What are these eggs? 1st time coral.

rickysfarmandhatchery

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I got a Hitchhiker on a Hitchhiker...?? What are the names of these corals? What are those eggs?
20240620_202225.jpg
20240620_123050.jpg
20240621_161712.jpg
20240619_174721.jpg
 
I got a Hitchhiker on a Hitchhiker...?? What are the names of these corals? What are those eggs?
20240620_202225.jpg
20240620_123050.jpg
20240621_161712.jpg
20240619_174721.jpg
Eggs growing on a coral like that are pretty much always a red flag, especially in a spiral-shape - in this case, I would guess those are probably Paly/Zoanthid Eating Nudibranch eggs (I'm honestly nor sure what kind of zoantharian you have there, but it's either a Palythoa or a Zoanthid), but I can't say for sure:
my best guess would be Aeolidiopsis/Baeolidia harrietae (there's some dispute around what genus the critter should fall into).

Either way, if my guess is correct, it's a known zoanthid eater, and it takes the zooxanthellae from its prey and stores it for use in its own body.
My guess would be Baeolidia palythoae or Baeolidia harrietae - they eat zoantharians like palys.

Also, the last pic you shared is of a medusa-stage hydroid - they generally die off after a while, but they stick around if they have enough food (copepods and such) to eat or are a photosynthetic species.
 

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