Colonial Tunicates

[dlux5life]

Hi Guys-

Curious sponge like creatures started to appear rather quickly in my tank over the last month or two.

They are very bright yellow and purple. Originally I had thought they were just sponges, but upon further research, they appear to be colonial tunicates.

Here are some pictures (not from my tank) but from others that i have found. They look EXACTLY like this. Notice the cylindrical tube coming out from the body.

There does not appear to be much information on these creatures from what I can tell. All that i have been able to find is that they tend to exist in tanks with a DSB, which i have, and in tanks with refugiums (which i have a 30 long fuge under my 90 display).

Would one consider them a "pest" hitch hiker?

Does anyone else seem to have these growing places in their tanks?

They are pretty beautiful to look at with their vivid color. Just curious if they are something to be concerned over.

 

[s_kelley]

I have a bunch here n there in my tank. I was told they were a sign of a healthy tank.

 

[Turbosnail]

+1 they are a sign of a healthy tank I have a bunch of them and they don't bother anything.

 

[Greg Hiller]

I think (not sure) that what you have there is a form of yellow sponge. There are yellow tunicates that also propagate in tanks naturally, but they look a bit different. At one time many years ago someone traded me some rocks with the yellow tunicates, but I found out the hard way that they are high on the menu for blue Linkia seastars. Only think I could ever get Linkia to eat for that matter!