Help ID please

[bambam918]

Just noticed 9 Exoskeleton like things floating in the DT. The only thing I haver added recently are three anithas and a piece of rock from a LFS. Hope this is not going to be an issue

<a href="http://s1266.photobucket.com/user/akita451/media/C646EAE7-1F74-498B-B309-9339A7F324C6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj521/akita451/C646EAE7-1F74-498B-B309-9339A7F324C6.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo C646EAE7-1F74-498B-B309-9339A7F324C6.jpg"/></a>

 

[Anthrax15]

What do they taste like?

 

[bambam918]

I'll save them for you lol

I just observed one of my emerald crabs release a butt load of stuff into the water column. It came from under its "belly". Thinking maybe the crabs are reproducing and these are part of the stage of crab sex?????? It looked like the scene from the mummy with the black Beatles taking over one of the tumbs. Kinda cool to watch

 

[tcamos]

They look just like insect larvae.

 

[zrogst]

that's enough reefcentral for today.

puke.

 

[jporter]

For some reason they remind me of the cockroach from Men in Black.

Maybe they were attached to the live rock and came detached when you put it in? Was the rock ever sitting outside? It is very weird looking. JP

 

[bambam918]

Yea it doesn't seem to be marine to me. The rock was submerged at the LFS but was I. A bucket with a towel for about an hour during transport. Still puzzled on this but I am not as concerned now. Thanks everyone

 

[tcamos]

I'm wondering if this rock sat outside, dry, for a long period of time. Long enough for insects to get into it and was then put into water to cure and become live rock.

 

[bambam918]

Could have been. It does look like insect larva. I know I dont have insect issues at my house so I believe the rock is the cause

 

[Jpugh73]

Looks like meal worms casings

 

[tcamos]

I'm thinking maggots.

 

[evolved]

^ Ditto that.

Could it have sat outside and fly's got on it? I'm sure it would have smelled like decay if it was thrown outdoors straight from a tank.

 

[Honda619]

Very strange! I first thought this would have to be from the live rock that could have been left sitting out for days prior to it arriving at the LFS.

But after doing some searching, I now wonder if it is a type of "Free Swimming Epitoke". Do a quick google search and you'll see a few that appear to resemble what you are currently working with. I also wonder if this could be what you have (Polychaete Worms):

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=3144371#post3144371

I found the Epitoke's listed on this site:

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html


Strangely enough, you are not the only person to post something similar...I searched maggots in reef tank and came up with some very similar stories. See below,

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30472

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/139185-tiny-maggot-egg-thing/

 

[tcamos]

That's more plausible to be sure though they don't quite look the same.

 

[Honda619]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. But, no they don't look exactly the same...although fairly close. I might have seen a different picture than you did though. I would have money on fly larvae/maggots given the recent addition of live rock from an unknown source unless it's known where they get all live rock. Even then it could still have been left out. Very odd stuff!

 

[tcamos]

I mean that them being an aquatic creature of some kind is more plausible than their being maggots. But, that said, they still look more like maggots than the aquatic creature in the pictures on Google.

 

[saintsnsinners]

Mmmmmmmm.........maggots.

 

[Henchman24]

Whatever it is seems to be dead & was found floating in tank. Is this correct? I am guessing that it isn't anything that would live in the tank but something that accidentally got into the tank & died.

I have experienced something similar myself:

 

[bambam918]

Yea they were floating on the surface. I believe maggots as well. I am not sure if the LR was left outside before being placed in water from the LFS. I checked around my tank and didn't find any live maggots or any other empty casings around the tank. I deffintiy believe it came on the rock now

 

[coralreefjunkie]

Pure speculation: Could they have been in the towel in the first place? The cocoons crawled into the crevices of the rock during transport....and then float up when the rock became submerged...