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

[Frostpine]

I've had an odd hard bump growing under a mushroom, and just noticed another growing under the same rock... any ideas?

 

[duanegraham]

Look closely at the inside tips of its claws.
Do you see a round shape, like a melon baller?

Hi John, well in any event, one night = one crab! But still would like to know your id of it

 

[duanegraham]

Look closely at the inside tips of its claws.
Do you see a round shape, like a melon baller?

But no I don't think they look like that. What would that indicate?

 

[duanegraham]

Hmm pics didn't work in previous post

 

[duanegraham]

The next morning

 

[duanegraham]

Gotcha!

 

[quagmire]

But no I don't think they look like that. What would that indicate?

Matrix crabs have the little scoops on the tips of their claws.

 

[Alysia730]

I have many bristle worms which i normally see as pink in color. Yesterday I saw this, which was HUGE. It is a gray color, is this also just a bristleworm or something else? Thanks

 

[killinit123]

i had somethingi similar on my live rock and people on a german forum told me to remove it, called them Hydropolypen, but i dont know the english name, looked similar, just want to know what that is
(its growing on a acopora coral i got, i could easily remove it).

looks like a xenia polyp to me harmless but could take over your tank if not kept under control

 

[Reef monkeys]

So I was broadcast feeding my tank some reef chili the other night and I noticed probably about 100 of these coming out of the rock work, since then there are probably about ten in the suction cup on a power head that have never been there before. Is there such a thing as to many mini brittle stars in a tank?

 

[amber3k]

So I was broadcast feeding my tank some reef chili the other night and I noticed probably about 100 of these coming out of the rock work, since then there are probably about ten in the suction cup on a power head that have never been there before. Is there such a thing as to many mini brittle stars in a tank?

I have a ton of them. There are arms hanging out of every rock at feeding time and I even have them reaching out of my power heads when I turn them off. I've never had a problem with too many.

 

[quagmire]

I have many bristle worms which i normally see as pink in color. Yesterday I saw this, which was HUGE. It is a gray color, is this also just a bristleworm or something else? Thanks

Looks like a fireworm

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991836

 

[Alysia730]

ughh i think you are right! Sounds like they are not good to have in a reef tank, how about FOWLR? any ideas to get rid of it? Thank yiu!

 

[quagmire]

Find a small water bottle and remove the cap
Tie several feet of fishing line around the neck of the bottle
Put some small rocks in the bottle to help weigh it down
Put a piece of clam or shrimp or other meaty food in the bottle
Place bottle in tank with the open end next to the spot where you saw the worm
Pull bottle out by fishing line after the worm has entered the trap
You may want to do this when the lights are out
Happy hunting

 

[worm5406]

I have many bristle worms which i normally see as pink in color. Yesterday I saw this, which was HUGE. It is a gray color, is this also just a bristleworm or something else? Thanks

That one looks like the ones I have.

If it was a bad one you would see bright red and white, not subdue like that one is.

Take a video and you can see what I mean.

Here is a pic of one of my good ones:

 

[Alysia730]

I did realize after doing more research that bristleworms tend to get grayish when they are bigger so I think it is a good one. But it's still so big and creepy I'm torn what to do if anything now. It's the first time I've seen it and have owned the tank for about about a month now but was preowned so kept everything the same

 

[worm5406]

If you really research the bristle worm you will find out they are beneficial to any tank. They keep detritus out of the crevasses and eat dropped food/items as they can. If you feed and some drops down they get a good lunch.

They are self regulating also. As food is abundant they will reproduce and keep up the stock.

The bristles get in the groves and cracks and clean off/out things that you might have to blow out with a PH.

I have MANY videos of mine, to include my 8+ inch one.

 

[AmberLee]

Hitchhiker ID's please?

Found this yesterday, tiny little thing.



Have these two, slightly similar, but one much softer looking, the second spikier looking.

1 (that head comes out of a tube, sometimes it comes out more, others doesn't)


2


Also still haven't got an ID off anyone for this green leafy stuff (better photo)

 

[SammieP]

Weird Creature Growing under live rock

Weird Creature Growing under live rock

Hey folks, I've got a biocube 29, which i have had running for about 4 months. I only have a green chromis fishwise, but a bunch of snails, hermits, and 2 oysters that came with my live rock. One of the oysters is covered with old dead pieces of branching coral (and a few which have recently come to life). Well underneath the coral skeletons, I started seeing this weird 2 headed alien creature. It doesn't move from where it is, although it is responsive to light and sound. It mainly come out at night and then slowly shrinks down when I shine a light on it. Any thoughts on what it might be? Thank you so much for your help in advance

 

[AmberLee]

Found a third one!