Any idea what these things are?

[fmelindy]

I've got a piece of LR in my nano cube covered with these things. Any idea what they are?

 

[rubberduck]

hmmmmmmmmmmmm........they look like indevidual star polyps.....i could be wrong.
lets hear from more people

 

[fmelindy]

They don't move at all, and those projections seem rigid (i.e. they don't "sway" in the current).

 

[bang guy]

My guess would be some type of calcareous algae.

 

[fmelindy]

Yes, they just might be that. I've noticed as they get a little bigger (and that's happening in front of my eyes throughout the day) that the tips are taking on a blade like appearance. The odd thing is that they started to grow in a tank where I was curing live rock with no light whatsoever so I'm still not sure. However, they have really taken off since I put them in my nano.

 

[fmelindy]

Anyone else want to take a guess?

 

[shawnts106]

Back look closer, I dont think calcarious... more just some kind of brown macro... its traslucient... kinda see through ( translucient?... maybe wrong word)... My guess is a type of fleshy macro...

 

[bang guy]

I could agree with that as well. Could even be a sponge.
Calcareous algae would be brittle and snap off pieces very easily.

 

[imok335]

Looks like the bad kind of anemone called Aiptasis. If it is, they sting. Use the handle of your net and try to touch it. If it is, it will retract when you get near it.
Aiptasis anemones are a pest because they sting you and other animals in your tank, and they are VERY invasive. It is a hitch-hiker, and I have read they can spawn 600 or more at a time. I hope I'm wrong, I am dealing with that problem myself. I have tried cutting them out, next I will try Peppermint Shrimp.

 

[wax32]

It isn't aiptasia.

 

[bigarn]

Originally Posted by wax32
It isn't aiptasia.

Agreed.

 

[shawnts106]

Bang, sponge would not grow so quickly.... also, what sponge produces brown pigment with white new grow pigment on the tips of its fingers?.. none that Im aware of...
Its Macro Algea of some species.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by shawnts106
Bang, sponge would not grow so quickly.... also, what sponge produces brown pigment with white new grow pigment on the tips of its fingers?.. none that Im aware of...
Its Macro Algea of some species.
I agree it's probably some type of algae, either Macro or Micro.
But I have seen sponges that grow very fast that are brownish with white tips. They're usually only found in the dark though.

 

[rubberduck]

yah lets try to find what it is and then put it on hitchhicker thread

 

[fmelindy]

i'll take another pic in a couple of days to see changes but I agree that it's starting to look a lot like brown macro algae. Odd how it sprang up in the dark like that, though.