Growth on Hammer Coral       8/14/15
Hello and thank you so much for all the valuable information you guys provide.
<Welcome Shel>
I have been reading and researching on your site (and others) for several years now and this is the first time I have posted a question. In April I upgraded my tank from a 75 to a 180 gallon mixed reef tank.
Things are going very well, but today I noticed an unusual growth on the side of my hammer coral. The hammer is usually fully extended, growing nicely and is very beautiful. Today I turned my lights off while acclimating a new chalice coral and a maxima clam and as a result of the lights being off the polyps retracted on my hammer and I saw this large growth on the side of its skeleton. I have looked online and the only thing I can find as a possibility are the vermetid snails, but the pictures I can find don't really look anything like what I see on my hammer. I am attaching a picture and was hoping that you will be able to tell me what in the world this is and how I can get rid of it. Thank you again. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Shelly
<The reddish bit? Tis an Ascidian, A Sea Squirt... unless it's physically bugging the Euphyllia, I'd leave it... interesting animals; not harmful; and indicative of good conditions, care on your part. Bob Fenner>

Can you identify this?       5/3/15
Hello! I started finding this in my tank a few months ago. The kinda look like eggs but nothing seems to hatch. Seems to spread quickly.
<Ahh; very nice. These are colonial Ascidians; Sea Squirts. Indicative of good conditions in your system. Not harmful.
Bob Fenner>
Thank you!!!
Tamara Marshall
Ocala Reef