	#4
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	Look them up. Its more closely related to you than it is to any of the other things in the tank except maybe the fish. It fits into the classification with vertebrates. Really neat animal. If it lives through the cycle, you can feed it a little phyto if you want it to grow. Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

05/27/2011, 02:18 PM	#7
neoalchemist74 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Longmont Colorado Posts: 627	+1 on the Tunicate, your going to have to feed it often to keep it alive. Ask some peolpe in the nonphotosynthetic forum for suggestion on proper foods as they can be picky feeders. __________________ You have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you talk. Current Tank Info: in progress Last edited by neoalchemist74; 05/27/2011 at 02:20 PM. Reason: addition

05/27/2011, 10:25 PM	#8
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	neat! I have one of these too that showed up under one of my frag discs! __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

05/27/2011, 01:59 PM	#5
SuperDaveA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 58	Thanks! I sure hope it lives thru the cycle :-)

05/27/2011, 02:06 PM	#6
SuperDaveA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 58	I was just looking at the picture I cropped to attach to this post and I noticed there are actually half a dozen other very small colonies of these guys around the bigger one that I posted. Funny, I didn't even notice until I took the picture of the one :-)

05/27/2011, 11:13 PM	#9
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	That is a nice looking Tunicate. That is a great find. __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

05/28/2011, 12:12 AM	#10
SuperDaveA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 58	I just started my tank so it has hardly started cycling. Do you think I should start feeding this guy now? Or will he be ok? By the way, does anyone know how to put larger pictures into posts? I created a photobucket account and uploaded a pic and then tried to upload the picture to this post but it keeps telling me the picture is too big. What is the max size allowed? Thanks!

05/28/2011, 11:53 AM	#11
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	Rather than upload the picture, post the img link from photobucket. Then it will display the photobucket picture directly. __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

05/28/2011, 12:29 PM	#12
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	As pretty as that is, if it's on a smallish rock it might be worth it to see if someone would keep it for you while you cycle. Tunicates are capable of making it through the cycle if it's not too bad. If you started with cured rock you won't get as high of an ammonia spike in your cycle and I think it will probably make it. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

05/28/2011, 02:35 PM	#13
SuperDaveA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 58	I started with cured rock and so far I haven't had too much ammonia going on. Unfortunately I don't know anyone who could hold onto it for me. Here's hoping By the way, here is the larger picture. You can see two other little colonies to the left.

05/28/2011, 03:52 PM	#14
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	That is some great rock you got. __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

06/08/2011, 08:58 PM	#15
SuperDaveA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 58	Update. My stupid peppermint shrimp ate the tunicate..... o well so much for that

06/08/2011, 09:04 PM	#16
scapes Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Millbrook, AL Posts: 2,520	ahhh...that's too bad. they looked cool

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