Watermelon Zoas ?creature? ID please

J

Jenn

I have a nice colony of watermelon zoas and have noticed this creature thing that lives in the middle of them getting larger. It is alive because it contracts when I gently poke it. Does anyone know what it is? It looks like a spider living in it and is a dark color. I also posted this in a general forum, but am quite worried and think I may need to get quick help.

Thanks,
Jenn

[attachment=0]watermelon zoas creature.jpg[/attachment]
 
Its really hard to tell from the pic, but does it move at all, or is it stationary? Also, what colors is it, and is it growing?
It doesn't appear to be hurting the zoas and if it was bad and was that big, it wouldn't wiped out the zoa colony already. Hope this helps.
 
Hi Drew. It does not move places, but does react to the touch. I first noticed it a few weeks ago and it does appear to be growing in size. I tried to get a better pic, but my camera does not zoom and focus well.
 
@TexasDude wrote:
from the pic it almost looks like a cluster of bubble algae. but hard to tell without being able to see detail said:
I Thought that as well but if it refracts, I would it's a better chance that's is either a type of anemone or a polyp of some sort.
Click to expand...
 
first off i would quarantine it if possible to prevent a potential spread. if it is killing your zoas you may think about cutting it off, but if you do don't cut it in the tank. Most problems start small and if it isn't taken care of soon it may spread. I don't want to scare you or anything I'm just thinking its better to get rid of it before it becomes a major problem.
 
Thanks so much for the replies. I have been researching and looking at images of tunicates and think I can rule them out. I guess I need to acquire a small quarantine tank...not sure if its killing them yet or harmful in any way, but do not want to take the chance. This is my mother colony that I frag from and do not want whatever this is to take it over, so I am going to remove it and look at it closer. I will try to take some better pics as I am removing it so everyone can see just incase there is another found out there.
 
i could be wrong but it looks like the algae on the side of that rock might be bryopsis
if so i would be much more worried about that
 
Yes, the algae is a pain and I cannot figure that out either. It started recently and all my parameters are perfect...0 on the nitrates which they state usually causes the bloom. I manually remove it weekly and have 2 emeralds on the way for the bubble type. Its actually not taking over everywhere, but rather in "spots".

Thanks washingtond...I didn't know if it was or not...
 
Oh my gosh SushiGirl, I think you are right! After the lights went off yesterday evening, I got my little LED flashlight and started to really look at it with all my pumps turned off. It does have two openings in its body that appear to be siphons.

Has anyone had these form on their corals/zoanthids before? I hate to bother it its harmless.
 
Some things you have to look at really closely! Tunicates are harmless. I've had them show up on rocks before, but never on a coral frag. Of course, back when I had them, corals didn't really come as frags, they actually came in pretty big colonies on rocks! :D
 
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