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

[Goatonfly]

This white roundish thing was on the bottom of my rock yesterday and today its on the back. Any ideas of what it is? Also, what are the black spots in the bottom picture.

[dtb125]

definitely a ball anemone now that its big enough for me to clearly make out. good call sir. thank you again

[GHsaltie]

Anybody have a clue what this strange blue thing is that I found tonight? It looks kind of like a crab but not like a crab. It's just hanging out on the rock and I have no idea what it is.image.jpg

[Stagrindin757]

Nice

[Prankster11]

I found this little snail today. It is no bigger than a couple millimeters... any idea?

[pagojoe]

It's a Collonista or Homalopoma species. Algae grazer.

[reefer 101]

Have a new tank (six weeks). Picked up large worm with live rock; maybe two as have seen them at both ends of the tank. Is it something I should worry about? Safe for corals and other critters???

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by Spaced Cowboy

So I got some critters to keep the sand cleanish while I get everything set up, and got a couple of hitch-hikers. Anyone any idea if these (there are 2 of them) are ok to have ?



Cheers
Simon

Hi
That is an Asterina Starfish.
Here is a link to a very helpful/great/educational hitchhiker website called Melev's Reef:
http://www.melevsreef.com/critters/asterina-starfish

Do be warned that, just like mini brittle starfish, these little guys can begin to mass populate over time BUT I've never had any problems with them. I keep them in my sump and they're handy little cleaners.

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by Prankster11

I found this little snail today. It is no bigger than a couple millimeters... any idea?

Like pagojoe said, Colonista snail... although, it could be a Sundial. Both snails are sort of shaped the same and stay really small; however the good Colonista is brown and white and the bad Sundial is black and white.
Sundials are zoanthid coral predators and Colonistas are really helpful cleaners that will graze pretty much anywhere and everywhere. I haven't had an experience with the Sundials but my Colonistas can be seen everywhere as little white dots (as they have mass populated)

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by reefer 101

Have a new tank (six weeks). Picked up large worm with live rock; maybe two as have seen them at both ends of the tank. Is it something I should worry about? Safe for corals and other critters???

Hello bristleworm
Bristleworms are great cleaners. They eat detritus, leftover foods, and will clean up an aquarium death quick enough so that it doesn't cause much of an issue with water params (sometimes).
Some people talk about how they kill snails, clams, fish, etc but I've never had any problems and have read many forums where it was suggested that it wasn't the worm that killed the victim... the worm was just seen cleaning up the dead carcass and therefore accused to be the culprit.
These guys can grow pretty big and multiply usually based off of the amount of nutrients they have access to. Even the big ones can be hard to spot though because they usually only come out of their hiding spots at lights off.

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by Goatonfly

This white roundish thing was on the bottom of my rock yesterday and today its on the back. Any ideas of what it is? Also, what are the black spots in the bottom picture.

A month or so after I put my dry live rock in my tank (after curing it for a few months in a large, closed tupperware container) I saw a scatter of black on one of my rocks that looked similar to this. After researching it seemed like it was a type of burrowing sponge... Mine didn't really do anything and soon was conqured by coraline algae I'm not even 100% that it actually was some sort of sponge... but that was the closest I could get to an ID on it.
As for your little white spikey critter... I have no idea Is it hard or slimey? Does it sway or is it solid?

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by SuperDuperOR

Please help me to ID and recommend a solution for this unknown white goo. It is hard to separate from the rock, kind of looks like boogers when you get it off, and seems to be spreading. I believe it choked out my zoa frag, and I worry it is going to take over the tank if I don't get it eradicated.

Thanks for your help!!

I have a little bit of that on my zoanthid rock... its been there for a long time and hasn't really grown. I have always suspected it was a sort of blanketing type of sponge and not harmful, but if you say it choked your zoas out I guess I better keep an eye on mine :/

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by Jdack

Can you guys give me a quick verification that this is aiptasia? As for the second one, still no idea what it is.

This is a picture of baby aptasia I had a while back. Its difficult sometimes to differentiate between the baby aptasia and feather dusters but generally feather dusters will have a ton of little bristles and the baby aptasia will have like 7 or something...
Bottom Left and Middle pictures are aptasia baby and aptasia small adult (first pic):

Bottom Left is a picture of a small feather duster worm peeking out of a Astrea snail shell hole (second pic):

Also would like to mention that if it is Aptasia then get rid of it asap because it reproduces fast. Be sure not to cut it or do anything that can set pieces of it afloat in your tank ~ otherwise it will reproduce and cause you great sadness (LOL).

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by dtb125

thank you Ron i have a direction in which to research now.will try to get clearer photo tentacles seem clear with little tiny colored spheres on the ends. the tentacles also seem to be 2 and 1/2 times longer than the boot. if it is an anemone.

Hi
I have 2 of these in my sump at the moment... pretty cool to look at but be warned as I have heard these referred to as "pest anemones" because they will multiply in your tank (not nearly as quick as aptasia though) and could potentially cause a problem if they were to start bothering corals. They stay small and are much better to look at than aptasia (imo)

[dtb125]

thank you meganlas123 for the info had wondered how prolific they are. i definitely do not want anything quick spreading that is not a coral in the system.guess i will be breaking him off and throwing him somewhere else. thinking about starting small experiment tank for such creatures just to see what becomes f such an ecosystem.

[meganias123]

Originally Posted by dtb125

thank you meganlas123 for the info had wondered how prolific they are. i definitely do not want anything quick spreading that is not a coral in the system.guess i will be breaking him off and throwing him somewhere else. thinking about starting small experiment tank for such creatures just to see what becomes f such an ecosystem.

Yeah, an experiment tank sounds like a pretty good idea... Especially with all of the interesting but "potentially" not reef safe critters that can be found as hitchhikers in this hobby

[Hatonhed]

These grew all over my live rock when I had my tank set up in the past. I am wondering what they are! i am once again looking to set up my reef and these rocks have been dry for about 2 years. i would like to be sure there will be no harm from the reuse of this rock. Thanks in advance!

[cloak]

Spirorbid worms.

[Hatonhed]

Are these a good thing to have?

[cloak]

Yes.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rs/

[timfederwitz]

Please help me ID this worm like creature.

Here is the video of what I found in my tank. Not crazy big, but we've only seen it in the morning when the tank lights are off.



I thought it was a bristle worm, but it doesn't seem to have legs all down its sides. I have seen bristle worms in my tank, and this doesn't look like one.

I know the video quality isn't great due to lack of light, but any thoughts from anyone are appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IsyssOT_7399]

I've been battling aiptasia from day one. Things are going pretty well with lemon juice as my weapon of choice. A couple of days ago, this popped up in my sand. I do have a BTA that came with my live rock and was a bit concerned that this isn't aiptasia at all and may be something I should keep, but I'm going the "better safe than sorry" route. It has been removed. but my curiosity prevents me from killing it... So can anyone explain to me why this anemone is so much wider and darker than the rest? If it's not aiptasia, what on earth is it. Thanks in advance!

[quagmire]

Originally Posted by timfederwitz

Please help me ID this worm like creature.

Here is the video of what I found in my tank. Not crazy big, but we've only seen it in the morning when the tank lights are off.



I thought it was a bristle worm, but it doesn't seem to have legs all down its sides. I have seen bristle worms in my tank, and this doesn't look like one.

I know the video quality isn't great due to lack of light, but any thoughts from anyone are appreciated.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like the reproductive part of a polycheate worm.
Search polychaete epitoke in this thread or other areas of reef central.

[MarkW64]

I caught this nearly 2 inch critter this morning. Polychaete of some type I assume. Anybody have a good idea what it is more specifically? Is it anything to worry about, or a beneficial scavenger?

[MarkW64]

Any idea anyone? I'm hoping to return it to the tank soon if it's not a predator...