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

[SushiGirl]

Does it have a hard skeleton under it? I have something that looks very similar in my tank that I can't see the base of. I've been assuming some kind of nem but haven't found what kind yet. If you look in my album there's a shot of it in there. Mine's very very small. Been in there for 2 years at the same size.

[sick_bubblegum]

pink, flat worm, about 1" long. wiggles around when i touch it.

[nanoreef heaven]

I can't see pic from phone :banghead:

*Sent from my little corner of the reef. Nano nano!*

[Killgore]

Hi guys and gals!
Hope this is the right place to post this... I have this stalk of sponge that's on it's way out, and upon it there are these little anemone like creatures. I don't believe they are aiptasia based on everything I've seen but after searching I think they might be some sort of hydroid? Basically they are living on the dying sponge and appear to be coming out of tiny stalks. The stalks are less than a millimeter wide and maybe 3-5 mm long. They don't seem to be spreading anywhere except for on the sponge itself and well I guess I'm trying to find out if they are harmful and if I should throw them out.

[doublejhunter]

Those look like hydroids.

[SushiGirl]

Originally Posted by sick_bubblegum

pink, flat worm, about 1" long. wiggles around when i touch it.

Pic doesn't work.



Doublej is correct, last pic is hydroids.

Edit: YES! Throw them out. They sting corals & as you can see can take over quickly.

[Killgore]

Thank you! I suspected that's what they were and have tossed them away. Too bad they are kind of neat. I don't have any corals or anything of that sort yet, but I know down the road I do so rather than have it be a problem it's best to eliminate them now... Thanks again!

[PHIL39]

This is a great help u have no idea thanks


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[ReeferKimberly]

So I am getting there are distinct types of hydroids. Those ones just posted that 'sort' of look like aiptasia and then those micro ones you always see pics of on the glass. Are these different stages of the same organisms or are they quite different animals all-together? I gather the glass ones are harmless and usually show in the beginning stages of a tank, and those other ones are not harmless and will sting, am I correct?

Phil, I know right? This was the first thread I read here. And have kept up with. I love love love hitchhikers, this is a great thread with many smart folks!

[Ptyochromis]

Hi, has anyone seen anything like this before?

[nanoreef heaven]

Looks like a mini brittle stars arms.

*Sent from my little corner of the reef. Nano nano!*

[aquainas]

Yup...hungry brittle star
Here's a link with more info about them.

[ag09g]

Does anyone know what this little guy is? He's very small, maybe a quarter of an inch long, and has a very smooth shell like a cowry. This is only the third time Ive seen him in a month despite many compulsive aquarium viewings in the middle of the night....

[SushiGirl]

Kimberley, hydroids can have jellyfish they release from the polyps. What you see on the glass are the jellyfish of one of those types.

ag09g, I don't recall what those are called, Sugar Magnolia will know. They've been ID'd a couple of times on these boards, but not sure whether it was ever on this thread. You can look through the thread & see. I'd start here & work backwards through the pages.

[ag09g]

Thanks SushiGirl I found it! "It's a little marginellid in the genus Volvarina," apparently theyre scavengers and predators of smaller snails.

[SushiGirl]

Good deal, in this thread?

[ag09g]

Yep! page 45 or something like that

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by ag09g

Thanks SushiGirl I found it! "It's a little marginellid in the genus Volvarina," apparently theyre scavengers and predators of smaller snails.

[mrjake]

Anybody recognize this type of worm and whether it's good or bad? It has only showed itself twice in the 5 months i've had my tank

[IMG]http://i48.*******.com/4if0w7.jpg[/IMG]

[SushiGirl]

Yikes. Eunicid worm. Most are bad & hard to catch. No idea how bad that particular one would be, as I've never seen one that color.

[mrjake]

Originally Posted by SushiGirl

Yikes. Eunicid worm. Most are bad & hard to catch.

Gross! thanks SushiGirl. I don't have corals so it seems like it's not an immediate danger to my tank. I read people having luck with removing the rock and pouring soda water into their burrow. I know exactly where the worm lives so I may give that a try.

[SushiGirl]

Good deal on the corals. Good luck!

[Oceanic215]

I've had my tank set up for 3 years and just saw one of these for the first time last week.

[sinenomine]

The thing hunts pods like they're popcorn. Any ideas? I though brittle star at first, but there are several on one rock and they never use more than one tentacle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRy2...e_gdata_player

[nanoreef heaven]

If you really want to be sure pull one out.

*Sent from my little corner of the reef. Nano nano!*