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What is this?

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JimSmith View Drop Down
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    Posted: February 17 2014 at 9:37pm
I'm trying to figure out what is creating these small tunnels in my live rock. I tried to look in it, but couldn't see anything. If you look in the top right corner of the picture, inside the shaded area you will see a small hole. It is white and it feels like cartilage, smooth and soft.It covers the bottom part of some of my rocks. If you have any ideas, let me know. Thanks!




Edited by JimSmith - February 17 2014 at 9:38pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ReefdUp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 17 2014 at 9:47pm
They look like tunicate siphons to me...single tunicates will have a dual set while colonial ones may share.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JimSmith Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 17 2014 at 9:59pm
Should I be concern about these tunicates?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ReefdUp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 17 2014 at 10:02pm
In most cases, no. Most of them are harmless filter-feeders. Their population will wax and wane with the nutrients in your tank. There are some species that are invasive and/or toxic, which can damage corals. But, those are rare. Just keep an eye on it. If it stays on the underside of rocks, then it is probably harmless.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 18 2014 at 8:26am
Tunicates and Sponge are awesome. We want these animals to grow in our tanks. They filter the water. The growth of these is what makes a tank more mature and stable. These are some of the Benthic organisms that make the ocean so diverse with life.
Not only will it grow on the underside of LR, but Sponge will grow between rocks, holding them together, making the aquascaping more stable.
Sponge comes in many colors - black, white, blue, pink, purple, green, etc. Sponge usually grows in darker areas. A piece of LR that is repositioned which then exposes the colorful Sponge may seem to lose that sponge over time. Not to worry, usually this induces the sponge to spread to many other dark places in the tank.
I gather sponge from other hobbyists. Until I sold it all, I used to grow and share pieces of Blue Barrel Sponge that grew from a small cutting freely give by another hobbyist(thanks Tileman). Currently, I have some yellow-green sponge which grows in the light and looks so good that, like coral, I frag it, attach it to rock and spread it around to other tanks.
Fragging Sponge is easy. Pull it apart with fingers and use an elastic to hold it to a small rock. When it has grown to the rock and around the elastic, simply snip the elastic with scissors, then pull the snipped elastic through and out.

Aloha,
Mark Hug

"color changing" Sponge grows dark green or black in lighted areas and white in shaded areas.




Pineapple Sponge is common in many reef aquariums



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JimSmith Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 18 2014 at 7:49pm
That's awesome! I didn't know that. 

Thanks for the info!!!


Edited by JimSmith - February 18 2014 at 7:49pm
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