What are these? Cannot figure it out. Hitchhiker ID

[vaguelyreeflike]

Any update/pictures on this?

Honestly never found answers and then had an explosion/infestation of them after accidentally freeing some of the eggs, theres one or two still now that i spot occasionally. I forgot to send myself the updated pics of them “crawling” around the breeder box

never seemed to harm anything other than have a population boom.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Honestly, I would reach out to some local marine biology institutions and see if someone can't help you ID it or find someone who can ID it, as this is a very interesting creature you've got, and, personally, I would love to find out what they are.

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Honestly, I would reach out to some local marine biology institutions and see if someone can't help you ID it or find someone who can ID it, as this is a very interesting creature you've got, and, personally, I would love to find out what they are.

Thats my plan at this point honestly, I just want answers and Im surprised that this forum couldnt ID them with all the experience here lol

 

[jabberwock]

I believe it is a tunicate know as a sea squirt.

Someone mentioned marine biology. Which triggered a memory from 15 years ago. My wife's previous boss was a marine biologist. We took pictures of something similar that we observed on a beach vacation. The marine biologist definitively said, "sea squirts"

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

I believe it is a tunicate know as a sea squirt.

Someone mentioned marine biology. Which triggered a memory from 15 years ago. My wife's previous boss was a marine biologist. We took pictures of something similar that we observed on a beach vacation. The marine biologist definitively said, "sea squirts"

I think that’s probably what it is but it looks so different from pics i can find haha

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Sea Squirt is a term used generically for all tunicates (also called ascidians). It’s a good guess, and I know there are a few black tunicates (I’m not familiar with any that I think could be this creature though), but the “nest” of eggs/larvae/juveniles/buds displayed is quite interesting to me.

OP, if you find out what it is for sure (especially if down to the genus/species level), please let us know - they’re quite unique little specimens, and I’d love to learn more about them.

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Sea Squirt is a term used generically for all tunicates (also called ascidians). It’s a good guess, and I know there are a few black tunicates (I’m not familiar with any that I think could be this creature though), but the “nest” of eggs/larvae/juveniles/buds displayed is quite interesting to me.

OP, if you find out what it is for sure (especially if down to the genus/species level), please let us know - they’re quite unique little specimens, and I’d love to learn more about them.

I will definitely update if i figure it out!!

 

[madmarks]

+1 on tunicate. Looks like some sort of black sea squirt.