What was this ugly thing I removed?

[slice]

I hope all of you had a great Memorial Day weekend!
During close inspection, I found this....this thing on the highest rock in my tank. I siphoned it
out the next day during a water change.
It was about 3/8" tall, whitish-gray, semi-transparent and appeared to be hollow. It came off the rock easily. I did not bother with a pic, I just wanted it out. Here is a quick sketch:
Thanks in advance!
Attachment 243066

 

[spanko]

Not a bad picture. either a sponge or a tunicate would be my guess from this picture. Harmless filter feeder.

 

[slice]

Thanks spanko!
I didn't know how to go about searching for it myself; its hard to google "well, it kinda looks like...."
edit: a few minutes later...
yep, now that I know what to search for, yep, that is exactly what it was. Thanks again spanko!!

 

[jstdv8]

you will probably get more. kinda shaped like a pinapple sponge, I had loads of them in my tank at one time and then they slowly dissapeared. now only a few remain

 

[slice]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3274894
you will probably get more.
Thats good. Now that I know it was harmless, I'm a bit sorry I killed the little bugger.

 

[slice]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3274894
you will probably get more.
MORE you say...I gots 1000s now.
"Enjoy the diversity" as our Birthday Boy might say...very cool.
I also have a pod explosion. Big honkin pods, fast movers, too. They are SO big, I can see them on the FAR side of the tank, suckers gotta be 1/32" long or longer, moving ~1/4"/sec.
I am really enjoying watching this evolution.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Slice
http:///forum/post/3274913
Thats good. Now that I know it was harmless, I'm a bit sorry I killed the little bugger.

Still it is better safe than sorry, I don't know how many times I wasn't sure, and couldn't find it after I was told it was bad. I'm sure the "little bugger" has some family in there, so there are more...

 

[yannifish]

If I remember correctly (someone correct me if I am wrong) these sponges grow in tanks with high nutrient levels, which is why they are normally seen in new tanks, but disappear as the tank ages. So in a mature system they might not be bad on there own, but may be an indicator of a different problem.