Help a Newbie with some ID's please

[BOBREID]

Hi, wondering if you could make a couple of id's for me ?
Bought a mushroom rock from lfs & it has a weird grey/green formation on it that kinda looks like molten wax. It's slimy to the touch & seems to be somewhat hollow. Emerging from the central part of the formation are stony parts that do not respond to any provocation but do appear to be growing.

Front & side pics below (apologies, used camera phone)

Also the lfs threw in a frag with the mushroom rock. It has a stony vibrant pink base with whitish extensions with green fanned ends (ends kinda look like zenia) These retract into the sony parts when touched or dark. Pic below, any ideas ?

Thanks in advance

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

1) most likely a sponge
2) pipe organ coral

 

[BurntOutReefer]

1) sponge
2) GSP (Green Star Polyps)..

 

[BOBREID]

Thanks guys. Do these type of sponges spread quickly ? If so can they be safely removed/fragged whilst in the main tank or will they release pollutants ?

 

[BurntOutReefer]

I'd leave it alone...it will split by its self (if happy)...feed it liquid food (i.e. ChromaMax) .....good luck...they tend to be kinda hard to keep....

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Pic 1: Sponge
Pic 2: Sponge
Pic 3: Anthelia

 

[frederickk]

Sponge look to be a good anwser

 

[BOBREID]

Definately a consensus on the sponge. Still not sure about the id's of the final pic after resaerching each selection on the web.

Anthelia seemed a pretty good match but it seems thay are a fully soft coral. The pink base of my coral is rock hard.

 

[Bambalam]

I agree with BurnedOutReefer on the last pic - green star polyp.

 

[fareforce]

First picture is a Chicken Liver Sponge. Here is another pic:

These aptly-named sponges are typically gray. You may find them "drooping", hanging half off of a rock -- this is their means of reproduction. Thay split in two. You can safely snip the drooping portion off if you wish. Photo: patsan



The second picture is a Green star polyp

 

[cragganmore]

The Green Star Polyps could also be some related but unknown genus. I've seen ones that look a lot like Pachyclavularia sp., but have been identified in coral references as "undescribed polyps" or sold as "daisy polyps." Luckily, I think it's a moot point, since they all seem to have similar requirements.

Great photos (especially for a camera phone), btw!