What are these? Cannot figure it out. Hitchhiker ID

[Goaway]

Sorry again just guessing/ throwing ideas out

You could be on to something. There are so many kinds of anemones as well. The little fuzz in those pics look like a type of anemone polyp/bulb. I just never seen on through out a tube like this.

Also appears to have a root system.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yellow circle looks like a BTA of some kind, but unsure of center (red). This is a crazy cross/spiecies lol

View attachment 2738314

If you look at the bottom left part just outside your yellow circle there but below the specimen on the left, it looks like there’s a third smaller one growing independently.

I considered an anemone, but I’m not aware of any similar to this - it is something to keep in mind though.

I have to agree with Timfish that it’s a fascinating specimen regardless of what it is.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I know this is most likely wrong but my initial thought was it kind of looks like a baby sea cucumber with the intestines ejected. Especially since we can’t decide what worm or anemone it might be lol.

 

[Fishy888]

There is a sponge on there you need to evict. It will smother your polyps and tunicate. I'd keep the tunicates.
In the yellow.

View attachment 2738218

What kind of sponge is it? I also hope to have sponges at some point but not ones that take over.

 

[Goaway]

What kind of sponge is it? I also hope to have sponges at some point but not ones that take over.

It could be a lace sponge. Sometimes they can get out of hand. Some people get lucky and their sponge don't try to smother out other coral.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Could it be some kind of juvenile pseudocorynactis?

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

There is a sponge on there you need to evict. It will smother your polyps and tunicate. I'd keep the tunicates.
In the yellow.

View attachment 2738218

Thank you! I didnt know they were harmful. Theyre all over the bottoms of the frags but none of it has moved where the light reaches on the actual corals, but I’ll clear it off anyway

 

[Goaway]

Thank you! I didnt know they were harmful. Theyre all over the bottoms of the frags but none of it has moved where the light reaches on the actual corals, but I’ll clear it off anyway

Keep watch is all. If you see it encroach on coral. I trim my sponges back. Sometimes, it has to be done. Coral will use energy to fight the sponge back. So, it wont be able to focus on growth.

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Your photos are already good considering the size of the specimen involved, but if you could get some that are a little more clear/focused with the black part and the "nest" both together and separate that might help. I know this might not be possible though.

Beyond that, you mentioned that the specimen is stationary other than retracting and extending, but do the tentacles in the "nest" move at all? In other words, are they stationary, or do they sway in the flow? Do they react separately from the from the black part? Basically, I'm wondering if the black part and the nest are the same specimen, or if they're actually separate specimens (seems like a long shot with 2-3 specimens all having the nest around them, but I figured I’d ask anyway).

I’m all in favor of growing this thing out and seeing what happens with it. Currently I’m leaning toward some kind of tunicate too (there are plenty of black tunicates that look similar enough), but the “nest” really throws me. Beautiful find!

I will definitely try to grab more photos soon, either tomorrow or tuesday. Im hesitant to attempt a removal when I dont know what they actually are, I dont want to kill them by accident.

i havent been able to spot a single opening on it, but I will keep looking. That was the main thing I looked for but 0 holes or openings.

the “nest” moves as in sways in the current and I think they move side to side slightly on their own, the round black part is definitely attached to the nest, all 3 have the same anatomy. Its really stumping me but theyre so cool!

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Keep watch is all. If you see it encroach on coral. I trim my sponges back. Sometimes, it has to be done. Coral will use energy to fight the sponge back. So, it wont be able to focus on growth.

Thank you for the info! I will definitely keep an eye on it

 

[Timfish]

Definitely not a vermetid worm or nudibranch, theyre fixed to a spot and there is multiple so its not a one off thing

Vermitid worms can be very close to each other, especially the smaller species. That that they're close together is part of why I'm guessing vermitid.

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Vermitid worms can be very close to each other, especially the smaller species. That that they're close together is part of why I'm guessing vermitid.

Vermetid worms have a shell though, none of these things do

 

[Timfish]

Vermetid worms have a shell though, none of these things do

Right, it usually starts with a small spiral attached to a substrate then straightens out and extends off the substrate so the worm can get better feeding with it's slime thread. The tubes can break off but leave the worm intact in the base, one reason they are so hard to get rid of. I mentioned this in my first post. In ht epictures there appears to be some kind of base, are you saying it's a soft base?

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

pseudocorynactis

Right, it usually starts with a small spiral attached to a substrate then straightens out and extends off the substrate so the worm can get better feeding with it's slime thread. The tubes can break off but leave the worm intact in the base, one reason they are so hard to get rid of. I mentioned this in my first post. In ht epictures there appears to be some kind of base, are you saying it's a soft base?

Yes the base is soft, the entire animal is soft and has a texture similar to that of anemones and soft corals

 

[jabberwock]

Anything is possible I guess but really doesnt look like any kind of fan/tube worm Ive seen, none of them are building tubes and none of them have filter fans

I strongly disagree!

It is certainly NOT a cat!!!! That would not be possible!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tunicate it is

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

UPDATE: forgot to take pics but I ended up scraping them off the plug and put them in a breeder box, gonna see if any are still alive tomorrow. The “nests” seem to have been eggs? As they all released and the black blobby thing separated from them. ‍

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

UPDATE: forgot to take pics but I ended up scraping them off the plug and put them in a breeder box, gonna see if any are still alive tomorrow. The “nests” seem to have been eggs? As they all released and the black blobby thing separated from them. ‍

Pics tomorrow please!

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Any update/pictures on this?

 

[ManWithAClam]

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