What are these things growing on my zoa bed?

Acanman

Member
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Noticed these things growing on a zoa bed.
 

theplantman

Active Member
Hard to tell out of the water, they may be some sort of tunicate? When in the water, did they have two openings, one on a side and one towards the top? If so most likely tunicates.
 

whippetguy

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
PREMIUM
Alien pods. Have you seen any bright lights above your home?

In all seriousness, I agree with both posts above.



Sent from John's Tapatalk
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Possibly a Tethya spp. (aka an orange ball sponge). These are many of these, all have spherical bodies and many are shades of color from tans to yellows to oranges.

If you happen to be interested in more information....
Here is a list of Tethya species: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Tethya Lamarck, 1815
And here are a few photos: WoRMS - Photogallery

Here is a list of Cinachyra species: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species
And one photo, but not all of them have spikes off of them: WoRMS - Photogallery

It can be some other species of sponge as well. Always difficult to ID species. But, I think it is a sponge.
A couple of interesting articles on them:
Aquarium Invertebrates: Sponges, Phylum Porifera — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog (older article, 2004)
Aquarium Invertebrates: A Look at the Sponges — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog (more recent article, 2011)

I have a couple in my tank, I think one is a tethya. Here is a photo:
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BTimmons

Active Member
Package them up and I will buy them from you! My Regal Angel keeps hunting in the rocks and I don't have any sponges or tunicates growing yet.
 
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