Need help identifying some... "entities" (for I don't know what they are!)

desx2501 · 03/06/2011, 07:34 PM

Hi!

We've had a 55g tank running for about 6 months now, to which I added a 30g DIY sump with a skimmer, cheato, activated carbon and a sock. Now, in the sump, there are 2 weird things, and there is one other thing in the display tank. I'll explain the different things one by one, with pictures :

First : The evil(?) worm(?)
I don't know where these little buddies comes from, but there are a lot of them in the sump. There might be (highly probable since they are so close to the return pump) some in the display tank, hiding in the ground and live rocks. The first picture is a small bunch of them, the second picture is taken large, just to show the size of the largest one (about 4 times the size of the small ones) relatively to the return pump, and the last one is just another mugshot of the uninvited guest :

By desx2501 at 2011-03-06

By desx2501 at 2011-03-06

The second thing is some yellow stuff, probably algae, mushroom or mold. It grows on the silicon in my sump. I was told that this silicon was aquarium safe, but were they wrong?

First picture shows a close up shot, and the second one shows it, aside what seems to be some red slime (doesn't look like coralline algae):

By desx2501 at 2011-03-06

By desx2501 at 2011-03-06

The last thing appeared in our tank about a month ago top, not too long after we added a peppermint shrimp, a cleaner shrimp and a feather duster. Might they be some feather duster "eggs"?

The first picture shows one of them hidden (ok, it doesn't seem to move, but it grow there) behind a powerhead, and the second picture show 2 of them on the intake of the filter. (FYI, the filter isn't really used anymore since we got the sump, but the sump return pipe is connected to the filter's main chamber, so the sump water flows back in the tank the same way the filter use to)

By desx2501 at 2011-03-06

Sk8r · 03/06/2011, 07:55 PM

all good guys: bugs are copepods and a benign isopod, the worm, maybe a spaghetti worm. most all worms are good, most all crabs aren't. most crawly bugs are good, the only bad one I know is a cirolanid isopod: google that, and once you see a pic, you'll never mistake it for anything else. flatworms aren't nice, come in red, green, brown, etc: the reds are the worst---I think. Depends where your rock came from, what you're likely to find. looks like nice rock, by the variety of life.

muttley000 · 03/06/2011, 08:16 PM

The last set are sponges, as said a good thing!

SushiGirl · 03/06/2011, 08:20 PM

I don't see any worms.
First 3 pics are copepods & some isopods, as Sk8r said, and are beneficial.
Last 2 pics are scypha sponges (pineapple sponges) and are harmless.
Not sure what's up with your silicone.

desx2501 · 03/06/2011, 10:59 PM

Thanks a lot guys! It reassures me a lot!

Now I only have to find out what's the stuff on the silicon, but since it doesn't grow on anything else and that my test kits aren't picking up any standard bad chemical stuff, I won't worry too much about that.

billdogg · 03/07/2011, 08:56 AM

The silicone in my fuge did the same thing. After a couple months it faded away and is now clear again.

disc1 · 03/07/2011, 11:10 AM

+1 on the silicone being no problem. That looks like you broke into my house and took a pic of my sump. :-)

desx2501 · 03/07/2011, 01:04 PM

hehe, even better!

@disc1: I hope you don't mind I also took a beer from your fridge.

03/06/2011, 07:34 PM	#1
desx2501 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 81	Need help identifying some... "entities" (for I don't know what they are!) Hi! We've had a 55g tank running for about 6 months now, to which I added a 30g DIY sump with a skimmer, cheato, activated carbon and a sock. Now, in the sump, there are 2 weird things, and there is one other thing in the display tank. I'll explain the different things one by one, with pictures : First : The evil(?) worm(?) I don't know where these little buddies comes from, but there are a lot of them in the sump. There might be (highly probable since they are so close to the return pump) some in the display tank, hiding in the ground and live rocks. The first picture is a small bunch of them, the second picture is taken large, just to show the size of the largest one (about 4 times the size of the small ones) relatively to the return pump, and the last one is just another mugshot of the uninvited guest : By desx2501 at 2011-03-06 By desx2501 at 2011-03-06 By desx2501 at 2011-03-06 The second thing is some yellow stuff, probably algae, mushroom or mold. It grows on the silicon in my sump. I was told that this silicon was aquarium safe, but were they wrong? First picture shows a close up shot, and the second one shows it, aside what seems to be some red slime (doesn't look like coralline algae): By desx2501 at 2011-03-06 By desx2501 at 2011-03-06 The last thing appeared in our tank about a month ago top, not too long after we added a peppermint shrimp, a cleaner shrimp and a feather duster. Might they be some feather duster "eggs"? The first picture shows one of them hidden (ok, it doesn't seem to move, but it grow there) behind a powerhead, and the second picture show 2 of them on the intake of the filter. (FYI, the filter isn't really used anymore since we got the sump, but the sump return pipe is connected to the filter's main chamber, so the sump water flows back in the tank the same way the filter use to) By desx2501 at 2011-03-06 By desx2501 at 2011-03-06

03/06/2011, 07:55 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	all good guys: bugs are copepods and a benign isopod, the worm, maybe a spaghetti worm. most all worms are good, most all crabs aren't. most crawly bugs are good, the only bad one I know is a cirolanid isopod: google that, and once you see a pic, you'll never mistake it for anything else. flatworms aren't nice, come in red, green, brown, etc: the reds are the worst---I think. Depends where your rock came from, what you're likely to find. looks like nice rock, by the variety of life. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/06/2011, 08:16 PM	#3
muttley000 MTS Sufferer! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,926	The last set are sponges, as said a good thing! __________________ Next step on the system is adding A 90 gallon! Current Tank Info: 475 multitank system is now running! Several hundred gallons of additions planned!

03/07/2011, 08:56 AM	#6
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	The silicone in my fuge did the same thing. After a couple months it faded away and is now clear again. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

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03/06/2011, 08:20 PM	#4
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	I don't see any worms. First 3 pics are copepods & some isopods, as Sk8r said, and are beneficial. Last 2 pics are scypha sponges (pineapple sponges) and are harmless. Not sure what's up with your silicone.

03/06/2011, 10:59 PM	#5
desx2501 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 81	Thanks a lot guys! It reassures me a lot! Now I only have to find out what's the stuff on the silicon, but since it doesn't grow on anything else and that my test kits aren't picking up any standard bad chemical stuff, I won't worry too much about that.

03/07/2011, 11:10 AM	#7
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	+1 on the silicone being no problem. That looks like you broke into my house and took a pic of my sump. :-)

03/07/2011, 01:04 PM	#8
desx2501 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 81	hehe, even better! @disc1: I hope you don't mind I also took a beer from your fridge.