Sea squirts

[mar-y-sol]

Hi, I have been reading a couple of forums and saw that some people are using sea squirts in their sump/refugium to clean the water. Does anybody know how easily they reproduce and if they are removed from their rock to be placed somewhere else will they live and reattach themselves?

 

[charlesr1958]

Reproduction and/or spread of tunicates is fairly hit or miss. I suppose dependant on if their food sources are abundant enough. There are only a few tunicates that I know of that are large enough and tough enough to be removed and placed elsewhere. The majority of any tunicates you would find coming in as hitch hikers tend to be extremely delicate and not something easily moved I would think.

This article by Dr. Ron Shimek is a great read.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rs/index.php

Chuck