Help Identify critter

rgh69 · 02/06/2012, 09:57 AM

Hello,

I noticed small 1 to 2 mm long white things floating on the surface of my tank. Took a pic under the microscope. Can any of y'all help me identify it?

Mike_Noren · 02/06/2012, 11:04 AM

Well the focus is off, but I think you may have found a kinorhynch. If so congratulations, you've seen a type of animal basically only people working professionally with interstitial ( = living among sandgrains) near-microscopic animals ever see. It is a very old and poorly known animal group, but they're not rare, just small and obscure.

They feed on small particles and debris between the sand grains. Completely harmless. They also have a hydrophobic body covering, which means that they get "stuck" on the water surface, so if one wants to find kinorhynchs the best way is to blow small air bubbles through the sand and then collect the kinorhynchs at the surface - and something like that is almost certainly what also happened to this guy.

rgh69 · 02/07/2012, 06:27 AM

Well, that looks like it! Thanks for the info!

I haven't disturbed the sand in the last couple weeks. The only other change that I made was to start a Biopellet Reactor. Could the die-off be caused by the Biopellets?

Mike_Noren · 02/07/2012, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgh69

Could the die-off be caused by the Biopellets?

I can't think of any obvious reason why it would do that, but I can't rule out that it might either.

tmz · 02/07/2012, 08:42 AM

ice thread. Thanks for the pictures annd the information rgh amd Mike.

Don't know why organic carbon dosing would cause ; but, it might . Maybe N2 gas bubbles them up with higher levels of anaerobic activity. Maybe lower phytoplankton levels otherrwise available as food weakens them.
Seems it could be hypothesized just as easily that dosing organics via pellets or other means cause a proliferation of these critters via extra food sourcing ( bacteria for example).

In any case, Thanks again for sharing the photos and info.

rgh69 · 02/07/2012, 12:15 PM

Here is a better pic... This one is about 2mm long.

02/06/2012, 09:57 AM	#1
rgh69 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 31	Help Identify critter Hello, I noticed small 1 to 2 mm long white things floating on the surface of my tank. Took a pic under the microscope. Can any of y'all help me identify it?

02/06/2012, 11:04 AM	#2
Mike_Noren Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Stockholm Posts: 712	Well the focus is off, but I think you may have found a kinorhynch. If so congratulations, you've seen a type of animal basically only people working professionally with interstitial ( = living among sandgrains) near-microscopic animals ever see. It is a very old and poorly known animal group, but they're not rare, just small and obscure. They feed on small particles and debris between the sand grains. Completely harmless. They also have a hydrophobic body covering, which means that they get "stuck" on the water surface, so if one wants to find kinorhynchs the best way is to blow small air bubbles through the sand and then collect the kinorhynchs at the surface - and something like that is almost certainly what also happened to this guy. __________________ Acronyms alienate, abbreviations obfuscate. It's nothing personal, I'm cranky at everyone. Dear Reefcentral, please allow users to delete their posts. Current Tank Info: Experimenting with peroxide and vinegar

02/07/2012, 08:42 AM	#5
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	ice thread. Thanks for the pictures annd the information rgh amd Mike. Don't know why organic carbon dosing would cause ; but, it might . Maybe N2 gas bubbles them up with higher levels of anaerobic activity. Maybe lower phytoplankton levels otherrwise available as food weakens them. Seems it could be hypothesized just as easily that dosing organics via pellets or other means cause a proliferation of these critters via extra food sourcing ( bacteria for example). In any case, Thanks again for sharing the photos and info. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

02/07/2012, 06:27 AM	#3
rgh69 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 31	Well, that looks like it! Thanks for the info! I haven't disturbed the sand in the last couple weeks. The only other change that I made was to start a Biopellet Reactor. Could the die-off be caused by the Biopellets?

02/07/2012, 12:15 PM	#6
rgh69 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 31	Here is a better pic... This one is about 2mm long.