Have you ever heard about "lollipop corals"

[aquaguy]

I've just bought a "lollipop coral" ( that's what the guy told me in the fish store when I asked for its name) I got it immediately because in that store you have to "fight" for the corals because they have a lot of customers looking for the best corals. I'm acclimating it right now but i've been looking over the internet for some information about this "lollipop coral" without any success. I tried to find it in the Julian Sprung book and nothing came out so Maybe you can help me guys... it's a soft coral...baby blue color and it's just like a lollipop (long stalk and a round head) it's "head" is full of very small round bubbles with a hole at the top of every bubble. I hope it makes sense... if not let me know and I will take a pic of it.

 

[MILPIL2]

What you have, is actually a type of Tunicate Species. They have been very good, once established, and need to be fed Phytoplankton. Have seen them do better in medium water flows, under good lighting.

 

[THEFishHead]

Dear Aquaguy,

MILPIL2 is correct, this "lollipop" is a tunicate, not a coral. Since it is not a coral, it is not in my book Corals. It is, however, in my book Invertebrates. The name is Nephtheis.

They like moderate water flow and feed on dissolved organic matter and very minute phytoplankton. They require iodine supplementation.

Beware that there is a parasitic flatworm that wats them. It is the same blue color and is introduced to the aquarium with the colony, apparently as eggs on the base stalk.

Assuming that you don't have a flatworm eating the colony, don't worry if the lollipop heads disintegrate. They will do that occasionally, and then they grow back from the stalks.

Sincerely,

Julian Sprung

 

[davelin315]

Looks like a tiny artichoke on a stalk? That would be a tunicate or a sea squirt. I don't think they're photosynthetic, but could be wrong. Have never had one myself (except for the random one here and there on live rock). They do need to be fed, as stated above, however, as it is a filter feeder.

 

[aquaguy]

Thank you so much guys for your replies.

Now I've been reading a lot about it and I think it's a very interesting "sea squirt". I just bought your book "Invertebrates" Julian and I'm waitting for it

thank you for your reply; I'm going to save the thread in my hard disk to show it to all my friends (they will not believe that Julian Sprung replied to me) ... I'm so excited!

I'm adding phytoplankton daily and he's growing!

I took a pic of it and I have it in my PC but I don't know how to "paste" it here

, I wanted to share this pic with you guys because I'm so proud of my new friend, but I will do it as soon as I find out how to do it.

Thanks again.

 

[Chucker]

One last comment after receiving the advice above....

Please, please,please, research before you buy. If you weren't lucky enough to get good replies here, the tunicate may have been doomed since you didn't have the knowledge to properly care for it.

 

[esmithiii]

Aquaguy,

e-mail the pic to me and I will post it.

Ernie

 

[aquaguy]

Thank you for your advice Chucker but this thread is not the only way that I have to learn, actually that's why I asked for its real name; to find and read all the information that I can find. like I told you before my tunicate is really happy and it's growing a lot and by now I know more about sea squirts. now he got two new "heads" in only a week or so.

I understand what you think because I hate when somebody does not how to take care of corals and they still buying corals just to kill them, believe me I do my "homework" when I buy corals (tunicates or whatever).

Thank you for your offer Ernie I will send that pic immediately .

Today I got the book "invertebrates" , the pics and the information is very valuable.

Thanks guys!

 

[esmithiii]

Here are the pics. I am posting this for AquaGuy:

 

[pathos]

oooh cool I want one!!!

 

[Colin Smith]

Aquaguy,

Where did you get this guy? My LFS wants to know who their supplier is so they can order some.

--Colin

 

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine had one of these. He got it from the same lfs that I frequent. Neither my friend or the lfs knew what it was. LFS never received any more of this critter. My friends lollipop died after a few months. I quit looking for one once my friends died, figureing it must have special needs.

Thanks to MILPIL2 and Julian for identifing this critter and to esmithiii for posting the picture.

So, would iodine and DT's suplementation be all that is required to feed these critters?

Is there anyway to treat for the flatworms prior to putting one in your reef?

The picture that esmithiii posted is very good representation of how these beauties look. I'd love to have one once I'm convinced that I can care for it.

Louey

[ March 13, 2002: Message edited by: Louey ]</p>

 

[Bryan Thompson]

I should have 5 next week. I will let you know if they come in and how much they will be.

Bryan

 

[Mike106]

Pretty cool looking....

Are these imported very often? I have never seen them available. Also, what is a typical price?

later