what is this??

[samanthabrandon]

Is it alive or dead?

 

[tent boy]

my guess is closed up zoanthids

 

[SushiGirl]

They look like zoanthids that aren't very happy, but not dead.

 

[samanthabrandon]

thanks...going to try to make them happy again..wish me luck

 

[GerritM]

Hi Paul and SushiGirl!
Hmmm, zoanthids?
That´s not my guess.
I think more that are tunicates --> "Botrylloides sp. (maybe Botrylloides leachii) ore similar.

 

[SushiGirl]

Looks like zoa polyps to me. I've had several different kinds of tunicates & none looked like zoas. Or are we supposed to be looking at something other than the big zoa colony in the pic?

 

[GerritM]

Or are we supposed to be looking at something other than the big zoa colony in the pic?

I do think that we mean the same thing.

But for me looks it similar to this. And this are def. not zoas. They grow in the shadow under an stone. Whether it really is Botrylloides sp., is another question.

Here a link for a bigger photo:
http://www.reeflex.net/tiere/2151_Botrylloides_leachii.htm

 

[SushiGirl]

Very cool, GerritM, and I think you might be right. I zoomed in on the OP's pic and the tube part looks more clear, zoas certainly wouldn't look clear. Also the ends look like holes rather than zoa mouths. Great ID! I love this place, get to learn stuff all the time!

 

[fishhead79]

Definitely not zoanthids