Unusual critter growing on polyps...

[hermocentricorbit]

Hello all! I seem to have some strange growth/critter(?) along my clove polyps, it certainly doesn't look like anything that grows along the clove polyps that I've seen here...It seems fairly embedded in the colony which was bought from a reputable LFS. Is this a parasite? It almost looks like a tentacle or a worm of some kind...

 

[Diesel]

@Lionfish Lair

 

[KJ]

Tunicate.

 

[Tahoe61]

Tunicate.

^^Yup.

 

[ahiggins]

even though tunicates are good ones to have...I dont think having it directly on the polyp is a good idea.
Can you pull it off?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Tunicates are usually not problematic in our tanks, as it's not an environment they thrive in. They like a nice dirty tank. They are known as a fouling organism and back home we have a lot of trouble with them on the lines of aquacultured mussels. That is an amazing photo.

 

[Tahoe61]

That looks like a wild pieces. Does the coral open?

 

[hermocentricorbit]

Thanks for all your input everyone! I tried picking at one but they seem pretty determined to stay where they are and I don't want to damage my colony. Seeing as they don't seem to harmful I'd love to try and keep them, I feed phytofeast and marine snow, would that be enough to keep 'em happy?

Most of the clove polyps open, most only partially, I'm still working on figuring why.

 

[Roboson]

Tunicates are filter feeders I believe, they require dissolved nutrients to survive. I don't think target feeding them is really an option, but I'm no expert on those.

 

[Hans-Werner]

Very unusual growth of a synascidian, a colonial tunicate. Usually they disappear after some time without taking any measure.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

If this actually starts to smother the zoas, I would love for you to tag me. I'd be very interested to know.

 

[hermocentricorbit]

Thanks for all your help everyone! I'll keep an eye on the colony and we'll see how it affects the clove polyps