What are these critters??

[AandA]

OK, so the question is….What is this stuff and what are these guys  ??? ???.

On a number of dives well below the thermocline I’ve observed a white fluffy growth, almost cotton ball like in appearance.  It is most commonly seen attached to rocks.  Often surrounding this white growth are very tiny (pinhead sized) round, tan colored guys. These critters move around but seem to stay in the vicinity of the white growth.  I’m hoping at some point this summer to try and get a close up photo of one with my new camera ;D. 

So…..Can anybody help me out here and tell me about this?

[MAXFACTOR]

Art... it might help if you post where the pictures where taken, time of year and day if  you can recall. 

But to me,   it looks like you were in an  egg and sperm incubation area. Sometimes called a plumme.   The critters are probably little fish.    Just a guess but I think I saw something like that on one of the Discover shows.

Great shots!   

Maxfactor

[SeaFanAmy]

MaxFactor is correct, These are fish eggs (called a Plume, as he has  identified)
My guess is that they are between the Morula Stage and Blastula Stage in development. (Stages 9 and 10)
There are a total of 44  stages these eggs must pass through,  before they become true swimmers. ...
and -
Perhaps 4 years before they wind up on your dinner plate!

[AandA]

I hear what yer saying and it sounds right.  These photos were taken in June and July in Caribou Lake.  I have however seen this same growth at many cold deep lakes, Bad Medicine, Cruiser, etc.  I've never seen it above a thermocline.  It usually does not start until at least thirty feet or so.  I have also noticed this same stuff in most of the pit lakes.  I'm sure that I've seen it from spring through the fall.  The photo taken below I took in August up at one of the pit lakes around crosby.  

[BioDiver]

I am pretty sure it is an invertebrate of some sort.  Possibly a Hydra or maybe a bryozoan. 

The first picture you can see what looks like the outline of the tentacles at the top of the organism.

Were the little tan guys a separate critter?  Not attached to the colony?  Maybe water mites (hydrachnida).

I am still checking other possibilities.  I'll see what I can find.

That is why I love aquatic life.  Even in freshwater there are SO MANY different organisms that most people don't even know exist.  There are also many yet to be discovered and classified.  Saltwater life is like another planet.  We may never find every piece of life living in saltwater environments.

[AandA]

These other photos were taken last year with a 3.3 megapixel camera that does not have very good resolution :.  I'm heading up to Ironton again this next week, but only for a quick dive on one day, and will try to get some better photos if I can 8).

[MAXFACTOR]

thanks  SeaFanAmy..  looks like you do research.  Are you into marine biology.      biodiver also has a good guess.  BUT I DID NOT See the tentacles that he was talking about. 

art,,  have you tried eating any of them.  lol    please don't say they taste like chicken.

ART....  hope all is well with "family"  take care
maxfactor
joe b.

[spitfire_er]

Sounds like everyone has given some good guesses, I don't think that they are hydra.  Approx how large are the plumes? And i would think if they are moving around as you say, they would be past the blastula stage in development.

[AandA]

By "plume" I assume ya'all mean the white stuff/growth.  Well.... It varies.  sometimes it is a very small amount, covering only an inch or two of surface, like is seen in the previous photo.  Sometimes it covers an area of a foot or more.  Below is yet another photo taken in Caribou three years ago.  As I said earlier, I hope to get a better photo yet this summer.  I'm also thinking about how to get a really good macro photo of one of the little fellers.  I know Maxfactor (Joe) has seen my baster that I use in the winter to inject hot water into the gloves of divers.  I'm thinking of using it as an ersatz slurp gun.  In this manner I could catch one and bring it up.  I just need to figure out some container to place it in the will be clear and small enough to restrict its movement so I can get a clear photo.