Pix & ID: Critters that come in your rocks: the good and the bad.

[SushiGirl]

Lyric, that's sponge.
You're welcome, Gagonzalez, let us know how those turn out.

 

[Envieddesigns]

What are these white round fuzzy with pointy things are??

What are these white round fuzzy with pointy things are??

What are these white round fuzzy with pointy things are??

 

[SushiGirl]

Pineapple sponges.

 

[SquigglyFrog]

Unfortunately, Im guessing this is Aiptasia? he was fine when he was living on the back of the rock, and the other day decided to go for a stroll and landed right there in the middle.. and he's stingin my thingies!

 

[shoestring]

Cycling

Cycling

Well I guess I will cross my fingers that it makes it. The kids were excited to actually see some life in the tank. Along with the starfish, we got a small hermit crab about a quarter inch long.

I had a bunch of brittle stars on m,y live rock when I started cycling. Day 9 now and some made it and some did not. Hope yours make it!

 

[dzhuo]

Unfortunately, Im guessing this is Aiptasia?

I was asked to help ID this animal and no it's not an Aiptasia. This is a Phyllodesmium sp. a type of nudibranch which feeds on soft corals. The picture you show is a Phyllodesmium briareum.

 

[SquigglyFrog]

I was asked to help ID this animal and no it's not an Aiptasia. This is a Phyllodesmium sp. a type of nudibranch which feeds on soft corals. The picture you show is a Phyllodesmium briareum.

Ive seen nudibranches... this guy has a central stalk.. and all his little arms and tentacles all at the top.. Heres a shot before he went walking.. im 99.99999% sure thats not a nudibranch.... He's in a bad spot now, so i can see how it could like a nudi...

{edit}
Aside from its diet, Phyllodesmium briareum is a pretty cool looking nudibranch! =D

 

[dzhuo]

The second picture you provided does look like Aiptasia. If these 2 pictures are the same animals then it's not a Phyllodesmium briareum. Either way, it's probably a good idea to get rid of it.

 

[SushiGirl]

Wow, that first pic really does look like that nudibranch, doesn't it? That's amazing! Had never seen that nudibranch before, so thanks for that lesson, dzhuo!

2nd pic is for sure aiptasia. The nudibranch would've been easier to get rid of LOL.

 

[SquigglyFrog]

Wow, that first pic really does look like that nudibranch, doesn't it? That's amazing! Had never seen that nudibranch before, so thanks for that lesson, dzhuo!

2nd pic is for sure aiptasia. The nudibranch would've been easier to get rid of LOL.

Yeah, my bad, should have posted both at the same time.. your right, nudibranch probably would have been easier.. if he would have just stayed on the back of his rock, i wouldnt have messed with him... yet...

 

[dzhuo]

How about this:

I guess someone really want to find out what this nudibranch is.

This is another soft coral eater. Either Tritonia festiva (that would be my guess) or Dendronotus dalli. The Tritonia has a particular interest of feeding on leather corals while the Dendronotus has a wider prey items including sea pens, gorgorian, etc. The animal should be removed regardless.

 

[jlholimon]

ID help please.

ID help please.

Hi, I was wondering if I could get the ID of one thing (not even sure how to classify it) and the confirmation on what I think is a baby RBTA that was a spawning hitch hiker on a Zoa frag.

I just noticed the tiny (like 3-5 mm across) RBTA or some other sort of anemone today when moving a frag around. The large tentacles have some white banding on them. The longest tentacle is about 5 mm long. If this is an RBTA, which is something I really wanted to get but know I can't care for right now as my tank is only about 3 months old, should I start spot feeding it or wait till it gets bigger.

The thing is a small hitch hiker on the same Zoa frag as the RBTA. It's oval/spherish, doesn't ever move, black with slightly spiky skin, and slightly squishy. I gave it a light tap to figure out if it was just rock or something. I have no idea what to search for in a database.

I was also curious as I found sever 3-4 orange ball-tips on the underside of some LR that I was moving around. I know they are not apatasia (or whatever the proper spelling is) as the tentacles have white ball tips. I don't intend to target feed and they are way to small to hurt fishes right now. Is it okay to just let them filter feed when I dose the tank with phytofeast and maybe get rid of them once they get too big? They are all on one small rock that I am keeping away from the rest of the LR. I think they are quite pretty.

 

[SushiGirl]

That is an aiptasia, sorry!
The black thing could be sponge, but I can't see texture because it's blurry.

Edit: As for the ball anemones, I'd chip off the part of the rock they're on & get rid of them. I'm fighting a huge infestation right now of 50 or so in my tank (55 gallon). That's from leaving one on a frag a year ago. Keep them if you want, just giving you fair warning as they're harder to kill than aiptasia.

 

[ashleypoe]

Neon orange algae?

Neon orange algae?

Have had my FOWLR tank running for 2 years and haven't seen this till 2 days ago. I haven't added anything new to tank and I'm just wondering what it is...

Anyone have any clue? It's not fuzzy and when I say it's neon, it's TRUE NEON. I've never seen algae like this..

 

[SushiGirl]

heheh, lots of algae will start off orange & will glow like that, including coralline.

 

[ashleypoe]

heheh, lots of algae will start off orange & will glow like that, including coralline.

Seriously?!?! That's fantastic. Mother nature is full of surprises

 

[ReeferKimberly]

heheh, lots of algae will start off orange & will glow like that, including coralline.

Totally cool. I have some neon orange coralline that looks wicked under my LEDs.

Ok, another one for you, and in paint again :/

Found this tiny thing, about the height of a pencil eraser. It's maroon, has two "heads" that retract when I knock the tank. Look just like this, but miniature.

The lovely gray thing would be the rock it's attached to. It's solid maroon and I don't think it's coral, but maybe. I am leaning towards a worm or something else though.

 

[SushiGirl]

The sad thing is, the algae won't stay orange.

Kimberly, from the description it sounds like a tunicate/sea squirt, but the little fingers are throwing me so I can't be sure. I'm asuming it doesn't move other than flinching? Are they heads or are there holes

 

[ReeferKimberly]

The sad thing is, the algae won't stay orange.

Kimberly, from the description it sounds like a tunicate/sea squirt, but the little fingers are throwing me so I can't be sure. I'm asuming it doesn't move other than flinching? Are they heads or are there holes

Doesn't move other than flinching and they are holes Just look like heads...but they are hollow.

Shame about the orange algae not staying orange. Oh well.

 

[SushiGirl]

Hah, I was on my phone trying to finish that sentence & it went crazy & posted then went somewhere else, then back to a blank response area! Glad it posted...anyway, sounds like a tunicate. Here's one of the many I used to have, with a bonus peanut worm.