Lanzo - this is how acropora's polyps look like

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I could be wrong... but it looks like you got some little hydroids on that second one. Not all hydroids are bad thoguh. ;)
 
Dude, I'm telling you... those look like digital hydroids. I don't know about the long things that come out at night, but I'm 95% sure you got some digital hydroids there. Generally, those kinds of hydroids are mostly harmless though.
 
I'm going to have to agree with Sara on this one. If those were feeding tentacles, they would be extending from inside the "mouth" (septum/gastrovascular cavity). These appear to be coming out of that coral's skin (epidermis)
 
I'm going to have to agree with Sara on this one. If those were feeding tentacles, they would be extending from inside the "mouth" (septum/gastrovascular cavity). These appear to be coming out of that coral's skin (epidermis)

Are they parasitic ?
 
Nope....that kind is quite harmless.

Many hydroids are quite dangerous. Most colonial hydroids are as they sting corals. However, most people have/have had hydroids in their tank at one time or another and it's usually no big deal because once they hit the medusa stage, they end up being eaten or killed by filtration or water movement equipment.
 
Oooohhh... I see how it is. Y'all don't believe me, but you believe Curt. :p j/k Thanks Curt!

The digital hydroids aren't always on coral either, they can grow on rocks too. They might not be parasitic, but I think there's likely a reason they seem to like to find themselves on corals. I wonder if they don't somehow use the coral as protection or maybe they feed on some of the coral mucus, or steal food? I don't know... it's a curious thing.
 
It is down right weird. Nice to learn something new.

And I believed you ;), cause I didn't know any better :p
 
or steal food? I don't know... it's a curious thing.

This has been my suspicion for ages. That they feed on the bacterioplankton in the mucus nets. But I don't know either.
 
It is down right weird. Nice to learn something new.
I personally think they're kind of cool. One of my friends had some that looked like they had little arms and heads. I swear they looked like little aliens...

And I believed you ;), cause I didn't know any better :p
Haha, thanks. I like to think I know what I'm talking about most the time... :p At least I'll confess when I don't!
 
This has been my suspicion for ages. That they feed on the bacterioplankton in the mucus nets. But I don't know either.

Yep... I share your suspicion... but do we have enough evidence for a stronge case? I don't know... can we put the little buggers on trial?
 
Yep... I share your suspicion... but do we have enough evidence for a stronge case? I don't know... can we put the little buggers on trial?

Oh great....a Coral Les Miserable

:)
 
I would have thought something as obvious as hydroids would have been investigated and documented.
 
I would have thought something as obvious as hydroids would have been investigated and documented.

Not necessarily... unfortunately, there's just not much grant money set asside for people who want to study things (particularly "faceless" marine inverts) just out of curiousity.
 
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