critter identification please

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 07:05 PM

I have this worm it looks like a red catipiler its about 3 inches long it makes a burrow in the sand and in the rocks using big pieces of sand/agragate . Ill post a picture if I can get a good one. Does anyone know what it is. I also have these things that crawl around at night that look like tiny cockroaches they crawl they don't swim. Neither bother me, and all my coral is doing fine should I worry about them? My tank has been up and running for about 8 months.

My water is in almost perfect condition the only thing a little off is my alkalinity is a tiny bit low but its off by like .3-.4
0 nitrite
0-5 nitrate
ph 8.3
calcium 480
phosphates 0

kingfisher62 · 02/27/2010, 07:07 PM

Most likely a bristle worm and amphipods! Both beneficial critters.

Chiefsurfer · 02/27/2010, 07:19 PM

pods very good. The worm, is it SUPER vibrant reds, or like dull reds? Dull, you should be fine, likely is a harmless detrivore worm(bristle worm).

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 07:26 PM

I found a picture of it if anyone is curious its bright red. Its a dorvilleids http://www.wormguy.com/PPpics/DorvC.jpg

Chiefsurfer · 02/27/2010, 07:49 PM

I don't know what dorvilleid is. Does the site say it is a detrivore, or omnivore, or carnavore?

What I was concerned with was a Fireworm:

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 08:01 PM

Its not a fire thankfully. I think that is the only type of worm that I don't have. I have 3 kinds of bristle worms, the thin red worms that live in the sand. lots of christmas tree worms, and tube worms which I like. I don't know why I only have 1 fish in my tank, that I feed once a day a tiny amount of food like 1/4 a pinch of flakes. and I only feed my corals twice a week. 15 ml of a mixture of marine snow kent marine micro vert food, frozen blood worms and frozen brine shrimp. And my brain coral gets one small goldfish twice a week.

dwd5813 · 02/27/2010, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLAURIA751

I have this worm it looks like a red catipiler its about 3 inches long it makes a burrow in the sand and in the rocks using big pieces of sand/agragate . Ill post a picture if I can get a good one. Does anyone know what it is. I also have these things that crawl around at night that look like tiny cockroaches they crawl they don't swim.

sounds like you identified the worm? never heard of that one, but that's not saying much. hopefully it's safe. how tiny are we talking about with the 'cockroach'? does it look anything like this?

that's a pic of a stomatella snail. a very good hitchhiker that comes in on live rock.

Chiefsurfer · 02/27/2010, 08:05 PM

feeder goldfish, nice idea. I have a 12 gallon FW tank, and every month or so, my female guppy has like 15 babies(or at least thats how many survive) and before I got rid of the nem I got with my LR(didn't ask for it, got it as a "bonus"), I was feeding him a live(ish) guppy every week, and he loved it.

Don't know why you have all those worms either then, but thankfully it is not a fireworm.

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 08:16 PM

the cockroach looking creatures are about the size of a pen tip and they don't look like that snail they have more of an exoskeleton like a shrimp, now that I think of it they look more like a tiny shrimp but crawl like a cockroach on the sand and around the rocks they seem to stay mostly away from my coral.

dwd5813 · 02/27/2010, 08:19 PM

sounds more like pods then. also very good.

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 08:21 PM

And my brain coral loves his fish here is a picture of my brain coral and my tank.

I'm pretty sure my brain coral ate the smaller of the two clown fish he disapeared without a trace 2 months ago.

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 08:26 PM

The pink coral is an octopus spawn and has gotten alot fuller and more pink since the picture, it looks alot better in person than in the picture. I love it because Its the only one iv ever seen.

Chiefsurfer · 02/27/2010, 08:34 PM

well, how does your brain look since that photo?

Honestly, BOTH of those corals look very bleached. If it's pink/pink, it could very well be the photo, but I think the brain is bleached, I have never seen one THAT light.

JLAURIA751 · 02/27/2010, 08:48 PM

Its probably my crappy camera that makes them look bleached the brain seems to be doing well its gotten bigger since the photo its mostly a light turquoise color. My lighting is a 15,000k 150 watt HQI metal halide, with 32 watts of actinic lighting. the actinic is on from 10-10 and the metal halides are on from 12-8 the fixture sits about 5 inches above the water. here is what it looked like at the fish store the guy said hes had it about eight months and its very healthy. I can move it under the over hang if you think its getting to much light.

02/27/2010, 07:05 PM	#1
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	critter identification please I have this worm it looks like a red catipiler its about 3 inches long it makes a burrow in the sand and in the rocks using big pieces of sand/agragate . Ill post a picture if I can get a good one. Does anyone know what it is. I also have these things that crawl around at night that look like tiny cockroaches they crawl they don't swim. Neither bother me, and all my coral is doing fine should I worry about them? My tank has been up and running for about 8 months. My water is in almost perfect condition the only thing a little off is my alkalinity is a tiny bit low but its off by like .3-.4 0 nitrite 0-5 nitrate ph 8.3 calcium 480 phosphates 0

02/27/2010, 07:07 PM	#2
kingfisher62 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: massachusetts Posts: 4,972	Most likely a bristle worm and amphipods! Both beneficial critters. __________________ 55g Tank - 216W T5's Foxface, tomato clown, yellow tailed damsel, Starrie Blennie, LPS and softies 29G Biocube- 120W LED's 2 percular clown, Six line Wrasse , LPS and softies Current Tank Info: 55 gl. Reef tank ,29g biocube Reef

02/27/2010, 07:19 PM	#3
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	pods very good. The worm, is it SUPER vibrant reds, or like dull reds? Dull, you should be fine, likely is a harmless detrivore worm(bristle worm). __________________ 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

02/27/2010, 07:49 PM	#5
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	I don't know what dorvilleid is. Does the site say it is a detrivore, or omnivore, or carnavore? What I was concerned with was a Fireworm: __________________ 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

02/27/2010, 08:05 PM	#8
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	feeder goldfish, nice idea. I have a 12 gallon FW tank, and every month or so, my female guppy has like 15 babies(or at least thats how many survive) and before I got rid of the nem I got with my LR(didn't ask for it, got it as a "bonus"), I was feeding him a live(ish) guppy every week, and he loved it. Don't know why you have all those worms either then, but thankfully it is not a fireworm. __________________ 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

02/27/2010, 07:26 PM	#4
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	I found a picture of it if anyone is curious its bright red. Its a dorvilleids http://www.wormguy.com/PPpics/DorvC.jpg

02/27/2010, 08:01 PM	#6
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	Its not a fire thankfully. I think that is the only type of worm that I don't have. I have 3 kinds of bristle worms, the thin red worms that live in the sand. lots of christmas tree worms, and tube worms which I like. I don't know why I only have 1 fish in my tank, that I feed once a day a tiny amount of food like 1/4 a pinch of flakes. and I only feed my corals twice a week. 15 ml of a mixture of marine snow kent marine micro vert food, frozen blood worms and frozen brine shrimp. And my brain coral gets one small goldfish twice a week.

02/27/2010, 08:16 PM	#9
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	the cockroach looking creatures are about the size of a pen tip and they don't look like that snail they have more of an exoskeleton like a shrimp, now that I think of it they look more like a tiny shrimp but crawl like a cockroach on the sand and around the rocks they seem to stay mostly away from my coral.

02/27/2010, 08:19 PM	#10
dwd5813 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: 813 Posts: 2,827	sounds more like pods then. also very good. __________________ order some golf shoes, otherwise we'll never get out of this place alive. what can i say? in dog beers, i have only had one. - dublo8 Current Tank Info: 40B aiptasia farm

02/27/2010, 08:21 PM	#11
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	And my brain coral loves his fish here is a picture of my brain coral and my tank. I'm pretty sure my brain coral ate the smaller of the two clown fish he disapeared without a trace 2 months ago.

02/27/2010, 08:26 PM	#12
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	The pink coral is an octopus spawn and has gotten alot fuller and more pink since the picture, it looks alot better in person than in the picture. I love it because Its the only one iv ever seen.

02/27/2010, 08:34 PM	#13
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	well, how does your brain look since that photo? Honestly, BOTH of those corals look very bleached. If it's pink/pink, it could very well be the photo, but I think the brain is bleached, I have never seen one THAT light. __________________ 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

02/27/2010, 08:48 PM	#14
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	Its probably my crappy camera that makes them look bleached the brain seems to be doing well its gotten bigger since the photo its mostly a light turquoise color. My lighting is a 15,000k 150 watt HQI metal halide, with 32 watts of actinic lighting. the actinic is on from 10-10 and the metal halides are on from 12-8 the fixture sits about 5 inches above the water. here is what it looked like at the fish store the guy said hes had it about eight months and its very healthy. I can move it under the over hang if you think its getting to much light.