Live Rock Hitchikers???

gemmasicolo · 01/03/2009, 10:17 PM

I need some help identifing some hitchikers on this new piece of live rock.

Here is the entire piece:

Unfortunately I can't take a close up of this anemone because it gets all blurred but it's at the top of the rock in a cravice. It's completely see-through, has a tube body and has a lilac tint to it. It also has green tips on the tentacles and they are very fat, almost like a bulb. While staring at the rock for a while I noticed that there are a few more, some smaller.
I don't think it's aiptasia since I just got rid of one on a separate pice of live rock and it didn't look like the same thing.

Also, on this other pice of live rock, not the new one I bought today, there are white string-like tentacles that are attached to the rock, they are on a few different places. At first I thought they were slime but as I looked closer I noticed that they had a mind of their own. They are literally as thin as sewing string:

This is a picture of the side of the new live rock from today. When you look at it close up you realize that those are hundreds of featherdusters? (i think). They are really small right now but because I sat there and studied this rock with my glasses on I was able to see soooooo many things. There are a bunch of tiny red feathers sticking out of each one of those holes:

If anyone has any info on any of these things please let me know!

Thank you.

Andrew · 01/03/2009, 10:20 PM

I can't see from the pictures but check out Melev's Reef. He has a detailed page about hitchhikers.

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

Tylt33 · 01/03/2009, 10:32 PM

I'd bet $5 it's a Majano anemone. Your description sounds right on.

Salamander · 01/03/2009, 11:03 PM

^ +1.......But hard to tell with no pic.

The tread like things you describe sound like a spaghetti or medusa worm. Good guys to have and nothing to worry about.

Feather dusters are good guys too. Most likely one of numerous small species and not babies that'll grow big.

gemmasicolo · 01/03/2009, 11:09 PM

I'm looking at some pictures of mojano anemones and maybe it's just the light from the flash but they don't look the same. They do retract into the rock at anything that moves around them (like aiptasia).

Glad to hear that the worms are good though, being a first timer, the aptasia gave me anxiety, lol.

singold · 01/03/2009, 11:24 PM

Yes, Majano will retract into rock very quickly when something moves around them, just like Aiptasia.

gemmasicolo · 01/03/2009, 11:25 PM

Crap...........

gemmasicolo · 01/03/2009, 11:32 PM

Ok so now that i'm looking closer i see that the tentacles are fat like a bulb but they end in a tip (like aptasia). They are being very shy..............very cafeful about coming out of the hole. The mojano pictures i'm seeing are all kind of brown, this one is very clear with a lilac tint. Are there any other anmones that could look like this?

gemmasicolo · 01/04/2009, 07:46 PM

I was able to get some pictures today.

The first one is of the big one at the top of the rock, the flash makes it look solid but it's clear:

This one is of the smaller one, it's in the middle of the rock and you can see an even smaller one right above it to the right:

There is also a larger one on the bottom but it stays in the hole and has purple and brown colors.

I believe that if you click on them you can see them bigger.

01/03/2009, 10:17 PM	#1
gemmasicolo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 402	Live Rock Hitchikers??? I need some help identifing some hitchikers on this new piece of live rock. Here is the entire piece: Unfortunately I can't take a close up of this anemone because it gets all blurred but it's at the top of the rock in a cravice. It's completely see-through, has a tube body and has a lilac tint to it. It also has green tips on the tentacles and they are very fat, almost like a bulb. While staring at the rock for a while I noticed that there are a few more, some smaller. I don't think it's aiptasia since I just got rid of one on a separate pice of live rock and it didn't look like the same thing. Also, on this other pice of live rock, not the new one I bought today, there are white string-like tentacles that are attached to the rock, they are on a few different places. At first I thought they were slime but as I looked closer I noticed that they had a mind of their own. They are literally as thin as sewing string: This is a picture of the side of the new live rock from today. When you look at it close up you realize that those are hundreds of featherdusters? (i think). They are really small right now but because I sat there and studied this rock with my glasses on I was able to see soooooo many things. There are a bunch of tiny red feathers sticking out of each one of those holes: If anyone has any info on any of these things please let me know! Thank you.

01/03/2009, 11:03 PM	#4
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	^ +1.......But hard to tell with no pic. The tread like things you describe sound like a spaghetti or medusa worm. Good guys to have and nothing to worry about. Feather dusters are good guys too. Most likely one of numerous small species and not babies that'll grow big. __________________ I feel more like myself now than I did before. Current Tank Info: 120g mixed reef, 2 x 250W DE MH, 2 x 54w T5, MSX 200 SKimmer, 2 Koralia 4's, 40g fuge/sump, QT

01/03/2009, 11:24 PM	#6
singold Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lake Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 1,827	Yes, Majano will retract into rock very quickly when something moves around them, just like Aiptasia. __________________ "If there is no wind.....row." Current Tank Info: 75gal Reef w/29gal Refugium

01/03/2009, 10:20 PM	#2
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	I can't see from the pictures but check out Melev's Reef. He has a detailed page about hitchhikers. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

01/03/2009, 10:32 PM	#3
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	I'd bet $5 it's a Majano anemone. Your description sounds right on.

01/03/2009, 11:09 PM	#5
gemmasicolo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 402	I'm looking at some pictures of mojano anemones and maybe it's just the light from the flash but they don't look the same. They do retract into the rock at anything that moves around them (like aiptasia). Glad to hear that the worms are good though, being a first timer, the aptasia gave me anxiety, lol.

01/03/2009, 11:25 PM	#7
gemmasicolo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 402	Crap...........

01/03/2009, 11:32 PM	#8
gemmasicolo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 402	Ok so now that i'm looking closer i see that the tentacles are fat like a bulb but they end in a tip (like aptasia). They are being very shy..............very cafeful about coming out of the hole. The mojano pictures i'm seeing are all kind of brown, this one is very clear with a lilac tint. Are there any other anmones that could look like this?

01/04/2009, 07:46 PM	#9
gemmasicolo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 402	I was able to get some pictures today. The first one is of the big one at the top of the rock, the flash makes it look solid but it's clear: This one is of the smaller one, it's in the middle of the rock and you can see an even smaller one right above it to the right: There is also a larger one on the bottom but it stays in the hole and has purple and brown colors. I believe that if you click on them you can see them bigger.