Strange growth in filter ??

[Steve \(Dart\)]

While cleaning the grunge out of my filter today, I noticed a strange growth
on the inner side of my filter.
It looked like a tiny root system growing along the inner wall of the
filter. I touched it and some broke off.
What is this?
What does it indicate?

[Charles]

On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 03:21:20 GMT, "Steve \(Dart\)"
> wrote:

>While cleaning the grunge out of my filter today, I noticed a strange growth
>on the inner side of my filter.
>It looked like a tiny root system growing along the inner wall of the
>filter. I touched it and some broke off.
>What is this?
>What does it indicate?
>
Bryazoa, most likely. It means that you are more observant than most
people. They are cool animals, but only grow in the dark, otherwise
algae will overwhelm them. Can you put that part of the filter in
some water and watch them with a magnifying lens? It's worth the
trouble.
--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

[George]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 03:21:20 GMT, "Steve \(Dart\)"
> > wrote:
>
>>While cleaning the grunge out of my filter today, I noticed a strange growth
>>on the inner side of my filter.
>>It looked like a tiny root system growing along the inner wall of the
>>filter. I touched it and some broke off.
>>What is this?
>>What does it indicate?
>>
> Bryazoa, most likely. It means that you are more observant than most
> people. They are cool animals, but only grow in the dark, otherwise
> algae will overwhelm them. Can you put that part of the filter in
> some water and watch them with a magnifying lens? It's worth the
> trouble.
> --
>
> - Charles
> -
> -does not play well with others

There are about 2 dozen freshwater bryozoans in the U.S. And not much is known
about them. Might be a great chance to study them up close.

[Steve \(Dart\)]

Well, now you guys have gotten my curiosity going. We do have a microscope
here, I may get it set up next time I got the filter set up. I had it open
again today and it was larger!!!!
Thanks,
I will let you know what I see.

" George" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Charles" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 03:21:20 GMT, "Steve \(Dart\)"
> > > wrote:
> >
> >>While cleaning the grunge out of my filter today, I noticed a strange
growth
> >>on the inner side of my filter.
> >>It looked like a tiny root system growing along the inner wall of the
> >>filter. I touched it and some broke off.
> >>What is this?
> >>What does it indicate?
> >>
> > Bryazoa, most likely. It means that you are more observant than most
> > people. They are cool animals, but only grow in the dark, otherwise
> > algae will overwhelm them. Can you put that part of the filter in
> > some water and watch them with a magnifying lens? It's worth the
> > trouble.
> > --
> >
> > - Charles
> > -
> > -does not play well with others
>
> There are about 2 dozen freshwater bryozoans in the U.S. And not much is
known
> about them. Might be a great chance to study them up close.
>
>

[Webfoot]

Interesting! I went on a fossil hunt two weeks ago at Rock Glen
Ontario Canada. I collected quite a few Devonian age fossils (365
million years ago). Searching through the Internet tonight I
identified one fossil as Bryozoa. An hour ago I never heard of it now
I have a Devonian age fossil of it and Steve has it in his filter.
Looks a lot like fan coral bit is's not. See;
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bryozoa/bryozoafr.html

Just thought it was strange

Russell Mack


On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 03:55:09 GMT, Charles >
wrote:

>On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 03:21:20 GMT, "Steve \(Dart\)"
> wrote:
>
>>While cleaning the grunge out of my filter today, I noticed a strange growth
>>on the inner side of my filter.
>>It looked like a tiny root system growing along the inner wall of the
>>filter. I touched it and some broke off.
>>What is this?
>>What does it indicate?
>>
>Bryazoa, most likely. It means that you are more observant than most
>people. They are cool animals, but only grow in the dark, otherwise
>algae will overwhelm them. Can you put that part of the filter in
>some water and watch them with a magnifying lens? It's worth the
>trouble.

[Charles]

On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 02:21:18 -0400, Webfoot > wrote:

>Interesting! I went on a fossil hunt two weeks ago at Rock Glen
>Ontario Canada. I collected quite a few Devonian age fossils (365
>million years ago). Searching through the Internet tonight I
>identified one fossil as Bryozoa. An hour ago I never heard of it now
>I have a Devonian age fossil of it and Steve has it in his filter.
>Looks a lot like fan coral bit is's not. See;
>http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bryozoa/bryozoafr.html
>
>Just thought it was strange
>
>Russell Mack
>

I used to not be able to spell bryazologist, and now I don't know if
it is even a word.

Somewhere in my reading about these I remember that they are the most
common cause of fouling on boats. They are apparently quite common,
just nobody notices them very often.

I had some fairly good pictures of mine, somewhere on one of the hard
disks, I hope, but I haven't been able to find them. Maybe it's time
to see if my colony is still going. Mine showed up in an aquarium
filter, I got rid of them the first few times I found them, then I
have tried to keep the colony alive since then.
--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

[George]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 02:21:18 -0400, Webfoot > wrote:
>
>>Interesting! I went on a fossil hunt two weeks ago at Rock Glen
>>Ontario Canada. I collected quite a few Devonian age fossils (365
>>million years ago). Searching through the Internet tonight I
>>identified one fossil as Bryozoa. An hour ago I never heard of it now
>>I have a Devonian age fossil of it and Steve has it in his filter.
>>Looks a lot like fan coral bit is's not. See;
>>http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bryozoa/bryozoafr.html
>>
>>Just thought it was strange
>>
>>Russell Mack
>>
>
> I used to not be able to spell bryazologist, and now I don't know if
> it is even a word.
>
> Somewhere in my reading about these I remember that they are the most
> common cause of fouling on boats. They are apparently quite common,
> just nobody notices them very often.
>
> I had some fairly good pictures of mine, somewhere on one of the hard
> disks, I hope, but I haven't been able to find them. Maybe it's time
> to see if my colony is still going. Mine showed up in an aquarium
> filter, I got rid of them the first few times I found them, then I
> have tried to keep the colony alive since then.
> --
>
> - Charles
> -
> -does not play well with others

Bryozoans are ancient creatures that can be traced back at least 450 million
years in geologic history. I wasn't aware that there were many freshwater
species, however. After Steve's post, I cleaned out my prefilter, and low and
behold, I have bryozoans in mine as well. Who'd a thunk it?

[Ka30P]

For those of us who just love to get down and stick our noses
in the pond and see who has shown up...
Try Ron's Pond Scum page
http://www.silkentent.com/gus1911/RonPond.htm


kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

[George]

"Ka30P" > wrote in message
...
>
> For those of us who just love to get down and stick our noses
> in the pond and see who has shown up...
> Try Ron's Pond Scum page
> http://www.silkentent.com/gus1911/RonPond.htm
>
>
> kathy :-)
> algae primer
> http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

Interesting. Do you know anyone who has similar images of freshwater bryozoans?

[Charles]

On Tue, 6 Jul 2004 04:22:42 -0400, " George" >
wrote:

>
>"Ka30P" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> For those of us who just love to get down and stick our noses
>> in the pond and see who has shown up...
>> Try Ron's Pond Scum page
>> http://www.silkentent.com/gus1911/RonPond.htm
>>
>>
>> kathy :-)
>> algae primer
>> http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html
>
>Interesting. Do you know anyone who has similar images of freshwater bryozoans?
>


google knows of a few:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=freshwater+bryozoan&spell=1

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art97b/kenj1.html

This one may not be freshwater:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/iba/pages/bryozoa.html

The ones I had I decide were plumatella, but there was a lot of
ignorance involved in my guesswork.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

[George]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 6 Jul 2004 04:22:42 -0400, " George" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Ka30P" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>> For those of us who just love to get down and stick our noses
>>> in the pond and see who has shown up...
>>> Try Ron's Pond Scum page
>>> http://www.silkentent.com/gus1911/RonPond.htm
>>>
>>>
>>> kathy :-)
>>> algae primer
>>> http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html
>>
>>Interesting. Do you know anyone who has similar images of freshwater
>>bryozoans?
>>
>
>
> google knows of a few:
>
> http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=freshwater+bryozoan&spell=1
>
> http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art97b/kenj1.html
>
> This one may not be freshwater:
> http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/iba/pages/bryozoa.html
>
> The ones I had I decide were plumatella, but there was a lot of
> ignorance involved in my guesswork.
>
>
> --
>
> - Charles
> -
> -does not play well with others

Thanks. The reason I asked is that I am a geologist and have studied and
published on fossil crinoids, and in the process, have learned a lot about
living echinoderms (I have a huge green brittle star in my marine tank). I have
collected not a few fossil bryozoans, but until recently, have never seen a
living one (I believe a have a freshwater colony growing in my pre-filter in my
pond, along the inner wall. So,naturally I want to try to identify the buggers,
and try to learn a little about them. So far, I have been able to identify
them.

[Webfoot]

Where do you suppose they came from. Plants?

Russell Mack

[George]

"Webfoot" > wrote in message
...
> Where do you suppose they came from. Plants?
>
> Russell Mack

???

[Ka30P]

All sorts of things hitchhike along on plants
that ponders bring home from the nursery.
Worms, snails, algae, zooplankton, fish eggs,
snail eggs, frog eggs, leeches, insect larvae, mosses, other plants, sea
monsters ;-)

<< "Webfoot" > wrote in message
...
> Where do you suppose they came from. Plants?
>
> Russell Mack

??? >>





kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

[George]

"Ka30P" > wrote in message
...
>
> All sorts of things hitchhike along on plants
> that ponders bring home from the nursery.
> Worms, snails, algae, zooplankton, fish eggs,
> snail eggs, frog eggs, leeches, insect larvae, mosses, other plants, sea
> monsters ;-)
>
> << "Webfoot" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Where do you suppose they came from. Plants?
>>
>> Russell Mack
>
> ??? >>
>

Sea monsters? Kooool! I wanna live where you live!