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

[Sugar Magnolia]

Found this crab on my coral today, is it good or bad?

 

[Zbreefer]

Any idea what the thing to the lower left of the snail is. About the size of a nickel, growing on the sand. Does not appear to move. Sponge or something else? Good or bad?

Thanks, ZB

 

[cloak]

Is it hard or soft? It almost looks like a piece broke off from an orange Montipora Capricornis.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Could it be a partially buried snail operculumn?

 

[pagojoe]

Yep, that's a nerite operculum. Good job Adrienne!

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Jexrod, take the crab out and place it in a clear or white container with tank water and snap a few pics from different angles. Thanks!

 

[Zbreefer]

Could it be a partially buried snail operculumn?

Do those snails burrow, or shed that part, or could that have broken off some how?

 

[cloak]

If that is an operculumn, the snail is most likely dead. It's that little trap door that sort of seals them inside there shell.

 

[Zbreefer]

If that is an operculumn, the snail is most likely dead. It's that little trap door that sort of seals them inside there shell.

That was my fear. Thanks everyone.

 

[flipstyle72]

Orange spongey growth with holes...id?

 

[mx51]

Is this a Bristol worm? I have never seen one on the glass before and it is tiny

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Orange spongey growth with holes...id? View attachment 283920

Tunicates. Harmless.

Is this a Bristol worm? I have never seen one on the glass before and it is tiny
View attachment 283924

Looks like a dorvilleidae sp. worm. Harmless.

 

[flipstyle72]

urchin? Tiny, about the size of a pencil eraser.. Almost. The purple looking one moves around thst rock. Black one hasn't moved around much. See a few other black ones like that as well.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Yes. Urchins.

 

[adnedarn]

I have this rock in my QT tank with a coral that was given to me on it. It started with a ton of these white hairs barely sticking out of the rock, but they're growing quite a bit. Are they something to worry 'bout?
Thanks!
Andrew

Dropped a hermit crab in the QT tank... and he quickly trimmed that back to the rock. Still don't know what it is, but at least I know they should be able to manage it.

 

[flipstyle72]

after research, one looks like a stony coral. great star?

The other, no clue...lol. i will get better shots with my real camera soon.

Thanks!

 

[cloak]

The second picture looks kind of like an aiptasia. :thumbdown

I'm not really sure about the first one though. Galaxea perhaps?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

The first one looks like the skeleton of a goniopora or alveopora.

 

[flipstyle72]

Better shot...aiptasia?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Yes, aiptasia.