Please help ID egg looking thing

[Ally86]

hi just wondering if anyone has any idea what this egg looking thing is on my live rock.
We finished cycling a month ago, brought a clean up crew etc. we didn't notice the eggs or what ever they are until a couple of days ago when we moved some rock.
If anyone knows what they are, is it best to get rid of them.
Thanks

 

[gaz]

Where on the picture am I looking all I can see is a nice purple piece of LR[emoji4]

 

[Tahoe61]

Colonial Tunicate would be my first guess.

 

[Ally86]

Gaz it is just on the right of the centre of the pic. There is a cluster that nearly runs down from the top of the lR to the bottom of the pic.

These egg looking things look like they are in capsules

 

[Tahoe61]

Colonial Tunicate would be my first guess.

Did you google Colonial Tunicates and compare images????

 

[Ally86]

Tahoe i have just googled colonial tunicates but it does look like them. I know it is hard to tell from the pic but the egg things are flat on the rock with the im assuming heads are facing outwards.
I appreciate your suggestion.
Do you think it would be worth scraping them of the rock???

 

[gaz]

Are they covered in coralline algae have you tried touching them to see if they are soft?

 

[Ally86]

I actually havent touched them. There is no algae.
I just looked at them then with a torch. The pods (eggs) have a black dot on the left and right side and it looks like a spine running down the centre of the pod. Where the pod is attached to the rock looks like white hairs.
I also noticed a warm near the pods but i cant find worm eggs that look anything like it.

 

[gaz]

Google fish eggs see if get a Match only reason I say that is you can see a spine. To be on the safe side make up a bucket of SW and give it a good scrub with a brush and wash it in the bucket if you can take the rock out or you can cook it if you really want but I think a scrub will be fine

 

[Ally86]

Thanks appreciate the advice and ideas . I think i might give the rock a good scrub just to be on the safe side. Ive been googling for hours and cant find anything close to it.

 

[gaz]

Sorry I can't help anymore with the ID eggs aren't my forte[emoji4]

 

[Tahoe61]

If Tunicates (which come in many different colorations and shapes) they are harmless.

Currently I see no need for an intervention or removal.

If you get another image that would be great, if not I doubt that what ever it is, is of really any concern with regard to being detrimental.

 

[Naiad]

They are colonial tunicates. Harmless filter feeders. You will not get an exact picture match as every colony is different. I will upload pics of mine when lights get brighter.

 

[Ally86]

Hi Tahoe61 here is a couple more photos. It feels hard and slippery if that helps

 

[Ally86]

Just another pic out of the water

 

[Harold Green]

I don't understand why you want to remove it. More than likely it will be a plus to the tank. Your live rock looks really nice, I'd leave it alone until you can identify it for sure and find it's something you don't want.

 

[Tahoe61]

Could be Bryozoan, with the better image that is the direction I am leaning, or it's Tunicate. Both benign.

Bryozoan also come in many colors and growth formations.

Thanks for the images.

 

[gaz]

I don't understand why you want to remove it. More than likely it will be a plus to the tank. Your live rock looks really nice, I'd leave it alone until you can identify it for sure and find it's something you don't want.

It was me that said to give it a scrub sorry my bad. all you guys know more about this then me[emoji106]

 

[Ally86]

Thanks for the input guys. I was worried it was going to turn out to be something bad. Ill leave it and see what happens