HitchHiker Identification.

[lotuskid]

Hi. Very new to reefs but just set one up and waiting for it to cycle.
Got a few pieces of live rock in and noticed something new.
Tried to get a pic but not been able to get a decent one yet.

They look like chocolate brown golfballs. About 3mm. They have 3 or 4
very tiny "protrusions?" "lumps?" ( can't think how else to explain it )

About a dozen or so have appeared and took up positions on the rock.
Not seen any of them moving tho.

I'll keep trying to get a pic.

Thanks.

[lotuskid]

Sorry but this is best pic i've got so far.

[Germanman]

probally sponge or an egg sack. might be tunicates do they have two openings on them?

[lotuskid]

Thanks for the reply.
I can't see any openings. Would an egg sack be able to change it's position?
I'm watching them with interest to see if any of them move again or change in any way. Whatever they turn out to be i'm hoping they're worth having.

Live rock is great, seeing something new every day.

Thanks again for your help.

[Germanman]

can you post some ore pics?

[lotuskid]

Will remove one and try to get a decent pic or two.

Not having much luck with focus so far.
Seen plenty more, some about the size of pinheads.

[Germanman]

kinda looks like a ball sponge but its so hard to tell with tiny things like that.

[lotuskid]

I know he came as a hitch hiker but now he's riding round the tank on his own personal crab.

[Germanman]

lol i have no idea what those things are ill have to have my zoo professor look at it.

[lotuskid]

Been looking through some books and websites and they do look very much like ball/moon sponges. They are spreading all over the tank.

If i can get past my two rottweiler clownfish i'll remove one and get a super close up pic.

Maybe i've discovered aliens LOL...

[lotuskid]

Ok, took one of the biggish one out (about 2mm) and here's the close ups.
Gonna try get a few more clearer pics then put it back in.

[Reefscape]

yeah, they are just sponges mate...a nice copperband would enjoy them i would imagine....

Niko

[lotuskid]

Not sure tank would be big enough for a copperband. Very nice looking fish but not on my list of must haves....yet.

If they are just sponges and not causing any problems then i'll leave them in and keep watching to see if they get any bigger.

[Germanman]

well i had my Marine bio professor look a them and she has no idea and said they dont really look like sponges.....she said a closer pic would help...or a sample...lol
ill run the pic by my zoo professor next week when i have em.

[Reefscape]

£50 its a sponge species.....Niko calling dorkfish...niko callin Dorkfish...Come in Dorkfish !!!!!

Niko

[Germanman]

£50 its a sponge species.....Niko calling dorkfish...niko callin Dorkfish...Come in Dorkfish !!!!!

Niko

isnt that like $60?
lol..i broke......otherwise ud be on a bet.
i think its a larval form of something...could be a ball sponge with worm holes...but there are so many....my zoo professor will know my marine bio teacher is cooky sometimes.

[Reefscape]

hmmmm.....i feel my pocket being lined with $$$ here....

[lotuskid]

well i had my Marine bio professor look a them and she has no idea and said they dont really look like sponges.....she said a closer pic would help...or a sample...lol
ill run the pic by my zoo professor next week when i have em.

There's plenty of them so it'd be no problem to pop one into a plastic tube with a little water and post it if need be.

Hope the close up pics i posted earlier in this thread help. Was looking through Sprungs Coral Reference Guide and thought they looked a bit like Stylocoeniella - Thorn coral on page 15.

Not sure if this would be helpful but did notice when i removed one to take pics that it was very hard and not soft like i was expecting it to be.

Not doubting you Niko, just trying to get a positive ID :)

[rockethippo]

Wow for a second I thought it was some kinda monster. The fish pic on the left of thr ball looks like a head. With mouth open and a sharp tooth on the uppermouth. Well anyways if its hard I have no clue what it is.

[Germanman]

There's plenty of them so it'd be no problem to pop one into a plastic tube with a little water and post it if need be.

Hope the close up pics i posted earlier in this thread help. Was looking through Sprungs Coral Reference Guide and thought they looked a bit like Stylocoeniella - Thorn coral on page 15.

Not sure if this would be helpful but did notice when i removed one to take pics that it was very hard and not soft like i was expecting it to be.

Not doubting you Niko, just trying to get a positive ID :)

in deed it kinda does....but are the balls soft to touch or hard and calcified? plus ive never seen them form balls like that before.

[lotuskid]

Not sure if they were calcified but they were definately very hard.

Would you like a few more close up pics of some of the other ones to see if any are different??

[Germanman]

sure that would help i gave a printed picture to my zoo professor. he said hell look it over and show the other professors to see if they can nail it down.

[lotuskid]

sure that would help i gave a printed picture to my zoo professor. he said hell look it over and show the other professors to see if they can nail it down.

I'll take a few out now and take more pics and post them up very soon.

Are all sponges soft or are there hard ones too?

[Germanman]

almost all are soft or can at least be tough but squishy.....one class of sponges is very hard but they are deep water and wouldnt be found on live rock.

[lotuskid]

Well these are definately NOT squishy. Hard as stone.
Pics aren't very bright but they're best out of about 100 LOL.
Took them out of water for the last pic.

[Germanman]

well it looks like a colony of something...well just have to see what the professors come up with.