8kindsofcool
New member
Hello Reef Central : )
I'm new to the forum. This LR hitchiker seems to be multiplying. Arrived Thursday attached to a rock and didn't move. No attempt to filter LS or (new dry) oolite, he just stayed attached to a rock about a quarter of the way up in the tank. Yesterday I noticed protruding ornamental-looking flowery tenticles coming in and out his rear end. I thought he might be expunging his guts, but after looking online, guts (and potential disaster poisoning) seems to be white sphetti-like strings (ruled out) this is not what what coming out of him. So I left him alone. This a.m. there are two smaller versions of him where he was stationed and he's moved a few inches.
Mithrax crabs, stars, all other hitchiking life seems unaffected by this event.
Upon inspection, I see two others of the same on the opposite side of the tank perched high on LR. Those two seem to be attached by one end, one end sticking up.
I want to know what they are and if they are multiplying. They are not sponges but seem to be some species of Cucs.
I think it's reasonable the the two perched high on the rock, on the other side of the tank, crawled there overnight and are not related to the first one which moved a apparently left two small duplicates of itself.
I'm attaching photos for some visuals. I hope they display. This is the first forum post.
The first photo is the original hitchiker. Note the flowery tentacles on the (right) end. They move in and out.
The second photo is the new small (hard to see in photo) duplicates.
The third photo are the two perched on end at opposite side of tank. Unrelated most likely to the duplication event.
The fourth photo is a little guy on the sand, possibly same species, and again, probably unrelated to the first.
This tank is newly cycling. Ammonia was 1.0 yesterday, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0. Today Ammonia 2.0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, pH 7.9, temp 80 degrees.
Note: Because of the abundance of life on this live rock that is cycling. I did a 10% water change yesterday and I'm considering the 10% water change today. I understand it's unorthodox, but I don't mind cycling slower to preserve all the life on this rock.
I'm new to the forum. This LR hitchiker seems to be multiplying. Arrived Thursday attached to a rock and didn't move. No attempt to filter LS or (new dry) oolite, he just stayed attached to a rock about a quarter of the way up in the tank. Yesterday I noticed protruding ornamental-looking flowery tenticles coming in and out his rear end. I thought he might be expunging his guts, but after looking online, guts (and potential disaster poisoning) seems to be white sphetti-like strings (ruled out) this is not what what coming out of him. So I left him alone. This a.m. there are two smaller versions of him where he was stationed and he's moved a few inches.
Mithrax crabs, stars, all other hitchiking life seems unaffected by this event.
Upon inspection, I see two others of the same on the opposite side of the tank perched high on LR. Those two seem to be attached by one end, one end sticking up.
I want to know what they are and if they are multiplying. They are not sponges but seem to be some species of Cucs.
I think it's reasonable the the two perched high on the rock, on the other side of the tank, crawled there overnight and are not related to the first one which moved a apparently left two small duplicates of itself.
I'm attaching photos for some visuals. I hope they display. This is the first forum post.
The first photo is the original hitchiker. Note the flowery tentacles on the (right) end. They move in and out.
The second photo is the new small (hard to see in photo) duplicates.
The third photo are the two perched on end at opposite side of tank. Unrelated most likely to the duplication event.
The fourth photo is a little guy on the sand, possibly same species, and again, probably unrelated to the first.
This tank is newly cycling. Ammonia was 1.0 yesterday, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0. Today Ammonia 2.0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, pH 7.9, temp 80 degrees.
Note: Because of the abundance of life on this live rock that is cycling. I did a 10% water change yesterday and I'm considering the 10% water change today. I understand it's unorthodox, but I don't mind cycling slower to preserve all the life on this rock.
