Black Tunicate? Need confirmation

[ReefWeeds]

Hi all - I recently received this nice frag of zoas and noticed something living in the middle. I think it is a black tunicate, but I can't find anything online that truly looks like this. There are two syphon-type protrusions that I can see and it contracts with changes in light/shadows and when I poke it. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

Fully expanded:

 

 

 

 

And closed up:

 

[tsouth]

Looks good to me. If it's not hurting the zoa's, keep it

[ReefWeeds]

Looks good to me. If it's not hurting the zoa's, keep it

 

Good point Doesn't seem to be hurting them - although I did just receive it so I guess time will tell. But I really think it might be a tunicate which would be cool!

[tsouth]

Totally agree. Definitely one of the more interesting hitch hikers without a doubt. Congrats!

[Astinus]

Good Stuff!

http://animals.mom.me/tunicate-eat-4060.html

[Elizabeth94]

I have a single black tunicate that looks just like that. It has been in my tank since the first day. In the past five months it hasn't grown or anything.

[LadyBryozoa]

Most definitely a tunicate! We have them growing all over at the floating docks here in Maine, both colonial and solitary. If you go check out floating docks (like at a boat marina) down in Connecticut you'll definitely find them too. I've got no experience with them in a reef tank, but my guess is that it shouldn't be a problem - it appears to be a solitary one so you shouldn't have any issues with it overgrowing zoas like you might with a colonial type. Nice!!

 

Fun fact! Out of all the invertebrates, tunicates are the ones most closely related to humans! They are non-vertebrate chordates and during their larval tadpole stage have a dorsal hollow nerve cord and notochord but lose both during metamorphosis into adults