ID plz...

[Who Dah?]

ok, raise your hand if you thought i was going to ask you to name a zoa!

:lol:

these guys were found on some Indo-pacific zoanthids. they are very hard, and we're not sure yet if they move or not...

i'm not sure that they are bad or not either!

but does anyone know what they are? some sort of starfish perhaps?

a 'penny shot' on white:

a black shot -- in this pic, the notches are 1mm:

ty!
-WD?

 

[twon8]

my guess is forameniferans.

 

[Marine Flora]

whodah, those are the things that damaged some of the indo palys i got. i spend alot of time plucking them off colonies.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Carole has been seeing those too.

I'd first heard of these from Sam.

They're showing up on the SI zoas, right? I think Eric Bourneman ID'd Carole's as foraminiferans.

I wonder if they actively prey on zoas, or if they scavenge on sick ones. Would be an interesting test to put some on known healthy zoas as an experiment. Maybe on some DDB zoas?

 

[twon8]

i believe they are just filter feeders, they may actually be radiolaria

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Haven't read up on those in detail, but don't they also have pseudopods and engulf stuff like how amoebas do?

That's what makes me wonder if they just feed off of decaying tissue, or if they actually have some way to attack or cause tissue to break down.

 

[Zeppelin]

There's a thread on RC regarding forameniferans. Most think they are not active predators. Here's the link to the thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=966131

 

[Marine Flora]

from my experience w/ the ones that come on the indo zoos. they are alot larger than the ones from SI. they have pointy edges.. and have damaged some of the polyps on the colonies w em.

 

[MarvinsReef]

I take out whatever I don't trust out of my tank.. I've been seeing some of those pop up here and there so I grab my tweezers and pull them out... don't want them munching in on some tubs blues or PPE's.. :lol:

 

[Chelsey]

I will keep an eye out for them on my zoas, but whatever they are, they're neat looking!

 

[msman825]

is this the same critterhttp://reefstockstore.com/livestock/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=9

 

[Who Dah?]

interesting, thanks for the replies guys!

MarvinsReef: i've got the same mentality... if i don't know what it is, it comes out! it's too risky not to IMHO, heh!

 

[ultimatefrags]

I take out whatever I don't trust out of my tank.. I've been seeing some of those pop up here and there so I grab my tweezers and pull them out... don't want them munching in on some tubs blues or PPE's.. :lol:

I have seen these also and I do agree just get rid of all unknowns before they become a problem.

 

[czieler]

Yeah... we lost a few big rocks of zoos to the ones I posted..which looked almost the same..yours look a little different...but I'm guessing they are the same.

Lots of ppl said they weren't predators..and would only feed on them if they were dying already...but I'd rather just pick them off to be safe... the few that were covered with them didn't make it.... and we had to QT all of our zoos from that shipment for about 2 mos to make sure we got rid of them all.

Carole

 

[JnS]

I take out whatever I don't trust out of my tank.. I've been seeing some of those pop up here and there so I grab my tweezers and pull them out... don't want them munching in on some tubs blues or PPE's.. :lol:

I agree, always better to be safe then sorry!