ID Hitchiker

[sushistix]

Of course my first post has to be a hitchhiker id. This are the best pics I can get. I'm trying to id the orangish-red guy in the rock. He has two spots that look like polyps that seem to open when there is less light. Any ideas? Thanks and this is a great site. I've found tons of info I needed.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3/sushistix/100_0154.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3/sushistix/100_0155.jpg

[Dubbin1]

[welcome]

Unfortunately that pic is not going to help with an ID.

[Andrew]

[welcome]

Just looks like a coral that come on your rock. You don't really have to worry about those unless they are bothering your tank. I have some of those but they are brown on some of my rock.

[sushistix]

Thanks for the replies. I've been searching for a couple of days is there a good site for matching things up to there names by image?

[SuperNerd]

Is it soft or is it hard?

[sushistix]

It is soft and it retracts itself into the hole sometimes.

[bertoni]

You could try the id page on melevsreef.com. A sharper picture might help a lot, too.

[MAreefer1]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

[Paintbug]

looks like one of those things you just have to wait for it to develope

[sushistix]

This may be a very bad idea but is there any way I could move it from the hole in the rock to get a better look at it? Also last night after the lights were out for awhile I checked it out with a flashlight. One of the end that open up was open and I could see right into it. Like looking right into a tube or a pipe.

[bertoni]

I wouldn't try to move it. You could look up bonellid worms, as a very wild guess.

[mhenning]

I hate to hijack, but does it look like this?...

I have no idea what mine is, but it matches your description somewhat, I can see inside of it. Mine opens whenever it feels like it though. Sometimes at night, simetimes during the day. He moves pretty quick when he shrinks into his shell though.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6df26b3127cce96fe42a7df2900000025108BZOGrVu2b2

[sushistix]

That's it. The only thing is most of it resides in the hole. I can only see the two "things" that stick out. Mine was open today with the lights on, it is very skittish though. I wish I knew what it was. I'd like to make sure it stays.

[mhenning]

Mine is stuck on a little frag of rock. If yours is in a hole in a rock, I would not take it out. I think removing mine from his rock might cause him a lot of distress.

[sushistix]

I definately won't move it.

[mhenning]

Darn, does anyone have any idea what it could be?

[sushistix]

Should we try this in the invert forum?

[bertoni]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[Brion~]

it's a tunicate, appears to be anyway... other wise known as sea squirt. (hemichordata)

[mhenning]

that is interesting, can these things split like a coral, or do they only reproduce sexually?

[Brion~]

as far as i know it's sexually. Tunicates are actually Chordates having a notochord present in their larval state. The larva is actually more complex than the adult. funky!
Brion