Unknown Growth/Polyp

[XIII]

I've discovered this unknown growth on one of my Totoka rock pieces. Can any one help identify what this might be, and if it is good or bad?

 

Sorry for the bad image; it is very difficult to get this thing into focus with my camera.

 

Thank you.

[Austin]

Judging from that picture, it's a baby sea stegosaurus.

 

 

If you can't get a better picture, can you try to describe it in words, like size, color, location in tank, behavior, etc?

[Akiowalt]

wild feather duster???

[XIII]

Judging from that picture, it's a baby sea stegosaurus.

 

 

If you can't get a better picture, can you try to describe it in words, like size, color, location in tank, behavior, etc?

It's small, (about the size of my pinky nail), pinkish white in color, and has a branch-like structure to it (not like a zoa or anem) similar to an acro, but looks to be soft tissue. It is located in the rear bottom right of my tank, underneath a branch of Totoka rock, so it is not in direct light. As for behavior, haven't seen it do anything except grow so far.

[Austin]

Does it react when you try to give it a poke? Like, suck back into the rock or whatever?

 

Frankly my first thought is aiptasia...but it could be a HH coral like a finger leather...

[XIII]

Does it react when you try to give it a poke? Like, suck back into the rock or whatever?

 

Frankly my first thought is aiptasia...but it could be a HH coral like a finger leather...

Haven't tried to poke it; will try that tonight. It doesn't look anything like aiptasia from what I've seen pictured.

[kamikaze_fish]

My thoughts are a type of sponge.

[XIII]

So I poked it last night, and it didn't retract. It was hard and prickly, so definitely not aiptasia or majano. I'd guess acro or other coral, but it's in an odd location that can't be moved. Any other suggestions?

[lakshwadeep]

It sounds like a foraminiferan.

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/forams/photoalb..._view?b_start=1

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/forams/photoalb..._view?b_start=2

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Algae%20and%20P...tler_things.jpg

[DaneMarx]

Hmm, i'm throwing my vote behind sponge. 99.9% of forams are microscopic... The large colonial ones are not common at all from what I've seen...

[organism]

+1 to foraminiferan...

[XIII]

Are these good then? Thanks for the assistance with the ID.

[lakshwadeep]

Hmm, i'm throwing my vote behind sponge. 99.9% of forams are microscopic... The large colonial ones are not common at all from what I've seen...

 

You're correct about most forams being small. However, the large ones are fairly common as hitchhikers, and I've seen them on most of the live rock I've purchased. Currently I have a rock that had a "huge" colony about 1" across. Most retain their color even after they die; some of my old, dry rock are white except for the forams found on them.

 

XIII: They are harmless and eat things like bacteria.

 

Here's a good article:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/index.php

Some of the most abundant forams that are found in our aquaria are spectacular. They are large and obvious and are often exceptionally abundant. And, unlike the remainder of the forams discussed in this article, they are not found in the sediments. As they don't look like anything else in our systems, they are often misidentified as small sponges, hydrocorals or stony corals.

[XIII]

Thanks for the assistance, and for the article.