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FAQs about Sea Squirts Identification
3
Related Articles: Sea
Squirts/Tunicates/Ascidians,
Related FAQs: Ascidian/Sea Squirt ID 1, Sea Squirt ID 2, Sea
Squirt ID 4, Sea Squirt ID 5,
Sea Squirt ID 6, Sea Squirt ID 7,
Sea Squirt ID 8, & Ascidians
1, Ascidians 2, Ascidian Behavior, Ascidian Compatibility, Ascidian Selection, Ascidian Systems, Ascidian Feeding, Ascidian Disease, Ascidian Reproduction,
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Hitchhiker ID: 6/11/09
Hello Crew!
<Hello Esther!>
The wonder of my marine tank still amazes me, as it is well over
3 years old and over the course of the last 2 days a new
hitchhiker appeared.
<Neat!>
While I have always been able to find 90% of my hitchhiker
ID's through your site, I could not find this one on any ID
pages. I have no idea if this is a hydroid, Bryozoan, or
something else? Pest or foe? All I can describe is that it seems
to be colonial (sharing the same base, and just 5 minutes ago it
started what I believe is spawning material in tandem with the 3
others I have found in the tank).
<Interesting>
As I said these just appeared 2 days ago. Thus I am thinking
it's a pest, but would like to hear your thoughts on the
matter please. I have included pictures of the ID in question as
well as its releasing of material.
<Thanks. Unfortunately, I can't see enough detail to be
able to ID. If you could send along several larger, high res
photos, that would be super.>
Thanks, you have always been there for me for the last 3 years,
and my tank is successful due to my research and this site.
<On behalf of Bob and crew, past and present, I thank you for
your kind words! Please do send along more photos, if possible,
so we can hopefully ID your mystery hitchhiker!>
-Esther
<Take care, LynnZ>
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Re: Hitchhiker ID query 6/13/09
Hi Bob,
<Hello Lynn!>
I've got a hitchhiker ID from a gal named Esther that's
got me stumped.
Yesterday, I requested larger photos, received them today, but am
still in the dark. Some parts appear tunicate-like, while others
appear algae or sponge-like. I've looked all over and just
can't quite figure it out.
Thank you in advance for your help! I'll go ahead and move
the query into your folder.
Take care,
-Lynn
<Thank you. My response to Esther copied below. BobF>
Re: Hitchhiker ID
Thanks Lynn,
<Hi Esther, BobF here... Lynn asked me to take a look/see at
your mysterious HHs>
I hope these are better (they are higher resolution at least). If
not I can move the rock that they are on and try to get a better
picture, but that means moving coral and other rocks too...
-Esther
<Are indeed novel (to me at least!), but my guess/bet is on
these being Ascidians/Sea Squirts... with the blue
"lines" being gonadal... Shouldn't be dangerous,
and are indeed testimony to your good, steady care. Bob
Fenner>
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Re: Hitchhiker ID query
6/13/09
Thank you so much, Bob! That query was driving me batty. I
figured it was probably some kind of reproductive event...but of
what, I didn't know.
<And I have not much confidence in my guess here either... the
pix show that the "components", or individuals do
"close up" behaviorally (I think)... and when I made
the one pic as big as I could w/o losing too much resolution, the
individuals did look like sea squirts... more than anything
else!>
By the time I got through looking at Google images of tunicate
and sponge reproduction my eyes were practically crossed!
Heeeee...I'll take an obscure snail - or even a crab ID, any
day over something like that! But hey, the good news is that if I
see something like that again, I'll know what the answer
is!
Thanks again, take care,
-Lynn
<Thank you Lynn. BobF>
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Is it a sponge? Nope, Blue Lollipop Tunicate --
2/13/09
Hi,
<Hey, I know you! Hope you're doing well and enjoying
life!>
Can someone tell me what this is?
<Yep, it's a beautiful little Ascidian/Tunicate called
Oxycorynia fascicularis or Neptheis fascicularis (family
Polycitoridae). It's commonly called (and unfortunately sold
as) a Blue Lollipop Tunicate, Blue Palm Coral, or Blue
Cauliflower Sponge.>
It looks like a kind of sponge
<It certainly does.>
...but I'm not sure. If you could tell me what it needs too,
that would be great.
<Although these are commonly offered for sale around the
'net and elsewhere, I personally wish they weren't
because of their extremely low survival rate. Tunicates are
primarily planktivores and bacteriovores and most home aquariums
simply don't have enough readily available food to sustain
them. Please see these links for more information and photos:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AscidianPIX/Ascidians5.htm
http://www.fishdb.com/db/salt/specimen/Blue_Lollypop_Tunicate.php
http://seadwelling.com/v-web/gallery/MarineInvertebrate/bluetunacate080904
>
Thank you
<You're very welcome. Take care, Lynn>
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 How
nice! RMF |
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Maybe a sponge? 01/18/09
Hello, I saw this thing growing in my 55gal reef tank about a
month ago. Appears to be some kind of sponge, but I was hoping to
get an opinion. It's light gray and has a soft/spongy
texture. Has a very strange pattern and a distinct hole in the
middle of it. It's about the size of a nickel. Any ideas?
<If there's only one main hole, yes, I'd say it's
likely a sponge. If there are two holes, then it might be a
tunicate.> Thanks so much, Tiffany <De nada,
Sara M.>
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Need an ID please 12/14/08 Hello to all WWM
crew! <Hiya Cath> Here's, in joined pieces, a picture
took from the tank of a reefer of my area. I really don't
know what this little beast is...have any idea? Best regards and
have a great Christmas time! <It's very hard to tell from
the photo... does it move? If so... might be a Scutus. If not,
could be a bivalve. Any chance you can get a better picture?>
Cath from ReefConcept
<Best,
Sara M.>
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 An
Ascidian. RMF |
| Re: Need an ID please 12/15/08
Hello to all WWM crew! <Hello Cath> Here's, in joined
pieces, a picture took from the tank of a reefer of my area. I
really don't know what this little beast is...have any idea?
Best regards and have a great Christmas time! Cath from ReefConcept
<Am following up to Sara's input... I do think this is very
likely a Sea Squirt... Please see our pix here et al re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/ascidians.htm Cheers, Bob Fenner> |
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Chris/Pullz in Kona, diving, making pix... w/ unknown
floater 10/23/08 So I captured this image but have
not been able to ID the little critter... I've asked others
here on the island and the boat but nobody has an idea.... so
I've got to come the expert.... what is it almighty Dogfish?
<Ahh! Tis a Salp... an Ascidian, a sea squirt! BobF, finally
back in the US(SR). Nice pic! DF is BobF's HHH name>
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| Strange unidentified spongy thing -- 5/3/08 Hi,
<Lai> I noticed some stuff that came along with my live rock,
and it seems to have grown somewhat. I cant imagine what it could
be, but it looks like spongy eggs! Just wondering if you guys knew
what this is and if its bad for my tank? Should I try to get rid of
it. (no, its not the shrimp), the other 2 grey things... Lai ps.
Thanks in advance! You guys have been so helpful! <Mmm, looks to
be either an amorphous type Ascidian/Sea Squirt or some sort of
sponge itself. Not harmful... even beneficial in ways. Bob
Fenner> |
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