Any ideas??

[Lozza]

Can anyone guess at what these are. The first one I found growing on one of my live rocks. Sorry about the pic quality. There are actually 4 growing, they are sort of white and furry, bulbous graduating to thin and then open out like a flower at the top. The second one is growing at the bottom of a different rock, it is fairly transparent and a maroon purple type of colour, can only see one of these. It has a fairly thin base/shaft then goes round with long shafts off the round bit.

I realize from the pics it will be quite hard to give an opinion but anything would help.

Lozza

[charlie]

The second pic looks like aiptasia, but I can't say for sure until you can provide a better pic. The first one I have no idea.

[Lozza]

Can't get a better pic it is way in the back of my tank on the substrate. But just did a google image search and yup it definitely looks like one of them. So from what I am reading they are not great to have in a reef tank? How do I get rid of it. It is really close to my heliofungia and I definitely don't want anything to happen to my heliofungia, it is my favourite thing in my tank.

Lozza

[charlie]

Do you have any kalkwasser? I mix up a kalk paste and squirt it in their greedy little mouths, and they shrivel up rather efficiently. Just did that today in my 80 gallon.

[Lozza]

Nope - never heard of it and I know my LFS is going to say that both things are great for my tank especially when both are on live rock from their shop. Will it affect my heliofungia? Have noticed more of the first one under another piece of rock.

Lozza

[Poseidon]

The first MAY be a sponge of some sort, can't tell for sure. The second pic is DEFINITELY an Aiptasia, and it is bad news. They are very fast reproducers, and YES it can affect your coral, the sting of that little bugger is very potent.

[Lozza]

I was thinking it may be a sponge, do you think it could be harmful? Going to LFS now to show them and see what the reaction is.

Lozza

[charlie]

Well, let us know what they spew forth as facts, and then we here can set you in the right direction.

[Poseidon]

Sponge is fine... The Anem HAS TO GO though.

[Bullet]

I agree, get rid of the aiptasia, and the second pic looks like a syconoid sponge. The sponge is a harmless filter feeder. I have tons of them in my sump.

[weez1959]

I went to the drugstore and bought a syringe with a 1.5" needle on it. Cost a whole 50 cents! I fill it up with lemon juice and inject the stem and watch them shrivel up! mu-hahahaha! They take a few days to come out again but weaker and I repeat once more and poof! they're gone!

[Lozza]

Ok guys just got back from LFS. Firstly I took the peice of rock with the sponges? on it with me as it was only a small piece - they agree it is some sort of sponge, I let them keep it and they put it straight in their angel tank for food? I have noticed another rock has only 1 of those sponge things on it so will see what happens with that. They gave me a heap of kalk paste (complimentary - asked if it was a bit much and quote 'don't worry you will get more and need it') and I have already squirted it with it. How long until it dies?

Lozza

[weez1959]

best if you turn off the powerheads...

[charlie]

Ok guys just got back from LFS. Firstly I took the peice of rock with the sponges? on it with me as it was only a small piece - they agree it is some sort of sponge, I let them keep it and they put it straight in their angel tank for food? I have noticed another rock has only 1 of those sponge things on it so will see what happens with that. They gave me a heap of kalk paste (complimentary - asked if it was a bit much and quote 'don't worry you will get more and need it') and I have already squirted it with it. How long until it dies?

Lozza

May take a couple of hours, it may die right away. Just keep an eye on it. Isn't it fun though? You may want to keep an eye on your ph too, kalk has a ph of about 12-13. Not to much at once, OK?

[Lozza]

Wow it seems to already be gone. Only squirted about 0.5 mg (sorry don't know that conversion in imperial).

[charlie]

Wow it seems to already be gone. Only squirted about 0.5 mg (sorry don't know that conversion in imperial).

I never count how much, if I go on a killing spree, it just is way to much fun!!!!! It does knock them in the dirt, doesn't it?

[jed42]

how do you prevent them? I've heard shrimp will do..

[charlie]

I don't think you can prevent them, they always seem to come in on your live rock.