Identify this please. First tank, first day acclimating

chasersrush · 05/17/2012, 09:54 PM

Newbie here, newbie 14 gal Biocube, and everything else except the 20 Lbs of live rocks which I got from from an individual that was breaking up his tank. Based on the amount of bristle worms these rock had, and on recommendation of my LFS dunked the rocks on half strength Revive Coral Cleaner for 3 hours, gave the a good brush, and placed them on new saltwater.

About a week, and +- 40 dead bristle worms later ( it took them that long to all stop coming out), I started the tank with them (yesterday), so today while turning up the lights for a few minutes to check things out, notice what looks like yellowish button. Needless to say that I found out real fast what bristle worm are, after my fingers touched one of them while handling the rocks.

Ron Reefman · 05/18/2012, 06:35 AM

I don't know what that is. I could make some guesses, but guesses don't help much. Can you tell us more about it? You said you scrubbed the rocks before you used them. Was this on the rock and got missed, or did it come out from a hole in the rock? Does it move at all (over the rocks or even in and out of a hole in the rocks)? When you touch it, what does it feel like? Hard or soft? Slimmy, furry, spiny... or what? In the pic there is a small whit spot with a black dot in the center (upper middle of the critter), is that an eye? My guess is that it's not, but it's very hard to tell.

I wish I could be of more help. If I just took one guess, I'd say a sponge. But if you scrubbed the rocks I would think you'd have found it then, not afterwards in the tank.

Mikez1207 · 05/18/2012, 07:04 AM

Yea my guess a sponge maybe...but hard to really tell

stingythingy45 · 05/18/2012, 07:15 AM

Agree,looks like sponge.

ZR1001 · 05/18/2012, 11:13 AM

+1 sponge

EDJFA · 05/18/2012, 01:42 PM

I've got some of those in my tank. Looks exactly like that. White sponge with little finger things coming out of it. Mine look like this:

chasersrush · 05/18/2012, 04:38 PM

Thanks guys, and yes is kinda gummy to the touch. Now I don't know if I should leave or scrape it out? No harm leaving it here, right?

Saltydrip · 05/18/2012, 07:11 PM

There are thousands if sponges to choose from. I would guess sponge as well but if it moves in any way it's not a sponge!! Lol. I wouldn't touch it if you havnt already. Many of us will attest to the fact that manny little things in your tank can give you a bit of a sting. Use something to gently poke ne'er it to see if it retreats. I keep a 24 inch piece of hard air line around for just this reason.

f3honda4me · 05/18/2012, 07:31 PM

Also please don't listen to your LFS anymore. For some reason he had you kill off a bunch of beneficial things including the bristle worms (they are good scavengers and detrivores). Your bristle worm population will balance out on its own depending of food availability. Plus who knows what other beneficial critters you killed. :/

Lastly get a pair of thick nitrile coated gloves. You should always wear them as much as possible while working in your tank.

Sk8r · 05/18/2012, 09:10 PM

don't kill off any more bristleworms. I agree: your lfs is quite wrong. You need a wide range of life in those rocks: I counted 50 species I imported with mine, bristleworms being only one of them.
I hope many of them survived and will breed and help your tank become viable. This dieoff is going to slow down your cycle by a bit. HOpefully you did not get near all of them.

Cloudburst2000 · 05/19/2012, 10:09 AM

I had the idea that it was due to the high numbers of bristle worms that he got rid of them. 40+ bristle worms is a whole lot for 14g tank. And that;s just the ones he saw. I like bristle worms but even I wouldn't want that many in such a small tank.

spieszak · 05/19/2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloudburst2000

I had the idea that it was due to the high numbers of bristle worms that he got rid of them. 40+ bristle worms is a whole lot for 14g tank. And that;s just the ones he saw. I like bristle worms but even I wouldn't want that many in such a small tank.

I have no idea how many there are in my tanks,but I agree 40 seems high in a small tank... nothing to really back that up with though...
Bristle worm population being high is a sign of high nutrient availability. My guess is that the tank had problems because of those nutrients, and not keeping nutrients in check causes all kinds of problems. I'd be more on the side of those nutrients being the reason the tank was sold.

Sk8r · 05/19/2012, 11:12 AM

He was overfeeding. That's what caused his problem. The bristleworm population increases and diminishes as the food supply does, and the worst thing you can do if you're running a tank and your bristleworms increase is to kill off the worms. It can literally crash the tank. The real answer is to cut back on the amount of food put into the tank. Either you're not feeding your fish the right food and they're not eating part of it or you're massively overfeeding.

05/18/2012, 06:35 AM	#2
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I don't know what that is. I could make some guesses, but guesses don't help much. Can you tell us more about it? You said you scrubbed the rocks before you used them. Was this on the rock and got missed, or did it come out from a hole in the rock? Does it move at all (over the rocks or even in and out of a hole in the rocks)? When you touch it, what does it feel like? Hard or soft? Slimmy, furry, spiny... or what? In the pic there is a small whit spot with a black dot in the center (upper middle of the critter), is that an eye? My guess is that it's not, but it's very hard to tell. I wish I could be of more help. If I just took one guess, I'd say a sponge. But if you scrubbed the rocks I would think you'd have found it then, not afterwards in the tank. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

05/18/2012, 07:04 AM	#3
Mikez1207 MrReef 101 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Pasadena, TX Posts: 378	Yea my guess a sponge maybe...but hard to really tell __________________ 5G pico mix Current Tank Info: Growing

05/18/2012, 07:15 AM	#4
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Agree,looks like sponge. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

05/18/2012, 07:11 PM	#8
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	There are thousands if sponges to choose from. I would guess sponge as well but if it moves in any way it's not a sponge!! Lol. I wouldn't touch it if you havnt already. Many of us will attest to the fact that manny little things in your tank can give you a bit of a sting. Use something to gently poke ne'er it to see if it retreats. I keep a 24 inch piece of hard air line around for just this reason. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

05/18/2012, 09:10 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	don't kill off any more bristleworms. I agree: your lfs is quite wrong. You need a wide range of life in those rocks: I counted 50 species I imported with mine, bristleworms being only one of them. I hope many of them survived and will breed and help your tank become viable. This dieoff is going to slow down your cycle by a bit. HOpefully you did not get near all of them. __________________ 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%.

05/18/2012, 11:13 AM	#5
ZR1001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Folsom, CA Posts: 359	+1 sponge

05/18/2012, 04:38 PM	#7
chasersrush Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 11	Thanks guys, and yes is kinda gummy to the touch. Now I don't know if I should leave or scrape it out? No harm leaving it here, right?

05/18/2012, 07:31 PM	#9
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	Also please don't listen to your LFS anymore. For some reason he had you kill off a bunch of beneficial things including the bristle worms (they are good scavengers and detrivores). Your bristle worm population will balance out on its own depending of food availability. Plus who knows what other beneficial critters you killed. :/ Lastly get a pair of thick nitrile coated gloves. You should always wear them as much as possible while working in your tank.

05/19/2012, 10:09 AM	#11
Cloudburst2000 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 1,485	I had the idea that it was due to the high numbers of bristle worms that he got rid of them. 40+ bristle worms is a whole lot for 14g tank. And that;s just the ones he saw. I like bristle worms but even I wouldn't want that many in such a small tank.

05/19/2012, 11:12 AM	#13
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	He was overfeeding. That's what caused his problem. The bristleworm population increases and diminishes as the food supply does, and the worst thing you can do if you're running a tank and your bristleworms increase is to kill off the worms. It can literally crash the tank. The real answer is to cut back on the amount of food put into the tank. Either you're not feeding your fish the right food and they're not eating part of it or you're massively overfeeding. __________________ 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%.