Foraminiferan

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Has anyone seen these in their tanks?

 

[Mouse]

Yep, and no. Id love to know though. I think they may be a type of baby softy, but ive never managed to grow them any larger before they get munched. They could quite easily be a sponge though

 

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Hi Mouse! Here is some info on these: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/Wetmore.html

 

[Giarc]

Hmm..they don't look like a foraminiferan to me. Foraminifera are single celled critters and I may be wrong here, but from memory they're not colony forming. I tend to agree with mouse's guess: leather coral or possibly a glass sponge. Another possibility would be a small colony of hydroids. Have you posted the pic on Ron Shimek's forum on RC? He might be the most likely answer for you.

 

[Bubafat]

Giarc-sorry, but you are wrong, there are many forms of forams, some of which are colony forms. The most common type that I've seen are the redish colored ones and the swirly snail looking ones. Very nice pic though.

Buba

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Giarc. They look like some hydroids and glass sponges we looked at in my Invert Zool class. Not sure though.

 

[Hammer]

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/main_pages/faq_rock3.htm
So foraminiferan it is. Just not the red kind. I have those in my tank. Here are mine.

 

[Giarc]

Well, I like to think I can admit when I'm wrong so pay attention: I'm wrong !

I've never seen arborescent forms like this before but Doctor Shimek has and confirms the ID as a foraminiferan.

I don't know if colonial would be the right term since they are a subgroup of amoeba (single celled) but they are multinucleate so they officially fall into the little-known taxonomical grouping of 'weirdass
suckers'

To quote from the Doc,
"Some shallow water forms form arborescent structures such as this. These organisms are filter feeders on particulate material in the tank water."


Thanks for extending my marine invert zoology education

Craig

 

[jdeets]

WOW, this is a cool thread. I have the stuff in the first pic growing in my tank. I also have the red stuff in the second pic in my tank. Now I at least kinda know what they might be. Thanks, y'all!

 

[Mouse]

Those two things are the same? Wierd, but it makes sence in an underwatery upsidedowny back to front sort of way.