Mushroom??

[Dr_Doom2]

I just dumped in a bunch of live rock to my new tank and it had TONS stuff on it. Some of I know what it is, others I don't. Since I'm new I'll throw it out for a little help. It's about 1" or so in diameter and about as tall as it is wide.

Is this some kind of mushroom maybe? It looks like it may have been damaged recently. Any ideas on what this is?? I know its not the best pic but its a hard angle to get to!!

 

[Dr_Doom2]

This thing has filled out a little bit more. Slightly larger in diameter and about 2"+ tall now.

 

[Brad.Sedore]

how tall are those tenticles... are they more like bumps than tenticles...

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I don't exactly know how to describe them. I'll snap a couple of better pics tonight to show a little more detail.

 

[Dr_Doom2]

The "things" on it are about 1/8th of an inch. I tried to get a better angle on it.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

It doesnt look to be a mushroom to me. No posotive ID but in my expirence it looks like some type of anemone. Kewl HitchHiker!!!

 

[Dr_Doom2]

At times, I think I can see a mouth, but I thought i was just imagining it!! If it appears again, I'll try to snap a shot of it!!

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

it should have a mouth in the center. which in escence is just a circle. a pic should help. =]

 

[Ziggy953]

Next time you are doing something in the tank touch it and see how it reacts. Also feel to see if there is a hard skeleton below the tissue. I'm not sure that it is a mushroom either.

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I haven't touched it but it does seem to grow and shrink much more than my mushrooms do!!

 

[Ziggy953]

Gently touch it next time you are working in the tank and see if you can feel a skeleton, not the rock under it but an actual skeleton. I have a feeling it is some kind of LPS rather then mushroom.

 

[Brad.Sedore]

looks like a hammer coral to me.

-Brad

 

[Ziggy953]

looks like a hammer coral to me.

-Brad

That is what I was thinking also, and the reason I wanted to have him touch the coral to see if it has a solid skeleton. There are a few mushrooms out there though that have strange looking tentacles.

 

[Brad.Sedore]

couldent he pull it out of the water... if it folds its likely a mushroom if it retracts its likely a hammer?

 

[Dr_Doom2]

 

[Brad.Sedore]

if thats a mushroom i want one lol


-Brad

 

[Dr_Doom2]

These are the best I could get. I turned the lights out last night and noticed that it deflated and I could see the "mouth." I haven't touched it yet and don't know how it would react but I do notice that it seems like its not attached to the rock in certain places. It is attached in some areas of its circumference but kinda has a "flap" that isn't!! HHmmmmm??

 

[Brad.Sedore]

99% thats a hammer coral... nice hitch hiker in any event

 

[Innovator]

Looks more like rhodactis to me.

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I don't know if this helps or not but just thought I'd add the the current light is an 18-watt cheap-o that came with the tank. My T5's won't be here until Friday because I wasn't planning on raising corals right away...remember I went to buy Live Rock!!