Eggs... Everywhere??!!

[LuckyInk]

Eggs... Everywhere??!!
The reason I type this as if I were perplexed is because I am. I have not seen a captive spawning event like this before. I have unidentified eggs virtually everywhere in my tank right now. All of them are under a ledge and hard to photograph with the exception of one batch. Any idea what decided to get busy in my nano? The look like snail eggs so they very well may be. Note the size of the serpulid worms in the second pic.
I have nassarius, bumble bees and turbos in my tank now. I wonder it they are the ones making the babies. Anyone else see these type of eggs before?

 

[Kensn]

Could it be a type of sponge instead? Just looks a little like one.

 

[Woodstock]

I was thinking the same thing Ken... sponge of some sort.

 

[LuckyInk]

I was thinking it may be a sponge as well, but they appeared pretty much overnight.

 

[mps9506]

My turbos lay eggs quite often, but they are usually in a couple of relativley straight lines and I always see them on the glass.
Dunno what else to tell you except here is a bump.

 

[KimPossible]

It looks like the begennings of Clathrina Latticework sponge.
If you have the book Invertabrates part of the Oceanographic Series by Julian Sprung~~Check out page 33.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Very nice detective work, Kim!

 

[Woodstock]

Very nice detective work, Kim!

Indeed!

 

[Boomer]

I would go with the eggs, no sponge, it is way to geometrically perfect. There are two spots both with about the same size structure, kinda points to eggs, especially if they appeared overnight. If an animal more than likely one of the Ascidians.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Got a pic to go with that diagnosis, Dr. Boomer? TIA!

 

[Boomer]

Just one on ascidians

http://www.reefimages.com/cgi-reefimages/page.cgi?list=Sponges&slide=142.jpg

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Well Chris?

 

[Boomer]

Will he help us on the ID Craig

 

[Craig Manoukian]

I agree with you Boomer that the ID link you provided is very close to his picture.

 

[LuckyInk]

Thanks everyone.
I really don't see any content in the 'eggs', so I'm not totally convinced that they are what I originally thought. The cells look either empty or transparent. I spent an hour in front of the tank trying to see something I haven't over the past few nights. While these spots are TINY, I really cant make out too much. Each set is under an overhang in the rock, with no direct sunlight. Furthermore, if they were eggs, I would suspect my busy lil' emerald crab would have gobbled them up during his daily rock patrol.
I took more pics tonight, but none of them are as good as the first two, but I am saving them, none the less. I will snap more pics later in the week to see if I can spot some growth. If I do, I will post pics and we can debate this further.
On another note, I do have those small white sponges in my fuge, so I know it is definitely possible for my system to support those critters.
Till then, I will continue to be more fascinated and less shocked!
C

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Thanks for the report Chris!