Before you ask for an ID *LOOK HERE*

AquaReeferMan · 07/22/2007, 09:28 PM

As always there are tons of ID threads started up everyday. I have been noticing that most people could have figured it out if they would have looked in the ID section on Melev's site. I think the link should become a sticky again at the top of this board and the New to Hobby board. It will save a lot of time and a lot of space. Just a thought

As for now, If you need an ID, Look Here!
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

InvaderJim · 07/22/2007, 09:42 PM

I agree.

mhhauser321 · 07/22/2007, 10:16 PM

Also check out this site it will be a great help to

www.xtalworld.com

BCreefmaker · 07/22/2007, 11:57 PM

thats another great one mhhauser321, it saved me from many little nasties that would have taken over my tank in no time!
a good place to find the name for that funky algae thing is www.algaebase.com

doadster · 07/23/2007, 12:14 AM

Thanks for the links

Paintbug · 07/23/2007, 07:55 AM

how about here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1031074

although some ID links should be added! like those listed and these:

http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyu...tchhikers.html
http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~bu6/index.html
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/k.davis11/snails.html

Nanz · 07/23/2007, 08:07 AM

Both are great links.. I spent a couple hours searching yesterday for a post with information on Dinos, brown algae and Diatoms. I could not find a good pic so I could ID what algae is growing in my tank. I posted a pic its also in my gallery. I have this long brown hair-like algae. It does have bubbles on it but it does not look as slimy as the DINOFLAGELLATES algae on the second link. I could not find DINOFLAGELLATES algae on Melv's site.

This is a picture of my Algae. What do you think it is?

pagojoe · 07/23/2007, 09:43 AM

Those are great ID links, but I'm not sure you should necessarily discourage people from asking for ID's. Some people want to know the actual species names of the things they find in their tanks, and want to know what an animal eats, rather than knowing the fabricated "LFS name" of an animal. Of course, many others don't care what it is that they've found, they just want a yes or no on whether it is considered reef safe.

I'm not a reef tank expert, but I've kept a lot of different molluscs and a few other animals. I'm not sure if "reef safe" means the snails don't eat corals, or if it's supposed to mean they won't devour the other animals in your tank. If it's the latter, some footnotes on the snails of Marc's ID page may be in order. "Peppermint snails" are marginellids, and will eat the small animals in your sand bed. "Crown Conchs" aren't conchs, and will eat any mollusc they can catch, including your expensive turbos and astraeas. "Fleshy Limpets" are also keyhole limpets, but may eat things in your tank that would make people consider them NOT reef safe. The other keyhole limpet, probably a Diodora species, is primarily or exclusively a sponge feeder. Only the genus Heliacus are a threat to zoanthids, the other sundials don't eat them. Nassarius arcularius, or Super Tongan Nassarius, are considered by many people to not be reef safe, since they may be predatory as well as scavengers (not to mention that I've collected extensively in Tonga, and never seen them there...they are primarily an Indian Ocean species). Most of what is sold as "Margarita Snails" are cold-water species in the genus Tegula, and they don't live long at tropical reef temps. Etc., etc.

You get the idea. Marc's page is a great starting place, and may answer questions completely enough for the casual aquarist. It can't cover everything, of course, and I think it's perfectly appropriate for someone to post an ID request when in doubt. I certainly wouldn't discourage them.

Cheers,

Don

pagojoe · 07/23/2007, 09:58 AM

The above was copied from my response on the other thread with this name. I don't mean for it to look like I was picking on melev's site, his is a great resource. All the ID sites, and ID books for that matter, will have errors or omissions. I simply don't think newbies should feel like you are discouraging them from asking for ID help. When I started out, I couldn't have told a Nassarius from a Cantharus, even though they behave very differently (in most cases). I doubt most newbies would be able to tell the difference by using the links above. You can tell this is the case with lots of animals, not just snails: every snail posted gets identified by someone as a "whelk," and everything that has tentacles gets called a "majano" or "aiptasia" (or aptasia, or apitasia, or antipasto, or something). I say if you aren't sure, and want to know... ASK.

Cheers,

Don

SaltyDr · 07/23/2007, 05:28 PM

Nanz-
Difficult to say, but to me it looks like cyano. It can form mats but also long strings almost like a maroon "hair algae"

07/22/2007, 09:28 PM	#1
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	Before you ask for an ID LOOK HERE As always there are tons of ID threads started up everyday. I have been noticing that most people could have figured it out if they would have looked in the ID section on Melev's site. I think the link should become a sticky again at the top of this board and the New to Hobby board. It will save a lot of time and a lot of space. Just a thought As for now, If you need an ID, Look Here! http://www.melevsreef.com/id/ __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

07/22/2007, 10:16 PM	#3
mhhauser321 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 283	Yo Also check out this site it will be a great help to www.xtalworld.com __________________ "Fry: I'm not a robot like you, I don't like having discs cramped into me... unless they're Oreos... and then only in the mouth." "Fry: Wow. That guy makes Speedy Gonzalez look like Regular Gonzalez"

07/22/2007, 11:57 PM	#4
BCreefmaker Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 1,129	thats another great one mhhauser321, it saved me from many little nasties that would have taken over my tank in no time! a good place to find the name for that funky algae thing is www.algaebase.com __________________ To make apple pie from scratch, You must first create the universe. Last edited by BCreefmaker; 07/23/2007 at 12:05 AM.

07/23/2007, 07:55 AM	#6
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	how about here http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1031074 although some ID links should be added! like those listed and these: http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyu...tchhikers.html http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~bu6/index.html http://homepage.ntlworld.com/k.davis11/snails.html __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

07/22/2007, 09:42 PM	#2
InvaderJim Coral Junkie Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,163	I agree.

07/23/2007, 12:14 AM	#5
doadster Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: camarillo, ca Posts: 181	Thanks for the links

07/23/2007, 08:07 AM	#7
Nanz Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,389	Both are great links.. I spent a couple hours searching yesterday for a post with information on Dinos, brown algae and Diatoms. I could not find a good pic so I could ID what algae is growing in my tank. I posted a pic its also in my gallery. I have this long brown hair-like algae. It does have bubbles on it but it does not look as slimy as the DINOFLAGELLATES algae on the second link. I could not find DINOFLAGELLATES algae on Melv's site. This is a picture of my Algae. What do you think it is?

07/23/2007, 09:43 AM	#8
pagojoe Team RC Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 2,761	Those are great ID links, but I'm not sure you should necessarily discourage people from asking for ID's. Some people want to know the actual species names of the things they find in their tanks, and want to know what an animal eats, rather than knowing the fabricated "LFS name" of an animal. Of course, many others don't care what it is that they've found, they just want a yes or no on whether it is considered reef safe. I'm not a reef tank expert, but I've kept a lot of different molluscs and a few other animals. I'm not sure if "reef safe" means the snails don't eat corals, or if it's supposed to mean they won't devour the other animals in your tank. If it's the latter, some footnotes on the snails of Marc's ID page may be in order. "Peppermint snails" are marginellids, and will eat the small animals in your sand bed. "Crown Conchs" aren't conchs, and will eat any mollusc they can catch, including your expensive turbos and astraeas. "Fleshy Limpets" are also keyhole limpets, but may eat things in your tank that would make people consider them NOT reef safe. The other keyhole limpet, probably a Diodora species, is primarily or exclusively a sponge feeder. Only the genus Heliacus are a threat to zoanthids, the other sundials don't eat them. Nassarius arcularius, or Super Tongan Nassarius, are considered by many people to not be reef safe, since they may be predatory as well as scavengers (not to mention that I've collected extensively in Tonga, and never seen them there...they are primarily an Indian Ocean species). Most of what is sold as "Margarita Snails" are cold-water species in the genus Tegula, and they don't live long at tropical reef temps. Etc., etc. You get the idea. Marc's page is a great starting place, and may answer questions completely enough for the casual aquarist. It can't cover everything, of course, and I think it's perfectly appropriate for someone to post an ID request when in doubt. I certainly wouldn't discourage them. Cheers, Don

07/23/2007, 09:58 AM	#9
pagojoe Team RC Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 2,761	The above was copied from my response on the other thread with this name. I don't mean for it to look like I was picking on melev's site, his is a great resource. All the ID sites, and ID books for that matter, will have errors or omissions. I simply don't think newbies should feel like you are discouraging them from asking for ID help. When I started out, I couldn't have told a Nassarius from a Cantharus, even though they behave very differently (in most cases). I doubt most newbies would be able to tell the difference by using the links above. You can tell this is the case with lots of animals, not just snails: every snail posted gets identified by someone as a "whelk," and everything that has tentacles gets called a "majano" or "aiptasia" (or aptasia, or apitasia, or antipasto, or something). I say if you aren't sure, and want to know... ASK. Cheers, Don

07/23/2007, 05:28 PM	#10
SaltyDr Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 1,191	Nanz- Difficult to say, but to me it looks like cyano. It can form mats but also long strings almost like a maroon "hair algae"