Something Different

[yardboy]

At least to me.
I've never posted or hardly read here, but it's the only place I could figure placing this.
I was diving at the St. Andrew's jetties in Panama City Beach this morning, (yea, Brrrr, but at least it was 65d) looking for macro's and beginning my season of watching the jetties undergo their yearly transformation from algae covered to "nearly-tropical reef"
I found this thing, tumbling along in the current, obviously broken loose from its anchor on the rocks (I later found a whole community of many colonies between two rocks). I collected it, along with some Gracillaria and Ulva. At first I thought it was some kind of macro, but when I got it home and put it into my quarantine collection tank, I noticed it's ends closing almost like Xenia. I figured it was some strange invert and so thought you all could help. Anyway, any opinions, guess's or educated answers would be appreciated.

 

[yardboy]

Here's another shot, it looks less pinkish here for some reason. The centers of the "polyps" are definitely redish/pink.
The "core" of the critter seems like it's about the diameter of a pencil, but I didn't get to squeezing it too much, seemed so fragile. I glued the end (They were definitely attached to the rocks by that end) to a plug to have it hanging in the current.
Thanks in advance for any help in identifying it.

 

[graveyardworm]

I'm fairly certain its a type of hydroid. Possibly an aggressive colonizer without predation.

 

[yardboy]

Which might also mean a bleached quarantine tank to ensure it doesn't spread to my display!
Thanks. Let's see if I can get any more opinions, seconded motions, etc.
Thanks for your idea. You may very well be right.

 

[LeslieH]

Sorry, that is a clump of solitary hydroids. It could belong to one of several genera that can't be identified from a photo. These do have a sting that varies in intensity from species to species. If it didn't hurt you when you handled it then it probably won't affect your other tank inhabitants. There's a photo of something similar here:
http://diver.net/elaine/uploads/a/Ross_O/121605/014.jpg
To learn more about hydroids read this column :
http://web.archive.org/web/20020815020152/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/wb/default.asp

for more images of similar hydroids google Tubularia

 

[yardboy]

Thank you so much Leslie.
So, uh, duh, I did post in the right forum then, eh? It is an invert.
No way of knowing what it might eat or if it would survive in this 10 gallon quarantine tank then? It keeps closing and opening its polyps, and I can see that some of them have "stuff" in them. So are they attached to just some piece of substrate, since you called them solitary?
They didn't sting when I picked them up, but then I was kinda careful with them, and my hands are pretty calloused.
Should I try phyto or DT's or anything else to see if they will survive?

Edit: You've blown your cover Leslie, that first link is to Homeland Security!
Also, what can I do to get to know you better Leslie, (I'm married, not that kind of knowing) as a kid my family and I traveled to LA from Mississippi and I so fell in love with the Museum of Natural History. Last year I was on a 5 hour layover and tried to find the place but couldn't, what a disappointment. I'll never forget the dinosaurs from La Brea!

 

[yardboy]

Closer view:

 

[graveyardworm]

It is likely that they will eat a variety of food and sizes, frozen rotifiers if you can get them, cyclopeeze.

 

[LeslieH]

Yep, this is the place. This hydroid is solitary in the sense that there's one polyp per individual & that single polyp both feeds & carries the reproductive structures. Colonial hydroids have multiple specialized polyps for feeding & reproduction that share a common gut & basal portion. These big solitary hydroids are filter feeders eating phytoplantkon, zooplantkon, & detritus depending on species & size. There probably isn't enough produced in your quarantine tank so it will need supplimental feeding. Try both phyto & DTs; some are known to eat copepods as well.

Homeland security? You caught me. I'm an undercover agent on the trail of undesirable alien inverts planning to subvert the foundation of US tank life..... Get to know me better? I'm a sucker for a box of chocolates and a bag of blooming worms.

The museum has probably changed since you were a kid. All the saber tooth tigers & other La Brea fossils are in a separate museum right at the tar pits on Wilshire & La Brea avenues. The main museum has a couple of halls devoted to dinosaurs & fossil reptiles like pleiosaurs plus classic mammal dioramas. We're not that far from the airport, on Exposition Blvd right between USC & the Coliseum.

 

[yardboy]

Wow, thanks so much for the info you guys! Leslie, keep up the good work protecting us from those evil terrorist worms. I wonder if the florist has those type of blooms? I'll check!
Nothing seems to stay the same, except some memories. That's okay though. Next trip, I'll just spend my time in the invertebrate displays!