Unknown Volunteers

[dmward1457]

I have a 16 gal Biocube that has been up and running to 16 months. Set it up originally with live sand and several pounds of live rock. A couple clownfish, fire shrimp, tuxedo urchin, sand sifting starfish, 3-4 various snails, several zoanthid colonies, a mushroom and a couple nice Duncans. In the last month a couple volunteers have popped up and I can not figure out what they are. I have included a picture of each. Each of the pix occupy an actual area about the size of a dime. I'm afraid the polypy looking guy may be aiptasia but appears much tpoo small from images I have seen. Any ideas anyone?

[WV Reefer]

47 minutes ago, dmward1457 said:

I have a 16 gal Biocube that has been up and running to 16 months. Set it up originally with live sand and several pounds of live rock. A couple clownfish, fire shrimp, tuxedo urchin, sand sifting starfish, 3-4 various snails, several zoanthid colonies, a mushroom and a couple nice Duncans. In the last month a couple volunteers have popped up and I can not figure out what they are. I have included a picture of each. Each of the pix occupy an actual area about the size of a dime. I'm afraid the polypy looking guy may be aiptasia but appears much tpoo small from images I have seen. Any ideas anyone?

 

Top pic looks like colonial hydroids. The second pic Im not sure. Can you get a clearer or more up close view?  Does it look like algae or more coral like?

[dmward1457]

Thanks for the help! This is about as good as I can get it. Seems more coral like, one organism with layered sections. About the size of a dime. Relatively smooth and flat with layered sections (orange/yellow edges) extending outward

[jservedio]

First is definitely colonial hydroids. I've got some in my tank. Used to worry about them but the corals touching them don't seem bothered.

 

Second looks like some sort of calcereous or macro algae. It's it soft or more rigid?

[dmward1457]

Thanks! Soft, not rigid, almost gel like. But does have definite form.

[jservedio]

1 hour ago, dmward1457 said:

Thanks! Soft, not rigid, almost gel like. But does have definite form.

In that case I'd vote for some sort of macro as a best guess. As it grows and you can get a bigger picture, that'd certainly help ID it. Since it's soft, could also be some sort of weird sponge.

[patback]

Definitely hydroids in the first pic.  I personally dont care if they are in a tank.  Some people start from scratch.  It's sort of up to your decision.

 

Is your live rock from the caribean by any chance?  The 2nd pic looks like a type of macroalgae.  Look into flame algae as well as potato algae. It CAN come in colors other than brown, and I actually had a patch of red that I wish stuck around.