what could be causing this hole/opening in the sand?

crankbait09 · 08/11/2016, 08:08 PM

I have been noticing lately that there has been an opening/slit/hole in the sand that has been getting larger and larger as time goes on. slowly but surely.

It may be hard to tell by looking at the photos, but at the base of the rock, where it beets the sand, there is a 45 degree slope of sand that leads right in to this opening. It isn't a round hole where something would be living in it, but rather flat and about 1" in length. I can't figure out where it came from.

All the rock is sitting on the glass bottom, and sand was applied after the fact.

I do have a randalls goby that is living in a hole just around the corner. He jets in and out of his hole, but never approaches that area of the rock that the hole is in. Here are the creatures I have in my tank, none that I could think would cause this.

(2) percula clowns
(2) chalk bass
(1) serpentine starfish
a few nassi snails
a few red legged hermits

What are your thoughts?

Kevin Guthrie · 08/11/2016, 09:14 PM

My guess - something is living under there. Set your alarm for 3 a.m. and bring a flashlight.

farfromsea · 08/11/2016, 10:46 PM

I suspect the same as Kevin. Hearing that the goby has never ventured to check out the hole makes me think there is a reason he doesn't want to go in. Let us know what you see peek out of it at night!

Shivsreef · 08/11/2016, 11:28 PM

It could be something nasty living in there or the only other reason why that's happening is the way your flow is.

steallife904 · 08/12/2016, 09:47 AM

cover it up and see if it reopens

crankbait09 · 08/12/2016, 10:07 AM

I'll do that. I wonder if it may actually be the water flow if hitting it just right causing the opening. I will push the sand over and see if it gets blown away.

that was way to easy of an answer

Stevenrickard · 08/12/2016, 12:03 PM

Had the same thing happen in my DT...

Thought it was the power heads causing the problem, moved them and filled in the hole. 1-2 days later noticed it was back again. Then I'd notice corals getting knocked over and moved to places I hadn't originally placed them occasionally. Next fish started to disappear... I decided to go zero dark 30 the next night after the lose of my powder blue and see what was happening. I was blown away when I saw the size of the gorilla crab that came out. Straight BEAST!!! I had no clue he was in the tank. He now lives a nice non-destructive life in my sump after the shrimp in the jar trick.

crankbait09 · 08/12/2016, 01:04 PM

I sure hope it's not something bad in that hole. I only have 4 swimmers in that tank, but those 4 stay pretty much off the bottom. The Randalls goby is my only concern.

In this picture, where I have the red arrow drawn, that is the hole that my goby hides in/sleeps. Where that hole leads, I am unsure. the unknown hole is to the far right of that. i'll monitor it this weekend

Bent · 08/12/2016, 01:04 PM

HTH

crankbait09 · 08/12/2016, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

HTH

that aint right

Potatohead · 08/12/2016, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

HTH

Thanks for the nightmares

johnike · 08/12/2016, 01:21 PM

Bent · 08/12/2016, 01:30 PM

Lol couldn't resist:

Kevin Guthrie · 08/12/2016, 04:17 PM

@Bent, I love it! It's post like yours that make me wish this site had a thumbs up "like" feature.

I have to go watch Aliens now...

crankbait09 · 08/12/2016, 04:54 PM

got home, and filled the hole. as you mentioned, it doesn't look like it's flow at all. the sand isn't moving at all.

my paranoia has kicked in and now i think the worst. My Randalls goby hasnt come out like he normally does around feeding time. I'm gonna keep an eye out for him, as well as the creature from the abyss.

can a red light in the dark scare certain critters or are they all blind to it? i'll keep you posted

kozmic · 08/12/2016, 06:29 PM

wear thick gloves...

( and pray for "not a bobbit worm"... lol )

crankbait09 · 08/17/2016, 07:48 PM

I decided to cover the hole. Watched the sand and it didn't move. the water current wasnt phasing it. So nothing happened. Woke up the next day, and same thing, nothing. But when I got home, it was uncovered again, the way it was when I first spotted it. Iv'e been watching this hole off and on till about 12:30 and I haven't seen a thing. I wanna see something dammit!

i did notice around the opening, there is sand that looks to be clumped together. not a lot, but just small pieces. Not sure what that means. Almost like snail slime coated the sand and caused it to form a shape. I will continue to watch it. So far I'm not missing any fish

Dmize · 08/17/2016, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crankbait09

I decided to cover the hole. Watched the sand and it didn't move. the water current wasnt phasing it. So nothing happened. Woke up the next day, and same thing, nothing. But when I got home, it was uncovered again, the way it was when I first spotted it. Iv'e been watching this hole off and on till about 12:30 and I haven't seen a thing. I wanna see something dammit!

i did notice around the opening, there is sand that looks to be clumped together. not a lot, but just small pieces. Not sure what that means. Almost like snail slime coated the sand and caused it to form a shape. I will continue to watch it. So far I'm not missing any fish

what a great mystery, can't wait to see what you find!

kozmic · 08/17/2016, 08:00 PM

Perhaps just some erratic flow that only hits that spot when two streams collide just right and not happening all the time?

crankbait09 · 08/17/2016, 08:15 PM

possibly maybe.........I'd hope it was that and not some creature from the black lagoon

kozmic · 08/17/2016, 08:38 PM

Just another thought... you didn't add a sea hare recently? Some of them like to bury themselves in the sand bed every couple days/nights and lie there dormant for a few hours or over night sometimes. Mine has a few spots that it likes to do this and often leaves a divot/hole in the sand.

crankbait09 · 08/17/2016, 08:49 PM

no sea hares here

This tank has only been up and running for 9 months now. I am seing a lot of new "critters" that I certainly didn't add to this tank. It's amazing the stuff I find. I panic, google it, and then relax, come to find out its a innocent cuc (bristleworm, stomatella snail). This is definitely fun

08/11/2016, 08:08 PM	#1
crankbait09 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 932	what could be causing this hole/opening in the sand? I have been noticing lately that there has been an opening/slit/hole in the sand that has been getting larger and larger as time goes on. slowly but surely. It may be hard to tell by looking at the photos, but at the base of the rock, where it beets the sand, there is a 45 degree slope of sand that leads right in to this opening. It isn't a round hole where something would be living in it, but rather flat and about 1" in length. I can't figure out where it came from. All the rock is sitting on the glass bottom, and sand was applied after the fact. I do have a randalls goby that is living in a hole just around the corner. He jets in and out of his hole, but never approaches that area of the rock that the hole is in. Here are the creatures I have in my tank, none that I could think would cause this. (2) percula clowns (2) chalk bass (1) serpentine starfish a few nassi snails a few red legged hermits What are your thoughts?

08/11/2016, 11:28 PM	#4
Shivsreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 319	It could be something nasty living in there or the only other reason why that's happening is the way your flow is. __________________ Shiv

08/12/2016, 01:04 PM	#9
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	HTH __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

08/12/2016, 01:30 PM	#13
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Lol couldn't resist: __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

08/11/2016, 09:14 PM	#2
Kevin Guthrie Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 506	My guess - something is living under there. Set your alarm for 3 a.m. and bring a flashlight.

08/11/2016, 10:46 PM	#3
farfromsea Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 549	I suspect the same as Kevin. Hearing that the goby has never ventured to check out the hole makes me think there is a reason he doesn't want to go in. Let us know what you see peek out of it at night!

08/12/2016, 09:47 AM	#5
steallife904 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 944	cover it up and see if it reopens

08/12/2016, 10:07 AM	#6
crankbait09 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 932	I'll do that. I wonder if it may actually be the water flow if hitting it just right causing the opening. I will push the sand over and see if it gets blown away. that was way to easy of an answer

08/12/2016, 12:03 PM	#7
Stevenrickard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Corona, CA Posts: 40	Had the same thing happen in my DT... Thought it was the power heads causing the problem, moved them and filled in the hole. 1-2 days later noticed it was back again. Then I'd notice corals getting knocked over and moved to places I hadn't originally placed them occasionally. Next fish started to disappear... I decided to go zero dark 30 the next night after the lose of my powder blue and see what was happening. I was blown away when I saw the size of the gorilla crab that came out. Straight BEAST!!! I had no clue he was in the tank. He now lives a nice non-destructive life in my sump after the shrimp in the jar trick.

08/12/2016, 01:21 PM	#12
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406

08/12/2016, 04:17 PM	#14
Kevin Guthrie Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 506	@Bent, I love it! It's post like yours that make me wish this site had a thumbs up "like" feature. I have to go watch Aliens now...

08/12/2016, 04:54 PM	#15
crankbait09 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 932	got home, and filled the hole. as you mentioned, it doesn't look like it's flow at all. the sand isn't moving at all. my paranoia has kicked in and now i think the worst. My Randalls goby hasnt come out like he normally does around feeding time. I'm gonna keep an eye out for him, as well as the creature from the abyss. can a red light in the dark scare certain critters or are they all blind to it? i'll keep you posted

08/12/2016, 06:29 PM	#16
kozmic Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 146	wear thick gloves... ( and pray for "not a bobbit worm"... lol )

08/17/2016, 07:48 PM	#17
crankbait09 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 932	I decided to cover the hole. Watched the sand and it didn't move. the water current wasnt phasing it. So nothing happened. Woke up the next day, and same thing, nothing. But when I got home, it was uncovered again, the way it was when I first spotted it. Iv'e been watching this hole off and on till about 12:30 and I haven't seen a thing. I wanna see something dammit! i did notice around the opening, there is sand that looks to be clumped together. not a lot, but just small pieces. Not sure what that means. Almost like snail slime coated the sand and caused it to form a shape. I will continue to watch it. So far I'm not missing any fish

08/17/2016, 08:00 PM	#19
kozmic Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 146	Perhaps just some erratic flow that only hits that spot when two streams collide just right and not happening all the time?

08/17/2016, 08:15 PM	#20
crankbait09 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 932	possibly maybe.........I'd hope it was that and not some creature from the black lagoon

08/17/2016, 08:38 PM	#21
kozmic Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 146	Just another thought... you didn't add a sea hare recently? Some of them like to bury themselves in the sand bed every couple days/nights and lie there dormant for a few hours or over night sometimes. Mine has a few spots that it likes to do this and often leaves a divot/hole in the sand.

08/17/2016, 08:49 PM	#22
crankbait09 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 932	no sea hares here This tank has only been up and running for 9 months now. I am seing a lot of new "critters" that I certainly didn't add to this tank. It's amazing the stuff I find. I panic, google it, and then relax, come to find out its a innocent cuc (bristleworm, stomatella snail). This is definitely fun