ID on these hitchhikers please?

roper512 · 07/01/2006, 07:58 AM

Both of these guys are really small.. So apologies for the poor photos was the best I could get with this camera.

This live rock was cooked for 6 months before introducing it into my tank and has been sitting in my tank without any feeding now for 3-4 weeks.. I have not added anything to the tank since it's been set up.. Whatever these things are they're very hardy.

Thanks for helping to ID..

The "worm" is maybe 1/4" to 1/2" long max, very thin body. It moves semi-slow along the acrylic surfaces.. I usually do not see it. When I first introduced the rock I saw it on the acrylic and then it went into the sand.. It looks a bunch bigger than it was before though.

The other thing looks to me like some sort of baby nudibranch.. It's back has those tentacle/polyp like things coming out from it that wave around in the flow.. They are kind of yellow.. The underside of it's body almost looks like an egg that's been cracked open and dumped in a skillet.. A yellowish mouth area with a white, translucent body surrounding it. It's currently just sitting in one spot, not moving. I have not seen it move yet after noticing it about an hour ago. It is also very small, at maybe 1/8" max in diameter on the longest side.

roper512 · 07/01/2006, 10:54 AM

Also, what about this hitchiker? It is sessile and it has long straight hairs that stick out from it.. It is white in color and has a translucent tube that sticks out from the end of it.. Kind of a neat little thing. I'm guessing some kind of tunicate or sea squirt? Thanks..

Sk8r · 07/01/2006, 11:36 AM

The worm is a bristleworm, unless that's its real color.

Your thing with stuff on its back--probably a nudi.

The last pix, that's got me. But it's cool, and I guess if it doesn't move it's not likely hurting anything.

LeslieH · 07/01/2006, 11:40 AM

First one is a polychaete in the family Syllidae, second seems to be a baby anemone, and the third is a sponge.

roper512 · 07/01/2006, 11:50 AM

Thanks for the replies.. One more ID would be appreciated as I just took a few pics of it.. This strange thing that's encrusted on my rock, but looks like it also has filter feeding tubes sticking out of it?

ChickenCannoneer · 07/01/2006, 12:39 PM

The one that you just posted looks like a bivalve maybe a small clam. All very interesting. HTH, Tim

roper512 · 07/01/2006, 05:57 PM

Leslie was right on the money.. After lights out that 'baby nudibranch' ended up extending it's body and tentacles. it's a baby aiptasia =/

07/01/2006, 07:58 AM	#1
roper512 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Detroit suburbs Posts: 393	ID on these hitchhikers please? Both of these guys are really small.. So apologies for the poor photos was the best I could get with this camera. This live rock was cooked for 6 months before introducing it into my tank and has been sitting in my tank without any feeding now for 3-4 weeks.. I have not added anything to the tank since it's been set up.. Whatever these things are they're very hardy. Thanks for helping to ID.. The "worm" is maybe 1/4" to 1/2" long max, very thin body. It moves semi-slow along the acrylic surfaces.. I usually do not see it. When I first introduced the rock I saw it on the acrylic and then it went into the sand.. It looks a bunch bigger than it was before though. The other thing looks to me like some sort of baby nudibranch.. It's back has those tentacle/polyp like things coming out from it that wave around in the flow.. They are kind of yellow.. The underside of it's body almost looks like an egg that's been cracked open and dumped in a skillet.. A yellowish mouth area with a white, translucent body surrounding it. It's currently just sitting in one spot, not moving. I have not seen it move yet after noticing it about an hour ago. It is also very small, at maybe 1/8" max in diameter on the longest side.

07/01/2006, 11:36 AM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The worm is a bristleworm, unless that's its real color. Your thing with stuff on its back--probably a nudi. The last pix, that's got me. But it's cool, and I guess if it doesn't move it's not likely hurting anything. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/01/2006, 11:40 AM	#4
LeslieH Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,178	First one is a polychaete in the family Syllidae, second seems to be a baby anemone, and the third is a sponge. __________________ Cheers, Leslie So many worms, so little time... Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

07/01/2006, 10:54 AM	#2
roper512 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Detroit suburbs Posts: 393	Also, what about this hitchiker? It is sessile and it has long straight hairs that stick out from it.. It is white in color and has a translucent tube that sticks out from the end of it.. Kind of a neat little thing. I'm guessing some kind of tunicate or sea squirt? Thanks..

07/01/2006, 11:50 AM	#5
roper512 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Detroit suburbs Posts: 393	Thanks for the replies.. One more ID would be appreciated as I just took a few pics of it.. This strange thing that's encrusted on my rock, but looks like it also has filter feeding tubes sticking out of it?

07/01/2006, 12:39 PM	#6
ChickenCannoneer Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hudson, OH Posts: 1,268	The one that you just posted looks like a bivalve maybe a small clam. All very interesting. HTH, Tim

07/01/2006, 05:57 PM	#7
roper512 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Detroit suburbs Posts: 393	Leslie was right on the money.. After lights out that 'baby nudibranch' ended up extending it's body and tentacles. it's a baby aiptasia =/