freshwater sponge or soft coral, what did I see???

DivingBatgirl · #1 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 05:27 PM

I have just started SCUBA diving and went to Stoney Cove. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me. Could anyone advise me of what I may have seen please. Underneath ledges of metal were what I would describe as small Dead Mens Fingers but only individual fingers not large colonies. Some were white and others were a pale apricot colour. They looked soft and moved with the flow of water. If anyone could recommend a good ID book that would be brilliant. Thanks

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 05:48 PM

Ah ha! You've arrived!!!!!!

Looking in my book soon!

tom00_uk · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 12:55 AM

sounds like a rusticle

SC is a good spot to see white claw crayfish

DivingBatgirl · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 04:38 PM

Thanks for your suggestion but they were definately not rusticles. They were living organisms. Do soft corals exist in freshwater? I have a limited range of books and knowledge so if anyone knows it would be great to hear from you. It was the first time that I have seen British Crayfish in their own environment. Amazing!!!

quippy · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-2011, 10:36 AM

Might they have been a colony of freshwater bryozoans (Ectoprocta)?

DivingBatgirl · #6 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 02:03 PM

I have just received an email from the Stoney Cove Dive Centre and they have confirmed that the organisms that I have seen are soft corals and that the colonies have grown to a large size. At least I now know that soft corals do grow in freshwater. I must take a photo of them next time I am there.

Mystery solved! Except I wonder exactly which soft corals they are???

Madcaravanner · #7 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 03:11 PM

DivingBatGirl
You beat me to it
We dived Stoney for our OW qualification dives in 2002 in NOVEMBER
the water was warmer than the air so most people staying in the water to eat lunch.
You will see plenty of those soft corals and you will find some rusticles too the fish are of interest too especially if they think you have some bread lots of fairly large mature Roach and Perch and of course the famous Pike

Enjoy now get off to Cyprus and do the Zenobia then Sharm for the rest then the Carribean but ignore Cozumel and get to Majahal instead (done both Coz is over subscribed)

quippy · #8 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 06:00 PM

That's really interesting. Anyone know what species these corals belong to?

DivingBatgirl · #9 (**permalink**) 15-10-2011, 09:53 AM

I am awaiting a reply from Stoney Cove about what species they are. I haven't found any freshwater soft corals in any of the books I have looked at the resemble the ones at Stoney Cove.

If anyone has any contacts that study soft corals it would be fantastic to find out if the marine corals can exist in freshwater and if so was it Alcoyonium digitatum (Dead Man's Fingers) that I saw.

I am eagerly waiting any replies.

DivingBatgirl · #10 (**permalink**) 16-10-2011, 09:27 AM

The mystery continues with this unidentified organism.

Dr Campbell of Queen Mary University has advised

"Soft corals do not exist in frestwater.
I don't know how large the object was or what colour, but it might
possible have been a growth of freshwater sponge Spongilla or a
freshwater bryozoan. "

The gentleman that I have been conversing with at Stoney Cove has said that he will investigate to find out what species they think it might be. I am going to ask him if they can take a photo of it for evidence (size, colour etc.) which I can then show to Dr Campbell for identification.

I shall keep you all informed.