Is this a sponge or a sessile invertebrate?

tracymace1229

tracymace1229

Member
Hi,
The last 2 pieces of live rock I had were covered with some form of organism. The tank at the LFS also had lots of miniature featherdusters growing from the sandbed and all the live rock had these tiny organisms.
They are not your normal polyps. The are different from the sessile sponges that singapore angels eat.
When I first got the live rock, my golden pygmy angel did not seem to eat them even though he cleaned off all the live rock....which was over 40 lbs. but after a month I noticed that there were none left except the hard to get spots under the live rock.
Now about 2 months later I notice in the dark sump part of my refugium what appears to be dozens of the little critters growing all over the walls.
Description:
The largest get about 1 cm long....most are half that length.
They are whitish
Look like a fat slug
kinda narrow on the bottom where it attaches.
The middle is bulbous and seems to be furry/fuzzy
the top is very small and has a tiny opening about the size of a pencil tip...maybe with small tentacles....extremely small.
I doubt they are harmful, but just curious how they spread so quickly to the sump! none has made it into the actual refugium....the algea and copepods fill that area already!
any thoughts? And no they are too small to get a good pic.
thanks
wes and tracy
 
N

nereef

Guest
are you talking about miniature feather dusters? there is an extensive thread on hitchhikers in the archives here. many people here could tell you for sure if you could get a picture.
 
tracymace1229

tracymace1229

Member
it is nothing like any type of featherdusters. There were some miniature featherdusters in THAT tank at the LFS as well.
No these are 3-6mm long little 'sponges' for a better word invertibrate.
Just would like to know if it is something I would have to watch out for.
I worked at a LFS for 4 years
This particulare LFS has no advanced aquarist....they get all their questions answered from their supplier!!
wes and tracy
 
tracymace1229

tracymace1229

Member
Q-tip sponges: As the name implies, these are sponges that are about the same size and shape as the end of a q-tip swap. They have a small opening at the top, and can also look a bit like a pineapple. Like spirorbid worms, they are often found in young tanks. They are harmless filter feeders that also tend to decline in numbers once tanks mature.
(My apologies to the original poster of this photo, but I don’t have any of my own)
 
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