What is my sun coral growing on? It's alive!

[rsigler]

Hey Gang,

About two weeks ago I purchased a sun coral from my LFS. Staring at my new coral, I could swear it was moving! I just assumed there was a hermit crab under it.

Well today I figured it out. The rock it is growing on really isn't a rock. It's alive!

What is this thing, and how do I feed it? If it dies, will it fill my tank with ammonia, etc?

I used a light in one of the photos so you can see the inside of it.

Thanks!

Rob

 

[Uslanja]

Very cool! No idea what it is exactly but some type of bi-valve. Has a shell that to us looks similar to an Oyster. If we had that we would be sure to feed live phytoplankton and try to keep it alive. If it doesn't make it we would assume that your CUC will make short work of the insides and then just an inert shell should remain. Very nice score!!

 

[Blue Space]

Yep! Looks like a clam! Nice!

 

[sasquatch]

by the black mantle Id say oyster, somebody probably added some to their tank for filtration and it got storked by the sun

 

[sk8rdn]

by the black mantle Id say oyster, somebody probably added some to their tank for filtration and it got storked by the sun

Sas, how do you know it has a fireplace? Let alone that it's black? Lol.

....Broadcast in High Fidelity Stereo Sound where available....

 

[slakker]

I think it's a type of oyster as well... They're filter feeders, so shouldn't require any special feeding

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

Very unusual.

 

[sasquatch]

Sas, how do you know it has a fireplace? Let alone that it's black? Lol.

....Broadcast in High Fidelity Stereo Sound where available....

some people divine by Haruspices, I read poo

 

[dmatt88]

Ya never know what ur gonna get in this hobby. Pretty sweet for sure.

I'm Matt n I hate heaters.

 

[MJC]

Very cool 2 for 1 lol

 

[PIMPALA]

lol. thats awesome.

 

[ChrisY]

Agreed, thats cool!

Although i thought oysters generally preferred colder water but I could be wrong, but the mantle does look oysterish to me but the shell looks more clamish. Now, to be sure a taste test could work if you didnt disturb the beautiful Sun Coral in the process.

 

[ChrisY]

The very funny part is that its actually the Sun Coral thats the hitchiker in this case.

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

"Weird Science!"