Here are some shots. The first shot is of a 3.5" wide area and the last closeup where tentacles are visible is 1/8" wide.
bizarre cnidarian shows up in tank
Started by
Guest_Dan Johnson_*
, Jan 19 2009 02:19 PM
8 replies to this topic
#1
Guest_Dan Johnson_*
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 02:19 PM
I've been noticing the grow of what appeared to be some sort of plant roots on the glass near the top of one of my tanks. Today I took a closer look. Not a plant at all. It has tentacles that retract when touched. It's "gut" appears to be full of copepods and ostracods which are present in the tank. Anyone know exactly what animal this is? All I can guess is it's a cnidarian.
Here are some shots. The first shot is of a 3.5" wide area and the last closeup where tentacles are visible is 1/8" wide.
Here are some shots. The first shot is of a 3.5" wide area and the last closeup where tentacles are visible is 1/8" wide.
#2
Guest_dsaavedra_*
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 02:46 PM
very interesting.
wheres the head? does it have one? is that it all the way to the left?
wheres the head? does it have one? is that it all the way to the left?
#3
Guest_centrarchid_*
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 02:57 PM
Critters / colonies above are bryozoans which grossly look like cnidarians but not related. If I understand literature correctly, bryozoans more closely allied to us than the coral and jellyfish clan. Statoblasts are evident as the little disk within tubes connecting zoids / individual animals.
#4
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 03:25 PM
Yeah, good call on the statoblasts.
#5
Guest_natureman187_*
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 06:51 PM
That's really neat. Yeah I was going to say some sort of obelia.
Have you watched them eat?
Have you watched them eat?
#7
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 20 January 2009 - 08:02 AM
Neither bryozoans nor cnidarians have heads. The oral opening is also the path for expelling solid waste.very interesting.
wheres the head? does it have one? is that it all the way to the left?
#8
Guest_Dan Johnson_*
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Posted 20 January 2009 - 08:47 AM
Thanks for the excellent info. Any idea as to the species?
#9
Guest_blakemarkwell_*
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Posted 20 January 2009 - 07:31 PM
Knowing the exact species is almost impossible, well not impossible, however you would have to track down someone who specializes in freshwater bryozoa, marine bryozoa are different. However, it is Plumatella species. To my knowledge, there are only a few bryozoa native to North America and the those are Plumatella mukaii, P. nitens (Illinois and Indiana species only), P. orbisperma, P. recluse, P. reticulata (Ohio species only).
I listed the species in case you wanted to do some research on your own, like I said I can only pin down the genus, but if you or anyone else figures it out, let us know!
Blake
I listed the species in case you wanted to do some research on your own, like I said I can only pin down the genus, but if you or anyone else figures it out, let us know!
Blake
Edited by blakemarkwell, 20 January 2009 - 07:37 PM.
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