NEW LIFE FORM IN MY TANK?

[Elena309]

Okay, so I am new at this dont laugh. Can coral grow in a tank if no other coral matter exists in a tank? This week little white fluffy things emerged all ofer my tank. At first glance it appears to be a fungus or algae. However, a closer look shows a tubular organism with a slight crown, surrounded by fuzz. I am wondering if this is an emergence of coral or some other life form. I once over fed my freshwater fish, and the food became a white fuzzy fungus, but this is so different, and the fish have been underfed this week. I really cant get a picure of it. Can anyone help me figure this out?

[TJDeMars]

sounds to me like a tube worm. I have 100's of them in my tank, they just keep popping out of the rocks. how long has the tank been going?

[Elena309]

I guess its been 7-8 months. I only have one tube worm, one damsel, one clown, one goby, one puffer, one starfish, one condy anemone and a few pounds of live rock. Tube worm is what it looked like to me, but what do I know? Do tube worms release "reproductive sprores" into the water? Because if so then that is most likely what it is. They mostly settled on the bottom of the tank, but theres a bunch on the glass, scattered all over the place. I wasnt sure if I should remove them or let them grow.

[jojo22]

I agree with tube worms. If you move something near them and they disapear that is what they are.

[Elena309]

well the crown like thing that i mentioned is very faint, barely visible. They aren't even an inch in length. What is that type of anemone that grows freely on live rock, considered to be a pest?????? It sorta resembles that, only the fuzz makes it look like a tube worm suicide!

[dakar]

Without a pic it's hard to guess, but sounds more like what we sometimes call pineapple or q-tip sponges, they would be quite common in a newer tank, they'll grow all over the place. They'll disappear with time and are compeltely harmless, actually helpful as the too will pull nutirents from the water column.

[Elena309]

ill try to get a picture tonight. It is so hard. I suck at tank pics. So I guess it isnt really possible for coral to form on its own huh?

[dakar]

Actually you'd be amazed at some of the animals that magically appear (hitched a ride in on live rock and such). But yes, it is actually possible, all it really takes is a few viable cells, the right conditions, and time.

[Elena309]

Thats cool. I really was thinking that it is a type of soft coral, or tube worm. But if it were a tube worm, I cant see it having such a tiny, and faint crown. Although, things have to start somewhere right? Thanks for the info.......its been great so far.

[graphixx]

if I were to make a guess I would say its a pineapple sponge or q tip sponge. do a search on them and see if that is the little buggar growing