Strange thing growing on back of zoos

[speg]

A few weeks ago I was moving around coral in my tank and decided to move a rock of zoos... I grabbed the rock and got pierced by something... on the back of the rock were a bunch of 'spikes'. On some of the spikes some 'feather' like things were coming out of the tops.... anybody got any clue on what these are? If nobody has any clue i'll post a pic when I get a new camera battery.

 

[acrylic300]

Sounds like the small feather duster worms or cluster dusters. Some of them build hard little tubes.

 

[vinsaltank]

Originally Posted by Speg
I grabbed the rock and got pierced by something... on the back of the rock were a bunch of 'spikes'. On some of the spikes some 'feather' like things were coming out of the tops.... anybody got any clue on what these are?

Im sorry Speg.... I laughed my behind off when I read your post..

I too have gotten "stabbed" by small hard "spikes" on my rock and corals too.I have even drawn blood from a stick or 2 and who the hell knows what poked me. :thinking:
It is just funny what we REEF people will endure for the love of this hobby.
Spikes with feathers... how appealing.

Go broke
Get stung
Get stabbed by unknown living objects
Get bitten
Get poisoned( Zoos)
and the list would be endless..

BTW Speg.
Did they look like this? Because these guys are sharp too and I dont know what they are either.

 

[speg]

Thats not a great picture, but yes... it does look a lot like that.

 

[vinsaltank]

Well I got stuck by those about 2 weeks ago. I am still alive..
Maybe we'll start growing gills or tentacles from the microscopic DNA transfer that took place. :thinking:
The gills would be nice I think..
Id go collect my own corals then.

 

[speg]

I'd trade my humanity to be a fish any day

 

[crazyzeus1]

OOOO...I have those things that are on one of my mushroom rocks & the feather things only come out at night & if I shine a flashlight on them, they shrink up. What the heck is that?

 

[speg]

I vote that if its a new discovery... they be called 'Spikey feathery things'.

 

[bigarn]

Hydroids? :thinking:

 

[smarls]

I don't think that picture is hydroids...they look more like a bunch of single tubes with feathers coming out that can retract when stimulated...kind of like little aptasias, except lots of them bunched together with individual ahrd tubes. Unfortunately I have the little baXXXXs,a nd I despise them.
That picture looks to me more like some type of calcium based algae growth...kind of like the little red algae trees you find growing out of live rock. If so, it is nothing to worry about, and nice to have around.
I really do not think it is anything bad.
HTH
Stewart

 

[smarls]

Also, a more remote chance, the thing int he picture could be some form of small gorgonian / sea fan thing that is growing.
Again, that would also be good. I think until you know what it is, I would leave it alone.
Stewart

 

[speg]

Hydroids crossed my mind... but i've not seen any look like these... but its probably some type of hydroid. I hope I can get a pic soon.

 

[salty cheese]

Foraminiferans

 

[smarls]

Yup..those are what I was talking about. Nice work Salty.