Still kind of new, ID please

[milhouse74]

OK, there are 2 things on this rock that I don't know what they are. The first is the ****e puffy thing, it is growing on my rock (it has gotten bigger since I first noticed it).

The second are the two "balls" a little bit under it. These are not the green of bubble algea, and appear to have something like the crown of a feather duster coming out of them maybe?

What are these things:
http://www.hound-heaven.com/david/img/pleaseid.jpg

[milhouse74]

by the way that should read w h i t e puffy thing, dont know why it *'ed it out

[DONSRENEE]

I don't know about the white puffy, but the two "ball things" seem to be a sponge or sea squirt.

[romunov]

Feather duster worms - harmless.

[milhouse74]

no, not the tube worms, they are community feather dusters. The balls, and the white cottony thing arent feather dusters, at least not like any I have seen.

[milhouse74]

bump

[naruto_kun]

The other large one is probably a sponge of some sort.

The little things you are talking about are sponges. Harmless filter feeders. Can't remember their scientific name though. Some people call them Q-Tip Sponges. They get to approximately 1" in length I believe.

Steve

[rshimek]

Hi,

Read the forum rules. Bumping delays answers. :D

All of the items asked about are sponges. The larger ones are calcareous sponges, the smaller ones have a silica skeleton.

All are harmless suspension-feeding animals.

[milhouse74]

Sorry about the bump thing, I was on page 2 and about to drop off. It won't happen again.....

David