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

[SushiGirl]

Sounds like Spionid worms.

[chizleFX]

thanx sushigirl. been hard tryin to id them with google images. some report a single or a pair of arms. in my case there are many. most say they are rather harmless. im just curious. my tank is stocked with fish, rocks, sand, mullosks, corals, clams and plants n organisms that i collected while at work (clamming). the only thing not is the water (that i mixed from the store salt) but have been slowly replacing it with local seawater that i collect from behind the hatchery which always reads 7.8 pH 0ppm NH3/NH4, 0ppm NO2, and 0ppm NO3. the salinity tends to range between 36 and 30ppm. its begun to grow naturally quite nice now but the only thing im concerned about so far are those worms. iv rejected certain specimens already for fear of the unknown so id rather not have to start over. if u know of any good lynks or info please share.

[SushiGirl]

Most worms are harmless detritivores, I wouldn't worry about them, especially since you're seeing them do their job (cleaning up the sand). They're part of the natural habitat that you're trying to recreate in your tank!

[chizleFX]

further research shows im more likely lookin at spagetti worms as opposed to spionid worms. still more info would be welcome. many say theyr harmless but i just dont like them. ill let it be for now since many agree they consume waste. do u think they cud be sucked out with a siphon hose if i felt the need? i am trying to populate the tank with other tube worms tho.
any thoughts are welcome. thanx.

[chizleFX]

lots of people say to cut down on feeding. i have a tog a goby and an oystercracker that i dont want to starve but i dont feed them much anyway. others say to get predators. like what? i keep a population of subterrainian clam verietys n mullusks so im scared of say, starfish. crabs were very domineering (small blue crabs n hermits) until i found this tog that just harassed them til they gave up. grass shrimp r useless except for mild cleanup n r too quik for predation. im just also reluctant to add something not indigionus to the notheast US marine waters as iv said my tank is supposed to be of native flaura and fauna. i just dont like these things

[guardian_2000]

Just curious about a particular liverock and all the stuff I got on it. Originally alot of the stuff looked dead but during the last week of the cycle things have been perking up and becoming more lively... I know I got some green bubble algae and some aptasia. But curious about the corals and tube and orange stuff. Particularily curious about the lil brownish-yellow polyps?.? below the orange. Thanks for any help.

[SushiGirl]

The orange is sponge, not sure on the polyps, hard base or soft? If they have a hard base they may be hidden cup coral.

[Cymonous]

What are those red/purple tree branches?

[guardian_2000]

Wish I knew what most of the stuff is. I know I got some bad stuff from what others have said. Aiptasia and Green bubble algae. But apparently I got bryopsis in the tank now too. Still just cycling and people want me to rip out this rock. It was an early christmas present.

[staindsoul]

Hey Sushi! its probably been identified before, but whats this?

[LeslieH]

Originally Posted by staindsoul

Hey Sushi! its probably been identified before, but whats this?

Just a couple million times It's an asterinid star. They reproduce by splitting into 2 pieces then regrowing the missing halves. 1 can rapidly turn into many.

[staindsoul]

Thanks, Leslie.

[SushiGirl]

Originally Posted by Cymonous

What are those red/purple tree branches?

Looks like algae.

[Slystone]

Guardian 2000. Be happy with your rock. Get yourself a good clean up crew and aiptasia eating peppermint shrimp.

[pibbxtra19]

Could anyone help tell me what these green things are on my live rock?

[ReeferKimberly]

gaurdian there are several strands of what very well could be bryopsis on that rock. It's a nicely populated live rock. Something I would have cherished when I was more new. And even now (without bryopsis). But having had bryopsis, I can tell you if there were better pics of the little frawns and it WAS bryopsis, yeah, you do NOT want that rock. Trust me.



^^^That came from one tiny little strand on a frag I thought was "pretty". Barely anything eats it. It thrives in clean water. And it grows FAST.

There are several types. Mine was strands with feathery ends...but there are more.

[cloak]

Originally Posted by pibbxtra19

Could anyone help tell me what these green things are on my live rock?

Can you get a clearer/more detailed picture of it? It looks like some sort of macroalgae.

[Pufferfood]

Could anyone ID the following?

[IMG]http://i45.*******.com/ilzntj.png[/IMG]

I currently have it in a glass jar together with an unknown mantis shrimp.

[img]http://i48.*******.com/2ileset.png[/img]

[SushiGirl]

Pufferfood, someone just ID'd that yesterday. Called a Flower Tail (Anthuroidea), it's a type of Isopod.

pibbxtra19, I see tunicates in the middle of the pic. Not sure what green things you're referring to.

[volcom5655]

Hi just set up a tank couple nights ago and i am new to all of this. Anyway i found this little guy this morning and was wondering in someone could ID him for me and tell me if he is safe.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Harmless bristleworm.

[Boboli]

Polyclad flatworm.
Bad!

[jasonhobbs86]

First off, i've searched as much as possible without going completely insane.

A bit of background, Bought some live rock a month ago, put it in the tank. Noticed a couple lil white fuzzy-ish things, didnt think too much about it, looked pretty harmless, wrote them off as filter-feeders.

Well Now I'm noticing these things on the back glass, on my power heads, and on that one piece of rock that they originally came on. Mind you in one month it went from two on that rock to like 50 now.

I take it there's nothing good about something that reproduces in the tank like that. I'm pretty sure that hydroids are ruled out as they are usually very very tiny.









Any Help is greatly appreciated.

[bigmikey80]

can anyone identify this thing? magically appeared when the lights came on...does not move under its own power...no discernible eyes or mouth.....size is guageable by the turbo snail also in the pic...I tossed it in the sump.

[SushiGirl]

Jason, harmless pineapple sponges. Lots of pics of those in this thread LOL.
bigmikey, no idea. Usually if you take something out, you should take good, clear pics of it isolated in a dish or something for easier ID.