Hitchhiker ID Needed - Short Video

[christyf5]

Neato! I have no idea what it is. I could have done without the music though

[Joe Reefer]

I have no idea, my guess is that its cotton candy algae but I could be completly wrong.

[Reef_kid]

in my studies i have grown and seen a number of large types of ocean cycanobacteria that form a gelly like colonies...
if you can get part of it under a microscope it would be really cool

[Beverly]

Dang. No microscope available.

Tell me more about the cyano jelly stuff, if you can. Pics would be great.

The thing in my tank reminds me of some kind of anemone, if that helps. If you look closely at the video, you can see it is not one big blob, but has nodules. There appears to be air bubbles inside the nodules, though I don't think they are apparent in the video.

[anglfish]

this might be a bit off topic but.... kinda looked like a balet dance you were doing with your finger and the blob...

soooo pretty

[Beverly]

Made another video of the blob today. This time a piece of it broke off. A clip of the piece of blob is at the end of the video....

Red Blob Hitchhiker - Part II

Maybe someone can offer a better ID after seeing the blob frag

[christyf5]

Ok here's my guess:

Predaea weldii



P. weldii is found in subtidal habitats, where it grows between the branches of corals, reaching a length of 5 cm. It is extremely soft and gooey, turning into a shapeless blob when out of the water. Although not usually abundant, this seaweed is quickly noticed because the tips of its branches are fluorescent red.

from: http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/marlife/stepath/rhodophyta2.html


Also see: http://seaslug.info/display.cfm?id=8479