White Mound on Live Rock

[kywill]

This white translucent mound popped up overnight. Tank is well established, without any major issues for the past 2 years. Any ideas? It seems rigid and sprouted from one tiny stem like branch. There has been no change in size over the past week.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

This white translucent mound popped up overnight. Tank is well established, without any major issues for the past 2 years. Any ideas? It seems rigid and sprouted from one tiny stem like branch. There has been no change in size over the past week.

View attachment 2968610

From the description, I would guess it's some kind of macroalgae, I'm not sure. Maybe someone else will know for you. Do you have pics of it from any other angles?

Also, welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[jabberwock]

following

 

[kywill]

From the description, I would guess it's some kind of macroalgae, I'm not sure. Maybe someone else will know for you. Do you have pics of it from any other angles?

Also, welcome to Reef2Reef!

Here is another picture. Thanks for the welcome. I was a long time lurker prior to this post.

 

[kywill]

Also, it is the same from every angle, it is like a dome sitting on the rock. And…. Now I have one on a different rock. I’m confused

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Also, it is the same from every angle, it is like a dome sitting on the rock. And…. Now I have one on a different rock. I’m confused

View attachment 2969069

Are there any nudibranchs in you tank? Because some species will lay egg cases like this.

 

[kywill]

Are there any nudibranchs in you tank? Because some species will lay egg cases like this.

Interesting…when my wife came home with a false pyjama chromodoris annae nudibranch about 7-8 months ago I figured it would starve. I haven’t seen it in quite some time.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Interesting…when my wife came home with a false pyjama chromodoris annae nudibranch about 7-8 months ago I figured it would starve. I haven’t seen it in quite some time.

I honestly expect it would starve too. Do you happen to have any pics of your nudibranch? Most Chromodoris eggs I've seen are noticeably different than these.

It may still be a macroalgae (I'm not very familiar with many macros), but the fact that it's coming up so suddenly and looks similar to some nudibranch egg masses leads me to think it's probably not a macro.

Do you have any other oddball sea snails (including limpets, conchs, etc.) or sea slugs (nudibranchs, sea hares, etc.)?

 

[Rtaylor]

I don’t suppose you can get a better close-up? The “mound” itself is pretty fuzzy in the pic.

 

[kywill]

I don’t suppose you can get a better close-up? The “mound” itself is pretty fuzzy in the pic.

Best I could do was a top down with pumps off. Is this any better?

 

[kywill]

I honestly expect it would starve too. Do you happen to have any pics of your nudibranch? Most Chromodoris eggs I've seen are noticeably different than these.

It may still be a macroalgae (I'm not very familiar with many macros), but the fact that it's coming up so suddenly and looks similar to some nudibranch egg masses leads me to think it's probably not a macro.

Do you have any other oddball sea snails (including limpets, conchs, etc.) or sea slugs (nudibranchs, sea hares, etc.)?

Definitely seems like some sort of egg sac, I took the 1st one that appeared out. Here is the underside.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Definitely seems like some sort of egg sac, I took the 1st one that appeared out. Here is the underside.

KEWL!!

 

[1epauletteshark]

Definitely seems like some sort of egg sac, I took the 1st one that appeared out. Here is the underside.

Cool! You should put them back and keep them to see what hatches

 

[kywill]

Cool! You should put them back and keep them to see what hatches

I put them back, I’ve got two mounds so far

 

[vetteguy53081]

This white translucent mound popped up overnight. Tank is well established, without any major issues for the past 2 years. Any ideas? It seems rigid and sprouted from one tiny stem like branch. There has been no change in size over the past week.

View attachment 2968610

Looks like sponge or tunicates, but pic is too fuzzy to confirm which but i believe tunicates
May be Mangrove tunicates.

 

[Steve2020]

Best I could do was a top down with pumps off. Is this any better?

Looks like it has oval mouths or some type of openings. Does it look similar like this?

 

[kywill]

Looks like it has oval mouths or some type of openings. Does it look similar like this?
View attachment 2969885

No, the ends are more like petals or ribbons. No really cylindrical.

 

[Eric Cohen]

ribbon like which would mean nudibranch eggs........

 

[kywill]

ribbon like which would mean nudibranch eggs........

That seems like it might be. I posted a picture of the actual eggs. Just trying to figure out if there is a nudibranch alive in my tank now.

 

[kywill]

I honestly expect it would starve too. Do you happen to have any pics of your nudibranch? Most Chromodoris eggs I've seen are noticeably different than these.

It may still be a macroalgae (I'm not very familiar with many macros), but the fact that it's coming up so suddenly and looks similar to some nudibranch egg masses leads me to think it's probably not a macro.

Do you have any other oddball sea snails (including limpets, conchs, etc.) or sea slugs (nudibranchs, sea hares, etc.)?

No other oddballs. Just the normal fighting conch.