odd jellybean like things?

[HaleyM]

I took a blurry picture of these things that are growing on my rock. They are actually kind of pretty, the largest ones are the size of jellybeans. At first I didn't worry about them too much there were only 6 or 7. Well now they are showing up on different rocks. I have spent a few hours searching on line for matching pictures, to identify them with no luck. I just need to know if they are a "pest" or not to be worried about. --Haley

PS why is it always me who ends up with wierd-ball things in my tank?

 

[capncapo]

Does the photo show the true colors of them? Any holes or "spouts" on them?

 

[Grace's Dad]

red bubble algae, at the bottom of this article.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php

 

[Letmegrow]

The body looks like a sponge I have seen a million times.
The orange speckles are odd.

My guess is Sponge, Bryzoan, or Tunicate.
99% likely they are harmless, but if there are hundreds of them and they die enmass then you would probly want to do a water change.

Do you have alot of detritus in your tank ?
(Haven't seen you in months ! Where have you been ?)

 

[Letmegrow]

Are they transparent ?
Do they pop or squish or tear ?
Can you take them off ?

 

[HaleyM]

The color of it is much brighter and prettier than that photo shows, the under body of it is maroon and sort of clear-ish, but the top part is opaque, a blue-ish grey. The spots are bright orange and each spot is ringed in black. There is a white line across the middle of each one, that looks like where a mouth would be but there isn't a mouth. They do not come off the rock easily, and I have not tried squishing them. When they start off as little babies they dont have the orange spots, only the white line and opaque top, the spots come as they get bigger.

The article about red bubble algae doesn't talk about any markings. Still maybe the same thing tho?

And yes I have a detritus problem, I let my clean up crew grow too small and now the new crew is slowly working its way out of the mess. I had a big mean crab that was killing everyone off, but he is gone now. Do I need a sand sifting cuke?

Yes I know I have been remiss about visiting you there, Steve. It seems like everytime you SLASH guys have a get together I have other crap going on. One of these days I will make it though.

 

[StupidsReef]

I agree with Steve, I think they are a sponge or tunicate. I done some research in the past of these and they appear to be of that origin. Not a fact JMO. I would say yes to the cuke, A must have to help keep the sand clean. Another good sand cleaner IMO is a sand sifting bleny. For example like a Orangespotted or Diamond bleny. I had one who stirred my sand no-stop keeping it looking bright and then the 2 cukes I had would clean it as well.

Once again these are JMO's I'm no expert on the issue.

 

[Phyto]

To me, it looks exactly like the same red bubble algae I have in my tank.

 

[Letmegrow]

Red algae - Even with the orange things on it ?

The picture is playing tricks on my eyes, because of the transparency of the mystery object. If I saw it in person I would be able to tell.

 

[HaleyM]

I took one off of the rock this evening. It had a skin on the outside that was unbroken. It was definatly anchored to the vertical face of the rock not just setting on it. I would now have to say it was more disc shaped like a plain m & m, than jellybean. I was able to mush it a little like a raisin with out puncturing it.

The bubble algae that I have ever seen/handled had a harder outer skin like a grape.

When it was out of the water the color faded so that the spots didnt look orange anymore just black. Not sure it this helps or even matters??? Thanks for everyone's input.