Crazy Hitchhiker !!!

[perfectdark]

I havent looked around yet, but this freaked me out a bit. I noticed it when I was just looking around. It is so sensitive that as soon as I wiped the glass of the tank with a paper towel it closed. I have had this candy cane for about 6 months, and never noticed this. Its about 2" long and 3/4" wide, if anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated.
The pics of it are 1 outlining the hitchiker, then without the outline, then of it closed, as you will see it is extremly camoflauged. And lastly the outline of the area when its closed.

I thought at first it was a new candy cane growing but it uses the skeletal part of the coral as a protective shell.

 

[perfectdark]

Also this outline is so you can see the entire area that opens, I have seen it open about 1/16" with those little white/blue tenticals just nudging out. It almost reminds me of a clam.... but I have no idea...

 

[perfectdark]

bump

 

[spanko]

Tagging along to see what others come up with. I do agree with you though it does look like a clam.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2643708
Tagging along to see what others come up with. I do agree with you though it does look like a clam.
If thats true, then the really strange part is, its bottom shell is the stem of the candy cane literally.

 

[spanko]

So the bottom "shell" is the stem of the candy cane, then some type of blue "flesh" then a top "shell" ?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2643735
So the bottom "shell" is the stem of the candy cane, then some type of blue "flesh" then a top "shell" ?
yep, and when you get near it, it closes like a clam.

 

[spanko]

Hmmmmmmmm....................
Looks like a clam, acts like a clam, does it smell like a clam?

If so then it must be a clam.

Don't know PD let's see what others think. The picture almost looks like blue tentacles though instead of a mantle. Is that correct?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2643735
So the bottom "shell" is the stem of the candy cane, then some type of blue "flesh" then a top "shell" ?
yep, and when you get near it, it closes like a clam.

 

[m0nk]

Just gave my 2 cents to PD over AIM, but thought I'd post just in case others were curious. I think it's a scallop. I have a shell (only slightly bigger) that's just like it and attached to a piece of live rock that must have died before I bought the rock. According to wikipedia, some species can attach to substrate in a "cementing" style when they're adults.

 

[mscarpena]

Also some can burrow. I agree clam or scallop. Is there really any difference anyways.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by mscarpena
http:///forum/post/2644213
Also some can burrow. I agree clam or scallop. Is there really any difference anyways.

Well its a bivalve for sure... I did some research and there are a number of encrusting type hitchikers, actually over 15, 000 so id'ing the exact one is nearly impossible. However some can get pretty large. And 99% of them are harmless filter feeders so no worries for the most part.

 

[renogaw]

i have a clam in my rock, about the size of a hardball. it musta got stuck in the rock as it started to form.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2645162
i have a clam in my rock, about the size of a hardball. it musta got stuck in the rock as it started to form.
WOW.. sweet... any pics of it?

 

[renogaw]

i'll get a pic when my lights go back on. oh also, i have a muscle living in my sun coral...

 

[mr_x]

i have a bunch of those in various places. they seem to be part of the rock. pretty cool. certainly filter feeders that don't require much to live!

 

[paintballer768]

Chiton maybe? Yours being so camo cuz it has coralline on its shell?