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

[alexander_ktn]

Bubble algae - Valonia sp.

 

[m1k3]

Critter #1, is this a mojano or maybe aptasia?

 

[m1k3]

Critter #2 the thing in the middle of my acans? What the heck is it? There are a couple of them coming up between the heads.

 

[cloak]

Aiptasia... The second one looks like a barnacle. (harmless)

 

[m1k3]

Aiptasia... The second one looks like a barnacle. (harmless)

Thanks! Great... My first pest...

 

[Deckerd]

Anybody knows what this is?

 

[alexander_ktn]

An anemone with puffed-up foot. I'd guess something like Aiptasia. They inflate it when they want to move (i.e. "swim" in the current).

 

[Deckerd]

Well took my chaeto out. As it appears its hundreds of them.

 

[jpmwjm]

Large worm ... Any ID ideas

Large worm ... Any ID ideas

Ok ... I've had my tank running now for abt 2 years .... Have found several 1/4 to 3/8 holes or burrows in sand. Never saw the culprit til this morning. Anyone know what kind of worm this is? I didn't get a pict when he was extended out about 1-1/ ....but he was able to move the small piece of live rock he's under.

 

[jpmwjm]

Large worm additional picture

Large worm additional picture

 

[Puffyluv]

Oh, no, it looks like a bobbit worm! [emoji47] I rarely react like this to anything I find in a reef tank, but those things are frightening! Be very careful when removing him, please!!

 

[jpmwjm]

Eunice worm

Eunice worm

Thanks.... After your post I looked up Eunice ( bobbit worms) he appears to be lighter colored one and In two years he hasn't seemed to bother anything as of yet... I'll try to keep a eye on him. As long as I don't start having a losses is there a need to remove him now ?

 

[alexander_ktn]

I agree it's a eunicid - I recently removed one and all corals that were closed or sulking before opened up again, no more disappeared frags and small fish etc.

They grow immensely huge generally and will start bothering your livestock in the long run - if you want to keep the worm put it into a refugium or extra tank. They can be very interesting animals but due to their behavior (building a nest, redecorating the tank, having a large appetite) they are definitely the opposite of reef safe.

 

[flipstyle72]

Id please

 

[rich_one]

Spotted this... thing... on the left edge of the rock pictured. What the heck is it? Thanks!

-Rich

 

[Puffyluv]

Don't see anything, rich_one...flipstyle72, that is a colonial feather duster. Harmless. Love the red ones.

 

[rich_one]

It's right on the upper left side. The black "band" with the flat, disc like top. That "band" looks like tentacles. If you still can't tell I will try to take a better cell phone pic.

-Rich

 

[rich_one]

Okay... took a new pic, circled the thing in red. What is this thing? Thanks!

-Rich

 

[worm5406]

Rich_One... Sorry.. Cany see it in the picture. Can you zoom in?

I am from SoMd also.

 

[rich_one]

Okay... will try again tonight. It kinda looks like a brown disc, with little black tentacles around the circumference. At first you cannot even tell it's tentacles, until you look really close. Then you can kind of see them flowing in the current. They are not long tentacles. It doesn't seem to move otherwise.

-Rich