ID Please?

[justjes45]

OK – this is a weird "glob" thing.
Tank has been up and running for almost a year and a half. I have not added anything new, this thing showed up two weeks ago and was the size of an eraser on a pencil. Every week it almost doubles in size. Now it is the size of a junior mint... Sort of-
These are the best pictures I could get. It wiggles with the current, does not change location. Looks like a bunch of red bubbles stuck together…
It sort of looks an egg sac but I only have two fish- a clown and chromis..?

 

[mcmc1717]

I have no idea.

 

[Salty1962]

Sponge?

 

[cloak]

How does it feel to the touch? Somewhat rubbery or kind of firm and abrasive?

 

[justjes45]

How does it feel to the touch? Somewhat rubbery or kind of firm and abrasive?

I wasn't sure if I should touch it-
Tomorrow is my water change day, I will give it a poke/pet!

 

[justjes45]

Sponge?

That is what i thought, it just seems to be growing quickly and I haven't changed anything !

 

[Zoey]

so, did you give it a poke?

 

[justjes45]

So... Yes! And it is neat/ weird.
Not hard like a sponge.
Bubble/ fleshy.
NOT a "Uni-bubble". Sort of segmented.
I am going to keep it and watch it- it doesn't seem to be doing any harm.

 

[Toadfish]

Either a sponge or a tunicate at a quick guess.

 

[justjes45]

Hmm never heard of a "tunicates" I will look that up! Thanks!

 

[McMullen]

Really difficult to tell from the pic. Zooming in and looking at the edges resembles a mushroom. The growing may simply be it expanding.

 

[justjes45]

Yeah, it is more bubbly/ wavy than a mushroom- maybe I can get another pic later-
Tempted to stick my kids Go-Pro in the tank!

 

[Zoey]

yes! Go-pro!

 

[Naiad]

My guess is a species of colonial tunicate. They grow fast.

http://echinoblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/beautiful-creepy-things-about-tunicates.html?m=1

If you scroll down you will see a blue ball tunicate. I think that's what you have going on only red and much smaller right now.

 

[justjes45]

So neat! I have my tank up for about 14 months now and I have no idea where it came from! I like it! Are they harmful?

 

[Naiad]

Nope just simple filter feeders.

 

[Toadfish]

Tunicates are awesome. I really want some.

 

[Maritimer]

Tunicates really are rather remarkable - believe they're in the phylum "Chordata", along with flasher wrasses ... and us!

~Bruce, who encountered free-floating tunicates - salps - in the Atlantic last summer . . .

 

[mniemann]

Why can't I ever get a cool unexpected pop up piece. The only things that ever randomly pop up in my tank is aptasia or cyano lol

 

[Toadfish]

Maritimer, yep. They have a notochord. Absolutely fascinating creatures most reefers think are just sponges -if they think about them at all.