Help with Identification

[theprince]

I was looking in my tank this morning and found these two pod at the attachment point to my Sinularia. They look like some kind of egg pod to me but I am really not sure.

 

[spongebob lover]

to me it looks like a sponge but not to sure.... i hope someone can give you a better answer dood

 

[mungus]

It looks like a tunicate to me.

Brian

 

[NaH2O]

I'm going to say sponge, unless you've seen them move the siphon hole? If you've seen the siphon hole opening and closing, then it is a tunicate.

Nice looking little snail crawling under those, too .

 

[steven11]

It looks exactly like the sponge that i have in my tank but smaller. I will try to post a good pic for you to look at when i get home.

 

[theprince]

i can only find one opening so I think that they are probably sponges. Are they safe? Should I leave them or take them out of the tank?

Eric

 

[NaH2O]

They are totally harmless. Enjoy them! If you are interested in further reading:

Sponges — pump-filter modules through space and time… by Ron Shimek

Some Truths about Sponges by Ron Shimek

Sponges by Rob Toonen

A Reefkeeper's Guide to Introductory Invertebrate Zoology: Part 1: Sponges By Rob Toonen

Introduction to sponges

Sponges, out from under the counter...by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D.

What are sea sponges - animals or plants?

The Porifera (Living Sponges); Their Biology, Physiology and Natural Filtration Integration by Steve Tyree

 

[Jiddy]

I have sponges that look like that, except white. And nikki called them pineapple sponges, so thats what i call mine

 

[theprince]

Thanks for all the great responses. I know that I am still on the steep part of the learning curve. I enjoyed the links Nikki.

Eric

 

[NaH2O]

I have sponges that look like that, except white. And nikki called them pineapple sponges, so thats what i call mine

Jiddy - your's are different than the yellow ones shown here. The Pineapple sponges/Q-Tip sponges have a spikey part to the top. They resemble a white pineapple ..... Scypha ciliata

 

[Boomer]

I will ago against the flow and go with an Ascidian. It looks like one and sits like one.

First, not all Ascidan have a large incurrent and out current tubes, that is a myth. Many have one large outcurrent and many small incurrent like many sponges and look simialr to this one. That is a pretty high chimmy for a sponge. Maybe that is one animal making it a Ascidain and the two large tubes are the incurrent and outcurrent and are connected at the base and you just can not see it. Get a peice of dow or soemthing and gently touch the top of that chimmey and see if it moves, closes somewhat.

 

[NaH2O]

Thanks, Boomer! I did mention eariler about movement, but I didn't think about trying to touch it to see if it moves.

First, not all Ascidan have a large incurrent and out current tubes, that is a myth. Many have one large outcurrent and many small incurrent like many sponges and look simialr to this one. That is a pretty high chimmy for a sponge. Maybe that is one animal making it a Ascidain and the two large tubes are the incurrent and outcurrent and are connected at the base and you just can not see it. Get a peice of dow or soemthing and gently touch the top of that chimmey and see if it moves, closes somewhat.

Ah, I learned something new! I thought tunicates always had 2 tubes, except colonial tunicates (if that makes sense). I also didn't think about this actually being one animal, and not two.

 

[Boomer]

Nikki

This is why I was making those statments

Each of thes is one animal. Thes are not tied together at the base in any way. So you can see where it could be two animals as suggested in his pic, which I think it really is.

 

[jetaero]

Excellent pic btw, theprince. What did you use to shoot that?

-Josh-

 

[spongebob lover]

kewl pictures boomer !!

 

[gregb]

They crawled out of a moon rock.

 

[Boomer]

I took the pic's off a website

Right click on them, choose properties and you will see where