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

[billy mitchell]

thanks for the info....now all I have to do is find the little dude

[Copper miner AZ]

Can anybody identify these ?

[ReeferKimberly]

Originally Posted by Copper miner AZ

Can anybody identify these ?

id what? the nems? post them here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=36

[ReeferKimberly]

Originally Posted by Sand.man

1) I was just wondering about the ball nem, because would there potentially be any issues with them fighting with another coral?

not likely, they don't get big, move much, or reproduce all that fast

[Copper miner AZ]

Yes the nems, sorry was trying to hurry. Not labeled, no one helping either

[ReeferKimberly]

no worries, they can help in nems/clownfish

[aleithol]

Would appreciate help IDing these "white strings" that have started showing up on frags in my QT. Zoas were dipped in CoralRX upon arrival a couple weeks ago and have been thriving in QT since. Some amount of brown/green algae has started to appear in the QT which is fine and expected, but in last 2 days a few of these white strings started appearing on this frag and yesterday evening I noticed one on another. They are very small, approx 1/4" to maybe 1/2" in length, smaller in diameter than a hair on your head. There is no apparent tube they come from, although every one starts from a rock and/or plug the corals are attached to. It's very hard to say if there is a head at the end of each one or not even using a magnifying glass next to the acrylic. They don't seem to go in and out or move on their own other than swaying in the small current provides in the tank. They remain out and in the same locations when the tank is dark, even with some of the Zoas closed up as many do at night -- I just checked with a flashlight.

Have looked through threads, hitchhiker and Reefkeeping articles, and only thing I can guess is spaghetti or hair worms -- but those articles don't specify size and only show close-ups of what may be monsters, so I'm at a loss. I'm going to dip the corals again today sans any other recommendations.

Appreciate your help identifying if I have some baddies locked-up in QT before they head to my reef in a couple weeks -- and how to get rid of them if I should. (Sorry for photo quality -- best I could do without a DSLR and macro lens)

[SushiGirl]

Sounds like digitate hydroids.

[aleithol]

Removed my frags, leaving only the two fire shrimp in my QT, and proceeded to dip them in a CoralRX bath for 15 mins using a turkey baster to mix things up. Zoas didn't like it (started opening up again after 20 mins or so in their QT), but I was able to take tweezers to a few of the "white threads"... They don't pull out or off, but instead break when pinched. None move on their own that I could tell with a lot of hard inspection over that time. Seems to be some sort of white growth (plant/algae?) vs animal of some sort. I'm still stumped.

[aleithol]

Originally Posted by SushiGirl

Sounds like digitate hydroids.

Thanks for the pointer. I'll keep reading, but with just a 10-15 min read, I don't think that's them, unless these are really small... The things I have are not light sensitive -- and remain about as long as they are in the light and dark, just waving in the current; they don't retract or react when touched even with tweezers; they are all the same diameter with no apparent head and these are not "furry" even under a magnifying glass -- more like a crooked white hair. The few I tried to pluck off but instead "snapped off", still have the bottom part of themselves connected to the frag/rock with nothing thus far seeming to have happened with what's left as I would expect from something that is/was living. Very odd. ...back to my reading. Thx again for the response.

[eric.eberstein]

Looks weird

[G_Sanab922]

can anyone ID the type shrimp for me? found it inside sargassum weed. has claws if you look closely.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yycna19cvbsxjvt/IMG_3964.JPG

[Prankster11]

What makes bristle stars so bad? i'm not sure if it is answered earlier, but please explain anyways or direct me to another forum/page.

[Prankster11]

Originally Posted by G_Sanab922

can anyone ID the type shrimp for me? found it inside sargassum weed. has claws if you look closely.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yycna19cvbsxjvt/IMG_3964.JPG

I don't know, but i would keep it and grow it.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by G_Sanab922

can anyone ID the type shrimp for me? found it inside sargassum weed. has claws if you look closely.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yycna19cvbsxjvt/IMG_3964.JPG

Probably a sargassum shrimp given where you found it.

Originally Posted by Prankster11

What makes bristle stars so bad? i'm not sure if it is answered earlier, but please explain anyways or direct me to another forum/page.

The only brittle star that is considered bad is the green brittle star; ophiarachna incrassata. They are known fish eaters. The rest are harmless.

[G_Sanab922]

Originally Posted by Prankster11

I don't know, but i would keep it and grow it.

Yea it's in the DT now.

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

Probably a sargassum shrimp given where you found it.

I thought so but wasn't sure because it looks more clear than the usual sargassum shrimps. I'll give it some time then to let it go. It's less than an inch long I would say

[xpadanfc]

can you please identify or give pros and cons on these three pictures. first picture is a Hermit crab, I got from a friend but not sure if it will disturb corals or fish. The second and third picture it comes with live rock. I'm not sure it's good or not for my tank.

[cloak]

I'm not sure what kind of hermit the crab that is in the first picture, (watch it) but the second picture looks like a zoanthid. The third one just looks like a harmless feather duster.

[arcticwolf]

checked all the id sites an google, come up with diddly squat
no clue if it needs nuked while it is still small.
actually it is real neat looking, clear, so guessing it is non photosynthetic
cool watching it suck in individual tentacles for slurping up what ever it is catching. secretly hopeing it is reef safe and gets a bit bigger.

[ReeferKimberly]

Originally Posted by arcticwolf

checked all the id sites an google, come up with diddly squat
no clue if it needs nuked while it is still small.
actually it is real neat looking, clear, so guessing it is non photosynthetic
cool watching it suck in individual tentacles for slurping up what ever it is catching. secretly hopeing it is reef safe and gets a bit bigger.

I believe some kind of cucumber. They stay put and use those to feed.

[arcticwolf]

Originally Posted by ReeferKimberly

I believe some kind of cucumber. They stay put and use those to feed.

Never thought about a cucumber, but the tentacles match exactly.
Thanks a bunch

[Shawn O]

Originally Posted by Mikesull415

here's some I'd LOVE to know what they are. All three came in on the same piece of live rock.

You've gotten some of the coolest hitchhikers I've seen so far. The squat lobster is really cool.

Originally Posted by javimarino

like to share this critter, found on some zoas on my lfs. I have no ID. lot of crabs in the sea...

This is the prettiest crab I've seen so far. Can you post more pics of it from another angle?

[xdunaticx]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1402675864.212716.jpg

Here's a zoa rock I got from a friend and it's infested with bristle and fire worms


And aiptasia

[Jilnifer]

Any idea what this is? Thanks for the help!

[Shawn O]

Sorry, dupe post.