weird stuff on my ricordia rock

[weez1959]

Anyone know what is in these tubes?
From what I can see, it looks like feather duster tubes with some strange little creatures in them. They let out some kind of buggers into the water and then a while later they slowly pull it back in. You can see in the pic the fan of snot connected to the pointy nosed little guy in the tube.
Also, can anyone ID the smooth gray coating on the rock? It feels slippery and has small bumps everywhere.
Louise

[ajx22]

They are considered Tube Worms (however, aren't worms but snails) - the mucus is sent out to capture food - similar to a spiders web - then pulled back in to remove the captured food.

See ~
http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0897/0897_8.html



The grey coating is a kind of sponge.

HTH,

[NanoReefaholic]

Vermetid snail (http://aquariumpros.ca/forums/search.php?searchid=204271)

[NanoReefaholic]

Here's a Reef Keeping Mag (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php) article on them as well.

[earn]

I have got one of these guys it was about 1/2" long when i first spotted him now hes gotta be atleast 2 inches, 3 months later they grow fast!

[AquaValley.ca]

where are the ricordias? they look like green hairy mushrooms to me, they can split easy or grow big if fed well, thanks.

[weez1959]

Yes it seem they aren't ricordia, I guess I have a bone to pick with my LFS. He insisted they were!! How can I tell the difference between mushrooms, hairy mushrooms and ricordia?