weird tree-like thingy???

[Crispy]

I got this piece of wood which is attached to a small piece of coral from a beach in mexico... it was totally dry when it was found. I put it in my freshwater tank and it's been doing some weird things... when I take it out to re-scape the tank, it shrivels up into a craggly mess, but when it goes back in the water, it totally stretches itself out again... I swear it's been growing slowly also... might just be me though. Anybody know WTH this is? And could it possibly be alive??? Takes about an hour for it to stretch out again and it twitches and I have no clue what's going on with it... the photos are time lapsed to show it stretching out.

[DrNic]

I don't know what it is but it looks cool. Is it causing any problems?

[Crispy]

I don't know what it is but it looks cool. Is it causing any problems?

No problems at all... my twig cat actually loves hanging off of it... he blends right into it. Him and my CAE are always keeping it clean... seems to "twitch" more when it's in the current of my HOB.

[Miltonic]

it sort of looks like some type Gorgonian but it would be crazy that its surviving in freshwater so idk.

[AABatteries]

^^^

That's what I was thinking.

[Northernguy]

I like it! lol
I hope it does grow! thumbs2:

[megastealer]

it is obviously an alien :grayalien: (the outer space variety)

[lobsternoob]

I agree with Miltonic on both fronts, I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to SW, but look at this pic link [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] I did a quick search, and found that. Not the same color I know, but similar frame to it... I just wonder how the heck its thriving in your tank, maybe it was found in a beachead/ estuary area, and it can do well in FW. No matter what the case, it seems pretty cool to me, enjoy it and post a few more pics (plz).

[Crispy]

It does look like that tree-thingy lobsternoob! Very similar frame, just without the red color... it looks like a normal brown-colored tree branch to me... thanks for the link, I'm gonna hafta look into this further I think.

[Northernguy]

I could be brown because its in FW.
Just a guess though! lol

[saix88]

Maybe it's confused because you have fake coral in a freshwater tank...

[labnjab]

I doubt its a coral. A Gorgonian would have polyps that extend and there's no way it would survive freshwater. It looks like a branch to me and it probably swelled because it absorbed water and it could be moving due to current in your tank

[AABatteries]

Only one problem with that theory lab. It has been growing.

[Crispy]

Only one problem with that theory lab. It has been growing.

I'm not 100% sure that it's been growing, but I think it is... I think labnjab might be right... could be the absorbtion of water making it stretch back out. It dries out and curls up fairly quickly though. Within a half hour of taking it out of the tank the branches are a craggly mess. Takes at least an hour to stretch back out.

[Miltonic]

When you touch it how does it feel? Does feel gooey or start oozing after touching for a bit?

[Crispy]

When you touch it how does it feel? Does feel gooey or start oozing after touching for a bit?

Feels like slimy wood.

[Miltonic]

Ok can you touch but keep your fingers on it for a bit? I'm trying to figure out if oozes more slime like most corals would do when you touch them to see if it alive.

[Crispy]

Ok can you touch but keep your fingers on it for a bit? I'm trying to figure out if oozes more slime like most corals would do when you touch them to see if it alive.

It does not ooze any slime when I'm touching it for a period of time. The "branches" were twitching like crazy last night. It's weird cuz they twitch one at a time.

[Sarkazmo]

Ummm... yeah... putting my vote in for "ALIEN"...

Sark

[DrNic]

The branches 'twitch'? Is there any chance of you getting a video of this?

[Crispy]

The branches 'twitch'? Is there any chance of you getting a video of this?

I'm gonna try to borrow a camera and capture this thing ...

[Anomaly]

Keep us updated on what you find out! I'd love to see video of this thing, whatever it is . . . LOL

[bushwhacker]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!! think i'd keep my hands off that thing it may have teeth..those pics are wild man. hope you can get some info on it.

[dancethenparty]

isn't there some plant forum or tree forum you could submit this too? they might know what it is....

[Anomaly]

Any updates on this . . . was just remembering about it, so thought I'd dig the thread back up.

[bythos]

Looks amazing if its really alive.

[bythos]

By the way i think its a freshwater sponge [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] if so its good for the tank will help to keep the water clean.

[Crispy]

By the way i think its a freshwater sponge [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] if so its good for the tank will help to keep the water clean.

That looks very close to what I have, but it came from a SW ocean.

[bythos]

yeah its crazy. Life does seem to have a way of surprising us.

[fraggle]

Did you get any video of it Crispy?

It does look like a sponge of some description, LOL, but then I don't know much about aquatic plants and even less about SW stuff.

[Crispy]

I'm working on getting a camera so I can get a time lapse of it's movements. It'll be posted as soon as I can do it.
It feels like slimy wood to me, not much slime, but it's there...

[bythos]

Ever got the camera going?

[Crispy]

Ever got the camera going?

No, my USB is fried... I'll be getting a new one soon enough.

[bythos]

Since you got your camera working take a video of the tree thing moving, if its still moving.

[Anomaly]

Yeah, what's the latest word on this? Still moving (living)? That would be crazy if a Gorgonian had survived in freshwater this long.

[Crispy]

I'm trying to figure out how to do time lapse. That will best show this crazy thing's movements.

[saix88]

Wood that isn't done decomposing...

[theppl]

i think its awsome. i'd like something like that in my tank.

[Crispy]

Update: I saw exact same thing in my LFS' sw tank (only smaller) and asked what it was. He said it's just the skeleton of a dead gorgonian.

Something about it drying out, then getting wet again makes it move. Not sure why it twitches when submersed all the time though.

[AABatteries]

That's nice to know.