Tiny purple tunicate ID

[squidzilla]

Noticed these guys hatching/blooming while pumps were off for feeding. Highly mobile, maybe 0.8 mm in size.

Under the microscope, it exchanges water via its 'snout.' Forked tail flickers. Really mesmerizing to look at!

40x

 

[Softhammer]

Very cool.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pic of actual. Microscope does not show specimen in whole

 

[squidzilla]

 

[A Young Reefer]

Pic of actual. Microscope does not show specimen in whole

+1

 

[squidzilla]

Pic of actual. Microscope does not show specimen in whole

Here's a photo of them swarming. Individuals are too small to be discerned by the naked eye with any detail.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is what I see. Can you take pic under white lighting ?

 

[A Young Reefer]

This is what I see. Can you take pic under white lighting ?

I really don’t think images would help any more given their size.

 

[squidzilla]

I really don’t think images would help any more given their size.

Yes, this. What you see in the 40x pic is a whole organism (sans the tips of its tail) under white/full-spectrum lighting. They are a grape/violet color.