Pix & ID: Critters that come in your rocks: the good and the bad.

[cloak]

Where are the snails in the picture?

[ReeferKimberly]

Originally Posted by cloak

Where are the snails in the picture?

I think the dark little tiny thing in the middle of the pic. I can't tell what it is though. Too small. All I know is pyramid snails are small and bad but no idea if that is one.

[fairladyZ]

ya they are VERY tiny. I can't get my camera to zoom in enough to take a great picture of them. The shell shape looks like it could be cerith, But they are tiny so i'm not sure. I google'd pyramid snail and the shape is similar but all the images i saw they were a white/tan not the black like these.. not sure if that matters or not

[xdunaticx]

Can anyone tell me what this hair like algae is growing on my live rock and what would be a sufficient way of getting rid of it?

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by xdunaticx

Can anyone tell me what this hair like algae is growing on my live rock and what would be a sufficient way of getting rid of it?

[pagojoe]

Originally Posted by fairladyZ

any ideas on the tiny snail i posted?

There are a bunch of things it could be, and none of them are harmful


Don

[Matthias7]

Do Asterina stars eat zoa's and/or things like kenya'n trees? I had a major outbreak of them a little while back. I have noticed "sores" on the trees and today I saw an Asterina on one of these areas. I unfortunately lost my colony of zoa's

[alexkimball81]

pretty sure its aiptasia but just want to know 100% before destroying lol

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by alexkimball81

pretty sure its aiptasia but just want to know 100% before destroying lol

Yes, aiptasia.

[Mrramsey]

I am cycling my tank and have a few pieces of live rock I am seeding the sump with. I have some pods running around on it and I noticed something else today. I saw some long hair like tentacles. These are individual and have a feathered look to them. They are white in color almost looked like a cobweb. I thought that was it until I noticed it twitching. Its definitely living. Any ideas?

[cloak]

Comb jelly perhaps? (Ctenophore)

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

[Mrramsey]

Originally Posted by Mrramsey

I am cycling my tank and have a few pieces of live rock I am seeding the sump with. I have some pods running around on it and I noticed something else today. I saw some long hair like tentacles. These are individual and have a feathered look to them. They are white in color almost looked like a cobweb. I thought that was it until I noticed it twitching. Its definitely living. Any ideas?

Here is a picture of one of them.




It is about 2" long in these pics.

[swiss1939]

Can someone tell me if this is a yellow colony polyp or some other variant? It came in with chaeto I got off of LFS for my refugium and just made its way into my tank. Thanks!

[justinr2k]

Swiss: it looks like aptasia to me. Can you take the rock out? If not you can inject the stem with lemon juice. You will need a syringe an lemon juice from grocery store. If you can take out the rock, burn it with a lighter and scrub it off.

[justinr2k]

You absolutely do not want these in your tank OR sump. Remove the chaeto and pull them out of the chaeto. Try not to break them or disturb them too much in the sump. Also try not to break them when pulling them out of the chaeto. I pull chunks of the chaeto off with the aptasia on it and throw it away.

[swiss1939]

Originally Posted by justinr2k

Swiss: it looks like aptasia to me. Can you take the rock out? If not you can inject the stem with lemon juice. You will need a syringe an lemon juice from grocery store. If you can take out the rock, burn it with a lighter and scrub it off.

I can definitely remove it with no problem. It just floated onto the substrate and is only attached to some small piece of gravel. It is the only one I can see in chaeto. Should I be actively seeking smaller pieces to remove?

[justinr2k]

Yes. Shine a bright flashlight into the chaeto and see if you see any more. I have it in my tank and wish I didn't. Luckily my peppermint shrimp keep it at bay.

[justinr2k]

They can me soo small. Take care to check it very well.

[swiss1939]

Originally Posted by justinr2k

They can me soo small. Take care to check it very well.

Yes I did just notice a very small one attached to some LR. Will be using the lemon juice injection method shortly! Hopefully I handled them before they were able to spread!

[kelp47]

I'm so glad this forum is here. I received a package of live rock from the Gulf of Mexico, and I'm trying to ID as much as I can. I'm still at the beginning of the learning curve when it comes to algae, coral, sponges, etc., so I would greatly appreciate any input you could provide about anything in these photos. Thanks!!!

I have lots of these weedy-looking things all over my rocks. Are they some kind of algae? Good?


Any idea about this long string-thing coming out of the rock? It doesn’t move or anything. Should I pull it out?


There is a lot going on here, but I’m particularly interested in the fleshy patch in the middle. But if you spot anything else I should know about, feel free to share.


There are two disc-shapes on this rock. They have slits around them as if they should open. I haven’t seen them open, but they do kind of shrink back if I blow on them with the baster.


I hope this orange stuff is good because I like it. Over the last day or two, it looks like it’s starting to protrude with tube-like shapes. (see my blenny behind them)


What about these white knobs? They’re not soft, but not hard like rock.


I’m sorry this is such a bad photo, but I had to take it at an angle to the glass. It's a whitish-gray patch. I would think it’s some kind of fungus, but I don’t really know. Any idea? Should I try to remove it?


How about this red patch here? Or if you spot anything else I should know about, feel free to share. My feather-duster came out for the shoot


One more... and this is another bad photo. Just above the center, there is what looks like a bundle of little sacs full of little white balls. Any idea?

[liverock]

Originally Posted by kelp47

I'm so glad this forum is here. I received a package of live rock from the Gulf of Mexico, and I'm trying to ID as much as I can. I'm still at the beginning of the learning curve when it comes to algae, coral, sponges, etc., so I would greatly appreciate any input you could provide about anything in these photos. Thanks!!!

I have lots of these weedy-looking things all over my rocks. Are they some kind of algae? Good?


they are a living animal...notice the tubes...and the feather is out feeding..



Any idea about this long string-thing coming out of the rock? It doesn’t move or anything. Should I pull it out?

nope...is a tube casing from an animal..




There is a lot going on here, but I’m particularly interested in the fleshy patch in the middle. But if you spot anything else I should know about, feel free to share.

type of tunicates..



There are two disc-shapes on this rock. They have slits around them as if they should open. I haven’t seen them open, but they do kind of shrink back if I blow on them with the baster.

small clams



I hope this orange stuff is good because I like it. Over the last day or two, it looks like it’s starting to protrude with tube-like shapes. (see my blenny behind them)

more tunicates..



What about these white knobs? They’re not soft, but not hard like rock.


another type of tunicate


I’m sorry this is such a bad photo, but I had to take it at an angle to the glass. It's a whitish-gray patch. I would think it’s some kind of fungus, but I don’t really know. Any idea? Should I try to remove it?

nope...is an encrusting sponge..



How about this red patch here? Or if you spot anything else I should know about, feel free to share. My feather-duster came out for the shoot

tunicates....

all your rock is very happy and alive....is why you had no cycling issues, when you start out with real live rock and sand, is usually painless..no cycle issues or smells to deal with like imported rock!


One more... and this is another bad photo. Just above the center, there is what looks like a bundle of little sacs full of little white balls. Any idea?

more tunicates....filter feeders!

You did a great job with part one...wait until you see part two!

Which you are ready for!
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com

[Sugar Magnolia]

That's some nice looking rock!

[justinr2k]

Originally Posted by kelp47

I'm so glad this forum is here. I received a package of live rock from the Gulf of Mexico, and I'm trying to ID as much as I can. I'm still at the beginning of the learning curve when it comes to algae, coral, sponges, etc., so I would greatly appreciate any input you could provide about anything in these photos. Thanks!!!

I have lots of these weedy-looking things all over my rocks. Are they some kind of algae? Good?


Any idea about this long string-thing coming out of the rock? It doesn’t move or anything. Should I pull it out?


There is a lot going on here, but I’m particularly interested in the fleshy patch in the middle. But if you spot anything else I should know about, feel free to share.


There are two disc-shapes on this rock. They have slits around them as if they should open. I haven’t seen them open, but they do kind of shrink back if I blow on them with the baster.


I hope this orange stuff is good because I like it. Over the last day or two, it looks like it’s starting to protrude with tube-like shapes. (see my blenny behind them)


What about these white knobs? They’re not soft, but not hard like rock.


I’m sorry this is such a bad photo, but I had to take it at an angle to the glass. It's a whitish-gray patch. I would think it’s some kind of fungus, but I don’t really know. Any idea? Should I try to remove it?


How about this red patch here? Or if you spot anything else I should know about, feel free to share. My feather-duster came out for the shoot


One more... and this is another bad photo. Just above the center, there is what looks like a bundle of little sacs full of little white balls. Any idea?

I'm slightly jealous. Nice rock.

[kelp47]

Thanks for all of your feedback. I did get some great rocks! I'll be posting more pics soon to show how great they are! ��

[kelp47]

Originally Posted by justinr2k

I'm slightly jealous. Nice rock.

You can have some, too! Tampa Bay Saltwater-- I highly recommend, and I've only received the first half of the package ��