Unknown Polyp

[sttroyiii]

I had some hitchhiker polyps that have been growing since the beginning of January when I started my tank. They are finally growing up big enough to get a picture of. They are in the middle of the tank, so its hard to focus, but I guess I could take the rockwork down and set them closer to the glass to get a better picture if needed. One picture I tried enhancing, but I dont think it helped too much.

The largest one is about the size of the dime. There are about 3 total, in the dead center of the picture. The other two are lower, and in a crevice so they are hard to see in the pics. They all touch each other. They are round, with a mouth in the depressed center. When I first turn on the actinics, they glow a very bright green. As they inflate, they lose some of the glow, and they gradually get a translucent purple/brown. Around the outside edge, there are some raised bumps. It reminds me of the head of a candy cane polyp, minus the stem underneath. There are tiny tentacles that make a ring the polyp between the mouth and the edge. Sometimes they extend ever so slightly (1/16")at night. In the closeup, the mouth is pinched in a little, and you cant see it.

I have tried getting a piece of food to stick to the tentacles/mouth, but they never stick. Ive never seen it eat, so maybe it filters the water. The tank is just 2.5 months old now. I'd like to know what it is, and what it eats. Thanks!!

 

[chemisfun11]

I'd love to know the I.D. on this one. I have something very similar in my tank, but I have not mastered the photos yet.

 

[sttroyiii]

Anybody else?

 

[sttroyiii]

TTT

 

[Paintbug]

thats odd looking. can you tell if it has a skeleton? or is it a soft coral?

 

[sttroyiii]

Its soft...when something touches it, it deflates almost flat. Since it is very young, is it possible it hasnt built a base yet?

 

[Paintbug]

dont know. it doesnt look like anything you dont want in the tank, and by the feeder tenticles i would say its a LPS of some kind. i would say just let it grow . once it starts taking shape someone here should be able to ID it.

 

[mystikdragon7]

It almost looks like it could be a shriveled up type of mushroom.

 

[sttroyiii]

Nope, nothing like any mushroom I have seen. Think of a candy cane head, minus the base. The edges are firmly attached, and nothing will flip up around the sides like a mushroom would.

It started really small, so I was thinking this would be about as big as it gets. It has 3 small offspring underneath it, you can just barely make them out. In the closeup, you are seeing the main polyp with the 3 babies along the bottom left. Maybe that helps.

 

[smleee]

Looks like a mushie to me. Can you get a better close up pic?

eee

 

[Paintbug]

hmmm i have never seen a mushroom with sweeper tenticles?!?!

 

[sttroyiii]

Alright, Ill tear down the rock tonight to get a picture of it closer to the glass....

 

[sttroyiii]

Well I didnt get around to moving the rock yet for pictures. However, I held a piece of bloodworm against the biggest polyp last night, and it took it. The small ring of tentacles constricted until the worm was enveloped inside of it. After just 3 minutes, it was opening up for another one. Two of the three polyps ate a bloodworm. Maybe if I feed it regularly now, it will grow faster. Ill get some mysis next. So I guess that rules mushroom out.

chemisfun11:
Have you tried feeding yours? How big are they? Maybe you can do what I am going to do, put the rock up close to the glass so the camera is easier to focus.

 

[LivingTropicals]

Looks like one of those things you find in tidepool areas and when you touch them they constrict and sometimes shoot water out. Hard to tell though.

 

[sttroyiii]

It constricts when touched. Since its underwater, I cant tell if water shoots out.