Hitchhikers on live rock

[Tuscaquatics]

Hey, people. This is my first post here. I've been looking to join a forum but it was hard to decide on which one. So I ended up here because of the hitchhiker forum.

Anyway, here's the deal. I have a 55-gallon that's a FOWLR for now though I'm trying to keep things reef-safe for when I do start getting some coral. For now I'm just trying to get some coralline going on my rocks. The tank's only been set up for about 2 months.

I've had a couple cool hitchhikers pop up in the last few weeks, though. First was a blue-grayish coloration on some rock that now I'm pretty sure is a sponge of some sort. Secondly is a little nodule that I first noticed about 5-6 weeks ago. It first looked like just a bump of purple coralline that's all over the rock to begin with. But it kept stretching out and within the last 10 days it has opened up and its now green on the inside and has started developing tentacles.

Here's a pic with both in one shot. It's not zoomed in enough, but it's not easy photographing underwater stuff with a mediocre camera.





From what I found on Google I'm thinking its a green button polyp. But let me know what you guys/gals think.
hotographing underwater stuff with a mediocre camera.

 

[dcantucson]

Hi Tuscaquatics. Welcome to Living Reefs. Your right it looks like a Green Button Polyp; your lucky you got a freebie! I'm not completely sure about the blueish growth. I have had misc. sponge growth before but mine was more light tan, not blue. There are others which will know for sure. They will chime in soon.

 

[winyfrog]

+1 dcan green button polyp
the blue stuff is a sponge. It will do better if its shaded.

 

[yote]

+2 Dcan
+1 Winy

 

[Tuscaquatics]

Thanks, guys. So how long does it take for these polyps to multiply? The information I found through Google really only talks about whole colonies of them. I put an actinic bulb over him. And I squirted some zooplankton by him as well. I don't have any other coral just yet so I figure I might as well nurture this one as much as I can.

 

[yote]

Every tanks unique,so it would be hard to say how quick they'll spread.In some tanks,its pretty quick,in others,extremely slow.So I'd guess somewhere in between.

 

[Tuscaquatics]

+1 dcan green button polyp
the blue stuff is a sponge. It will do better if its shaded.

Everything I've read about sponges says they like moderate to high light, though. What makes you think this one needs less light?

 

[Bifferwine]

A lot of the decorative sponges that you buy will need light, but the hitch hiking sponges that we get as freebies on live rock are usually low light animals. You'll usually find them growing underneath rocks and in shaded parts of your tank.

 

[Tuscaquatics]

A lot of the decorative sponges that you buy will need light, but the hitch hiking sponges that we get as freebies on live rock are usually low light animals. You'll usually find them growing underneath rocks and in shaded parts of your tank.

OK, so even though it's been in direct light all along you think I shade should put it under some shade? Maybe it will grow better? It hasn't exactly been thriving since I got it. It's been retreating if anything.

And as for the polyp, how do they reproduce? Does it just grow and split? Or do you just sort of discover another one growing near by it? The one that's there now is growing out of a crevice in the rock. Does it need a divot like that or can it just attach directly to the rock?

 

[winyfrog]

yes it will grow better in shade, and will just spread across your rocks. But with that being said if the sponge was ever in the air it may slowly die.

 

[bjohanson1234]

Polyps bud off new polyps from there base. They will attach to the rock and dont need an indentation to grow in. Eventually if you are lucky, a colony will cover the whole rock

Brian

 

[Tuscaquatics]

Polyps bud off new polyps from there base. They will attach to the rock and dont need an indentation to grow in. Eventually if you are lucky, a colony will cover the whole rock

Brian

Sweet, thanks for the info. BTW, you're from Crestwood? I was born in Harvey and grew up in South Holland. Small world.

 

[bjohanson1234]

that is just crazy small world is true:Cheers:

 

[Tuscaquatics]

As a kid I used to go to the 'Wet Pet Shoppe' on Halsted in Harvey, not far from where the lazer tag place used to be. That was years ago. It's been closed down forever.