Long tentacle-like legs from live rock?

ItsMee · 01/20/2010, 09:21 PM

There are many places in my live rock where a long grey/black and white/grey horizontal striped legs are coming out and feeling all over the place (CONCERNED - one is touching my clam's mantle!). The stripes are patterned as black-white-black-white etc... These are small creatures and it seems like it is only the legs or tentacles or whatever of something else that is inside the rocks? Should I be concerned?

Octoshark · 01/20/2010, 09:26 PM

Can you take a picture?

Chiefsurfer · 01/20/2010, 09:31 PM

are they like the thickness of a hair from your head, or more like that of the lead of a pencil? Do they taper, or stay pretty much the same size?

My intuition says either spaghetti worms, or more likely brittle stars living in the rocks.

Sisterlimonpot · 01/20/2010, 09:33 PM

Without a picture it's hard to tell, I'd say brittle stars.

ItsMee · 01/20/2010, 10:41 PM

I can't get a good pic of a large coral, so I doubt I could get one of something this small. The thickness is that of a thick hair...like a pube, perhaps a little thicker. They do not appear to taper and when they bend it is almost as if there are many little tiny joints throughout the length of it....like it crinkles to bend if that makes any sense. Are spaghetti worms or bristle stars of any concern?

Tylt33 · 01/20/2010, 10:42 PM

Mini-brittle stars, harmless.

Sisterlimonpot · 01/20/2010, 10:42 PM

Did you google brittle star?

sharky's machin · 01/20/2010, 10:45 PM

I agree with mini-brittle stars. I have these all over my tank.

ItsMee · 01/20/2010, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sisterlimonpot

Did you google brittle star?

My apologies for being lazy...I do usually google everything and only ever ask if there is controversy or if I can't find what I am looking for (rare). Kinda funny, because on a daily basis someone will ask me a technical question and I will but in before they can finish asking by saying, "The answer is 'Google'".

Sisterlimonpot · 01/20/2010, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItsMee

My apologies for being lazy...I do usually google everything and only ever ask if there is controversy or if I can't find what I am looking for (rare). Kinda funny, because on a daily basis someone will ask me a technical question and I will but in before they can finish asking by saying, "The answer is 'Google'".

Octoshark · 01/20/2010, 11:05 PM

Mini brittles are good scavengers that can get into the nooks and crannies where larger critters may not be able to reach.

Fibinotchi · 01/20/2010, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItsMee

The thickness is that of a thick hair...like a pube, perhaps a little thicker.

Quote worthy!

FOSELONE · 01/20/2010, 11:52 PM

brittlestars...

Still Wet · 01/21/2010, 12:28 AM

+1 on brittle stars harmless

DC_40gallon · 01/21/2010, 12:41 AM

Sounds like a brittle star for sure! Mine lives in a rock as well and you only see his legs hang out of the rock fom time to time.

01/20/2010, 09:21 PM	#1
ItsMee Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 1,861	Long tentacle-like legs from live rock? There are many places in my live rock where a long grey/black and white/grey horizontal striped legs are coming out and feeling all over the place (CONCERNED - one is touching my clam's mantle!). The stripes are patterned as black-white-black-white etc... These are small creatures and it seems like it is only the legs or tentacles or whatever of something else that is inside the rocks? Should I be concerned? __________________ There are 10 kinds of people who understand binary, those who do, and those who don't. Current Tank Info: Cadlight 39G pro system!

01/20/2010, 09:31 PM	#3
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	are they like the thickness of a hair from your head, or more like that of the lead of a pencil? Do they taper, or stay pretty much the same size? My intuition says either spaghetti worms, or more likely brittle stars living in the rocks. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

01/20/2010, 09:33 PM	#4
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Without a picture it's hard to tell, I'd say brittle stars. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/20/2010, 10:41 PM	#5
ItsMee Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 1,861	I can't get a good pic of a large coral, so I doubt I could get one of something this small. The thickness is that of a thick hair...like a pube, perhaps a little thicker. They do not appear to taper and when they bend it is almost as if there are many little tiny joints throughout the length of it....like it crinkles to bend if that makes any sense. Are spaghetti worms or bristle stars of any concern? __________________ There are 10 kinds of people who understand binary, those who do, and those who don't. Current Tank Info: Cadlight 39G pro system!

01/20/2010, 10:42 PM	#7
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Did you google brittle star? __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/20/2010, 09:26 PM	#2
Octoshark Marine Biology Student Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,366	Can you take a picture?

01/20/2010, 10:42 PM	#6
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	Mini-brittle stars, harmless.

01/20/2010, 10:45 PM	#8
sharky's machin Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 585	I agree with mini-brittle stars. I have these all over my tank.

01/20/2010, 11:05 PM	#11
Octoshark Marine Biology Student Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,366	Mini brittles are good scavengers that can get into the nooks and crannies where larger critters may not be able to reach. __________________ "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

01/20/2010, 11:52 PM	#13
FOSELONE THINK BLUE Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LOS ANGELES CA Posts: 4,865	brittlestars...

01/21/2010, 12:28 AM	#14
Still Wet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Alma Center,WI Posts: 57	+1 on brittle stars harmless __________________ I have a love for salt water and legos. I wish i could mix them but I think a lego built tank might leak... Not sure though Current Tank Info: 90g rr mixed 75g rr fowlr 150g rr work in progress

01/21/2010, 12:41 AM	#15
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Sounds like a brittle star for sure! Mine lives in a rock as well and you only see his legs hang out of the rock fom time to time.