White anemone-like zoa hitchhiker (not aiptasia)

[sam.basye]

I need help identifying something that is growing next to a small zoa bush in my tank.

The zoas have doubled since owning them about 2-3 months and I just notice the perp in question.

Description:
Milky white
Has anemone-like tentacles (like aiptasia) similar to a spaghetti worm tentacle, but slightly thicker
About an inch long between the wall and zoas
Does not retract like aiptasia when touched
Not a single anemone polyp, more of a mat


I'm not sure yet if it is killing the zoas or not. It might be as there is a void of new zoas around it.



These are the best pics I was able to get. It is to the left of the zoas.











Thanks!

 

[Betta132]

If it doesn't move when touched, it's not a coral or anemone. I'd say it's probably a vaguely anemone-like sponge. No, it's not hurting your zoas- it's just sitting there being a sponge.

 

[sam.basye]

Thanks betta, I've sorta been thinking it's a sponge, but haven't seen any sponges that fit the description yet.

I can't tell for sure, but I think it might be encrusting the wall below the zoas as well; as a thin opaque film about the size of a quarter. Similar to sponge growth.

I might see if I can get a pic up close with my phone in a waterproof drypak or my action camera if I can get it to focus that close.. we'll see tomorrow.

 

[Betta132]

I don't think anybody's discovered every single species of sponge yet. There are a LOT of different varieties.
I've seen this type before, or at least something similar to it, mostly growing under rocks. It's reasonably slow-growing, and if it ever starts to encroach upon the zoas, it's easily peeled away.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Yes, it's a sponge.

 

[sam.basye]

I decided it kept encroaching on, and smothering my zoas, so I removed it with the end of a pipette. It came off fairly easily and mostly one piece.

Here are the best pics I could get:





Thanks everyone for your contribution.

 

[Betta132]

You can plop it back into the rockwork away from corals and let it grow if you want. It's a filter-feeder and generally considered to be good.

 

[sam.basye]

Update:

Thanks betta for the suggestion, but I had already sinked it.. Thought about throwing it in the 'fuge afterwards.

I ended up watching the zoas over the past month and just pulled the frag off the wall because it started smothering the zoas and I had lost about 6 since posting this. I tooth-brushed it all as best I could off the wall and frag, dipped the zoas in Rx and placed them somewhere else. Will post again if it comes back.