Colonial Tunicate? ID? Pinkish and light blue.

[Lycoperdon]

My LFS got this in a few weeks ago and my mind was blown. I believe it's a colonial Tunicate, but I'm open to being corrected otherwise. I slept on this for a few days and tried to find information on this variety, but came up short. I know they're filter feeders, and some are difficult, while others are bullet-proof. At $50 for a ~6" disc, I decided to take the chance and see if I can keep it happy. I've never seen anything like this in person in my years haunting LFS. It's pinkish and very light blue. What do we think?

 

[Peter Houde]

Definitely look like colonial tunicates to me. If you can get a close up look with even just a magnifying glass you may be able to confirm that ID if you can see the pores of a pharyngeal basket. I've been able to see that in at least some of the colonial and solitary tunicates that have turned up spontaneously in my tank. Mine are clear, white, and yellow, and they don't like the tank lights.

 

[IceNein]

That is definitely a colonial tunicate. Very pretty. No idea how hard it will be to keep it alive. Best of luck.

 

[Llyod276]

Maybe scrape that bubble algea off of it first...

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

For sure colonial tunicates:

with some species being able to grow over and smother healthy corals), so I usually suggest these ones be isolated on their own rock separate from the main rockwork so you can more easily control the spread. They neat little critters though.

If you want to try and help the tunicates do well, offering some phytoplankton would probably be wise. Isochrysis and Rhodomonas or a blend containing at least one of these would be my first choice. For a more intensive diet that would likely show better results, see "Table 3" in the link below:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7347631/