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FAQs about Non-Vertebrate Animal
Identification
34
Related Articles: Marine Invertebrates, Marine Invertebrate Systems, Marine Invertebrate Compatibility,
Marine Invertebrate Disease,
Marine Invertebrate
Reproduction, Quarantine of Corals and
Invertebrates, Feeding
Reef Invertebrates, Lighting
Marine Invertebrates, Water Flow, How Much
is Enough,
Related FAQs: Non-Vert IDs 1, Non-Vert IDs 2, Non-Vert IDs 3, Non-Vert IDs 4, Non-Vert IDs 5, Non-Vert IDs 6, Non-Vert IDs 7, Non-Vert IDs 8, Non-Vert IDs 9, Non-Vert IDs 10, Non-Vert IDs 11, Non-Vert IDs 12, Non-Vert IDs 13, Non-Vert IDs 14, Non-Vert IDs 15, Non-Vert IDs 16, Non-Vert IDs 17, Non-Vert IDs 18, Non-Vert. ID 19, Non-Vert. ID 20, Non-Vert. ID 21, Non-Vert. ID 22, Non-Vert. ID 23, Non-Vert. ID 25, Non-Vert ID 26, Non-Vert ID 27, Non-Vert ID 28, Non-Vert ID 29, Non-Vert ID 30, Non-Vert ID 31, Non-Vert ID 32, Non-Vert 33, Non-Vert ID 35, Non-Vert ID 36, Non-Vert ID 37, Non-Vert ID 38, Non-Vert ID 39, Non-Vert ID 40, Non-Vert ID 41, Non-Vert ID 42, Non-Vert ID 43, Non-Vert ID 44, Non-Vert ID 45, Non-Vert ID 46, Non-Vert ID 47, Non-Vert ID 48, Non-Vert ID 49, Non-Vert ID 50, Non-Vert ID 51, Non-Vert ID 52, Non-Vert ID 53, Non-Vert ID 54, Non-Vert ID 55, Non-Vert ID 56,
Non-Vert ID
57, Non-Vert ID 58,
Non-Vert ID 59,
Non-Vert ID 60, Non-Vert ID 61,
& Marine Invertebrates, Marine Invert.s 2, Marine Invert.s 3, & FAQs about:
Marine Invertebrate Behavior,
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Invertebrate Systems, Feeding
Reef Invertebrates, Marine
Invertebrate Disease, Marine
Invertebrate Reproduction, &
& LR
Life Identification, LR
Hitchhiker ID 1, Anemone
Identification, Aiptasia
Identification, Aiptasia ID 2,
Worm Identification, Tubeworm ID, Polychaete Identification, Snail Identification, Marine Crab
Identification, Marine Invert.s 1,
Marine Invert.s 2, Marine Plankton,
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What are these? (Serpulid Worms) -- 04/23/08 Hi!
<<Hello!>> I have searched and searched your site for an
answer that I know is probably a "no brainer" for most of
you. <<Oh?>> What are the hundreds of tiny white worm-like
things in my sump that seem to be calcified? <<Umm, worms? [grin]
>> They don't move and are "crunchy" but look just
like little white worms that are about an inch long and about a mm
wide. <<These are very likely a species of Polychaete worm from
the Family Serpulidae'¦these creatures secrete a calcareous
'tube' in which they live>> Do they need to be cleaned
out or do they serve a purpose? <<They are a beneficial
detritivore>> Thank you for your site. It is great and has helped
me tremendously. <<Glad you like it>> I search your website
for info often I just have never been able to answer this puzzle.
<<Well then'¦hopefully, puzzle solved!>>
Sincerely, Suzanne <<Regards, EricR>>
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ID Help: Foraminiferan, Likely Marginopora sp. - 4/21/08
<Hi Paul> When I first set up this tank, approximately 4
months ago after adding LS (fine Fiji pink CaribSea Arag-alive) I
found a few hitchhikers (small disk animals) one was green, the
rest have been pinkish. <Neat> They attach very securely to
LR or glass and are often in the sand as well. My first guess is
sand dollars and I can't find anything else that closely
resembles them. <I can see why you'd think sand dollar, it
certainly has the same general shape. However, your specimen
lacks the characteristic 'petal' structure on the
surface. Then there are the fine lines spiraling out from the
center. I'd love to know the size of the disk. I can't
tell if what I'm seeing is less than 1/8' or an inch+ in
diameter. From what I can tell though, it looks like a
foraminiferan, likely in the genus Marginopora. Forams are
harmless, single-celled Protists with either calcareous or
silicious shells, usually very small (<1mm) but can range up
to about 8'. If what you have is Marginopora vertebralis, a
common tropical species, then they should top out at about
5/8". Forams feed on dissolved organics, diatoms,
micro-algae, bacteria, copepods, and some are even zooxanthellate
(like many corals). Please see item# 48 at the following link,
showing a photo of Marginopora vertebralis:
http://www.cushmanfoundation.org/resources/slides/forams.html See
the photo at the bottom of this link for a good close-up shot:
http://www.imagequest3d.com/pages/articles/articleofmonth/foraminifera/foraminifera.htm
http://www.poppe-images.com/images/image_info.php?picid=907142
General information regarding forams:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/index.php > Thank you
in advance for any help. Thx. Paul <You're very welcome!
Take care, -Lynn>
Re: ID Help: Foraminiferan, Likely Marginopora sp. -
4/21/08 <Hi Paul> Yep, that's a positive ID,
"Marginopora vertebralis" <Yay!> ..and the
smallest I've seen was approximately 1/8". The one in
the picture measures 5/16" diameter. Thank you very much for
your help. <It was a pleasure. Take care, -Lynn>
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Please ID, new reef... cycling
4/20/08 Thank you for responding so quickly. I have, of course,
rushed the tank for the 5 weeks that I've had it. There are so
many different opinions and everyone's an "expert" at
the LFS. I have had varying opinions, but I bought 3 different
books and am trying to educate myself. <Good> My husband and
I watch the tank for hours, trying to find whatever small changes
that occur. I thought the fish would be most interesting, but now
I'm at the point that I could care less if I have any fish or
not. A guy at one fish shop told me that he thought my tank was
cycled since I had an algae bloom. <Mmm, not necessarily, though
a good indication of activity in that direction> I test daily
with strips and the Red Max testing tube kits. All the parameters
seem to be ok. pH 8.3, nitrites almost 0, nitrates almost 0 (they
have not been 0, but I think I over analyze the color scales), temp
76. I started with Live Rock, Live Sand, and water from the LFS. My
Live Rock has a tiny clear worms. Also has a tiny flowering worm,
not a feature duster, which I looked up on your site, but I
don't think Judi, definitively ID'd. About halfway down the
WWM page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/invertid26.htm attached image
with email. I have not seen it today. Over-stocked tank (will avoid
anymore purchases in the future other than a few coral, and will
wait on those) 1 false percula 1 clarkii (again, told they would
get along... and are for now). I have a slew of snails and hermit
crabs. 2 peppermint shrimp that I absolutely love. 1 big skunk
cleaner that molted, then died a few days later. A guy at LFS said
an arrow crab would not be aggressive, but after reading your site,
I took him back. <Good> The guy at a beautiful reef shop in
Jax convinced me soft coral would do fine, which for 2 weeks it has
done great, even gotten bigger. 1 Small green mat Zoanthid polyp 1
pom pom xenia 1 star zoanthid polyp with green centers (not quite
sure of the name. Both fish / reef stores I've been to have
.021-.022sg. All of the reading in the books I've purchased,
along with online articles indicate the salinity should be at least
.024. I am going to go with closer to .024 salinity, adding salt to
the LFS R/0 I'm buying. <Do see WWM re... I would keep your
specific gravity near full seawater strength/concentration.
1.025-1.026... and steady> I read your site daily. Thanks for
all your great advice. Cynthia Rice <This pic is not easy to
make out... could be a small anemone (like Anemonia) or a
Corallimorph, even an ascidian colony... Bob Fenner>
Re:
Please ID I took a look at the pic of Anemonia, it does look
like that. But it retracts with any movement around it, like a
feather duster and there was only one of them. Sadly, I have not
seen him in 2 days. I did find a bristleworm, 3/8" of an inch
kind, white while looking at the tank with a flashlight last night.
We got him out with a net and flushed it. I haven't seen any
other ones. We are going to Vilano Beach again this afternoon. I
measured the ocean's sg. Lol. I'm sure the other folks on
the beach thought I was a geek. <A curious, intelligent
individual> Thanks and have a great day.
Cynthia Rice
<And you. BobF> |
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Not a Sea Apple, Likely a Syconoid Sponge -
4/19/08 <Hi Ash> I have a 10 gal. tank with 2 seahorses. I
also have some plants. On a leaf there is a very small white thing. I
don't know what it is, but it looks like a very, very small and
white sea apple and I would love to know if you could tell me what it
is. <It's most likely a harmless Syconoid sponge. Please see the
following link for photos and more information:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spgidf7.htm > Thanks, Ash <You're
welcome! Lynn>
| Eggs, using WWM -04/11/08 good evening,
<Trying to wake this morn...> first off, great site, must say
must have saved my tank from total destruction many a times. I have
a quick question. I was doing a regular water change, when i
noticed in the bucket something that looked like eggs. Im not sure
what part of the tank where they came from because i was cleaning
all around the rocks. I have a 29G SW tank with roughly 25 pounds
of LR, 1 blue damsel, 1 yellow tail blue damsel, 2 clowns, 1
domino, <I'd be watching this Dascyllus... likely a source
of high-stress in time> 1stripe damsel, and a lemon peel angel.
<Misplaced here... needs much more room> 2 turbo snail and 7
blue leg hermit crabs. tank parameters: SG 1.022, <... too
low... see WWM re...> nitrate 0, ammonia 0, pH 8.1, temp 80,
nitrate about 30. <... too high...> lighting 1 blue actinic
and 2 white bulbs, pengiun filter, Fluval 304 and maxijet900 with
wave deflector. <... no skimmer?> can you please help me
identify if these are some eggs of the fish, crab, snail . <The
last. Bob Fenner> |
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SW Aquarium ID if possible 3/20/08 Hi WWM
Crew! Recently I've housed all my fish in QT due to Ich and
Brooklynellosis outbreaks. But my question has to do with thousands
of tiny things, almost unseen to the naked eye, in my main tank. At
first we though they were part of the Ich parasite's life
cycle, but upon closer inspection they appear to be baby fish.
<Mmm, nope> One of my yellowtail blue damsels has had a
bulging belly lately but we never saw her lay any eggs and
she's quite small (not even an inch in length). I've tried
searching the web but no luck. So I've attached a photo...are
these guys baby damsels or something else? Thanks for your time!
Tracy
<Something else... larval... shrimp! Neat-o! BobF> |
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Polyps of some sort in my sump? (sponge ID) 3/14/08
Crew - At some point I hope to have a refugium in my sump. For
now there is no light, just a rock beside a bag of activated
charcoal where my refugium may be one day. However, I have a new
development in the past couple of weeks, and while I like to see
new life, I have no idea what's going on here. Suddenly these
little critters are all over my sump. Would you please identify
and tell me if they are a positive or negative life form to have
in the sump? <They are harmless Syconoid sponges.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spgidf6.htm> I don't know if I
should clean them out or rejoice that they exist. <It's
your call. There's no need to clean them out if they're
not bothering you.> Pics are attached. Thanks for any help, as
always. Regards <De nada, Sara M.>
Re: Polyps of some sort in my sump? Wonderful! Thanks
for the ID. Looks like my nutrient levels have risen to support
these. I'll check to see if my skimmer pump filter is clogged
since I have noticed reduced skimmate the past week - just before
these little guys arrived. <Well, in many ways, they are
little filters themselves. ;-) They usually come in boom and bust
cycles. People seem to get them in droves all of a sudden, but
then they don't last.> Joel
<Best,
Sara M.>
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Mystery Creature In My Reef? Scutus - 3/11/08
<Hi Aaron> I caught this guy in action last night and
I've seen him from time to time. One time I observed him on the
glass and his mouth parts look just like a snail's. <Heeee
-- and for good reason! It *is* a snail/Gastropod!> What is he?
<It appears to be a species of Scutus, aka a 'Shield
Limpet', in the family Fissurellidae. This family also includes
Keyhole and Slit Limpets. It also looks a bit like a Chiton, but
the two antennae rule out that possibility.> Is he some type of
Nudibranch? <No, although they're often mistaken as
such.> Would he eat coral polyps? <It's possible. Scutus
spp. are primarily herbivores, but reportedly may also feed on
coral tissue.> Should I take him out of my reef? <It's up
to you. I don't have any personal experience with these, but
most people seem to love them. Apparently they can be very
beneficial when it comes to grazing/removing algae.> I have a 75
gallon reef tank with tons of live rock, zoas, mushrooms, leathers,
and LPSs corals. <Heeeee! You can add Scutus to the list now as
well!> I've tried some of the more fleshy LPSs corals like
open brains and candy canes and they seemed to have their flesh
devoured. <Yikes! Although I've read cautionary statements
regarding Scutus and corals, I've yet to read any actual
accounts of coral predation within home aquaria.> Other LPSs
corals like frog spawns, torches, bubbles, and galaxia do fine.
Could this guy be the problem or is it more likely my flame angel?
<Hmmmm. While I can't rule out the Scutus, based on their
popularity with aquarists, it wouldn't be my first choice of
suspects. I'd be more inclined to suspect the Flame Angel,
possibly even a Tang, or one/several of the other usual
'picker' suspects (various crabs, shrimps, etc.)> The
picture isn't the greatest, but it's the best I could get
at night. <Understandable! The good news is that I think
we're good to go. For more information/photos, please see the
following links:
http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=scutus
http://www.poppe-images.com/images/search_results.php?category=Shells&family=FISSURELLIDAE
> Thanks for your help! <You're very welcome! Take care,
-Lynn>
Aaron Chandler |
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Hello wonderful people! Lotsa pix, disparate
organisms, reading to do 03/11/2008 HI! I want to start
by saying that I have read a large amount of your site content -
about worms & feather dusters & live rock & coral
& algae - I'm sure the questions I am asking are
somewhere on your site, but I cant find the answers.. (and I have
been saving my questions for about 3 weeks - to ask them all at
once!) I put the pictures on a webpage - thinking perhaps it
would be easier to see them in a separate browser, instead of
downloading an email attachment? IF BY SOME CHANCE there are any
pictures that you want to keep or use, feel free.. and if you
would rather me send the pictures in email, i will..
http://www.nunyasworld.com/wetwebmedia.html <Ahh, very
nice!> OK, picture #1 shows 2 things i am concerned about. On
the left is a rock with what looks like a rust spot? <I
agree... this does look ferrous... I would not be overly
concerned if this is the only such rusty area... not likely very
toxic here> This along with a couple of other things has me
concerned that some of the rock (bought at LFS) is straight out
of the ocean.. <?> On the right is something that resembles
(to me) things i read about worms - or maybe coral? The pink
growths on the rock.. <Sponge material... no worries...> #2
shows this odd crevice in a rock - it looks very flat &
smooth - and has white spots/deposits on it.. my overactive
imagination feels like maybe divers salvaged
"something" out of the rock.. or that maybe there still
is metal in there? <Looks like a bivalve to me... see the Net,
pix with the name "Arca"> #3 this is from a
small(10g) tank that i originally set up for a refugium, but
there is no shared water source between them, so for now it is
just a separate tank, that i put water from the bigger one into
when i do water changes. All that is in it are 3 snails, 1 crab,
and some small pieces of macro algae & live rock... up until
a week ago I had a powerhead with sponge filter in there - and
have taken that out and put just bubbles in.. trying to raise
copepods and amphipods in there.. It is being overrun with this
stuff that starts as 3a, and then ends up like 3b.. is this OK
stuff? I cant even tell if it is algae or another type of
aiptasia??(and my big tank is getting infested already with this
pest)??? <Mmm, maybe a Hydroid, perhaps algal...> #4 shows
something - perhaps a barnacle? there are some others i see in a
hole on just this one rock, but i never see them stick out? <I
see some algae...> #5 I'm concerned with my feather
duster, his "feathers" have gotten thin as they are
sticking out further than ever from the tube. I think it looks
like he has a double head. Purchased him 6 weeks ago & for
the first week he only stuck out of the tube about 1/2 -3/4 inch.
THEN for the next 5 weeks he was normal - beautiful, and the
heads were alternating this green color from one head to another.
Kinda looked like pulsing-one head would be green - ten 2 seconds
later the other one was green.. Now - for the last 2 days he has
been stuck out a lot (still retracts though) - and I am hoping
you tell me this is normal - or that maybe he is getting ready to
lose a head? <Looks starved to me> The only 2 possible
problems i need to mention are a) Seahorses have moved in and
like to wrap their tails around the feather dusters base, but it
doesn't look like they are squeezing.. <Still likely
bothering it excessively... I'd move it> b) my water
parameters are good -except for one thing the LFS told me i
didn't need to worry about - the calcium is high, according
to the testing kit - 600-700 ppm, <Way too high> could this
affect the feather duster? <Yes> I have been mixing
phytoplankton with brine shrimp and target feeding him, the
coral, and the xenia.. Thank you for any info you can provide.
and sorry for too many questions... for now i am leaving a link
to the website, if that's OK, and then going to put a link on
the main page - under my "donate" section.. and
HOPEFULLY - if i ever get done dumping $$ into the tank, i will
be sending a donation myself! -- Have a GREAT day! <Mmm, read
on WWM re the above organisms... Their IDs, Systems... esp.
Featherdusters. Bob Fenner>
| Re: Hello wonderful people! Lotsa pix,
disparate organisms, reading to do 3/12/08 I
am writing again because either I am thick-headed, or
something - but I don't understand one of my questions/
answers, pertaining to this picture here...
<http://www.nunyasworld.com/num4.jpg>
""""#4 shows something - perhaps a
barnacle? there are some others i see in a hole on just this
one rock, but i never see them stick out? <I see some
algae...>""" do you see the 2 brown growths
that look like bits of brown human hair, or just the ends of
a feather duster? is that the algae you mentioned? <Yes.
There is some, but not much likelihood that Cirripedians
survived on/in such denuded rock> sorry for just not
"getting it" - and hope you have a nice day...
<You as well... Do you consider that the reddish-brown
material may be byssus or such? Would you send along a better
resolved pic of size? BobF> Re: Hello wonderful people!
Algae and a Hydroid 3/12/08 You know I
saw a picture of "byssus", and it looked similar..
Hopefully the picture attached is better? I stitched 4
pictures together, and on the far right shows how it looks as
if every strand is attached with "goo".. remind me
of the remnants of a human hair, if beaten with the rock...
The larger one sticks out about 1/2 inch from the rock, the
smaller about 1/4 inch. <Am sticking with my guess re the
left hand pix being an algae... the right is almost assuredly
a hydropolyp. BobF> |
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| Lots to i.d.... Syconoid Sponges, Foraminiferan,
and Sargassum 3/6/08 Hello! <Hi Pavlo, Mich here.>
Let me just say that you guys are invaluable. <Wow! Thank you
for the nice compliment.> I have spent a year researching &
putting together my 125 gal "FOWLR to be reef someday"
tank & I owe all that is good about it to you! <Well you had
much to do with this success, you did the research, had the
foresight to plan ahead.> It finally came to be in January. It
has cycled, went through an algae bloom, and now has stabilized. No
fish yet...starting that in a week or two. <OK.> I do have
about 40 assorted snails (Cerith, Margarita, Astraea &
Nassarius and 40 blue & red-legged hermits. <I personally am
not a fan of hermits.> The 150lb of live rock is showing nice
coralline growth <Good!> as well as aiptasia & Valonia.
<Not so good!> I purchased 2 small emerald crabs for the
Valonia (limited success) <Better to remove by hand.> and 2
Berghia Nudibranchs for the aiptasia. <Would not be my first
choice.> They disappeared into the rockwork 5 min after I put
them in the tank and are nowhere to be seen. <Happens.> Oh
well. Water parameters: Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0,
Phosphates 0, pH 8.4. Temp fluctuates between 79 & 81 with the
halides, salinity is 1.026. There is a huge ball of Chaeto in the
30 gal DSB refugium/sump. <All sounds good.> Which leads me
to my id questions. Out of nowhere, literally overnight, I found
many, many of these things on my refugium baffles. Not on the fuge
side of the baffle, but on the channel side. ((pic 3) if you can
make them out). Pic 2 is an attempt at a close up of one. It's
clear and stubby. Almost looks like a pod of some sort. <Is a
Syconoid sponge, a harmless filter feeder that adds to the
biodiversity of the system. More images here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spongeidfaq3.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spgidf5.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spgidf7.htm > The last thing I put in
my tank was the Berghia 5 days ago. Could it be related? <No, is
not related.> As if that's not enough to take up your time,
<Heehee! No worries!> what is the white branching thing next
to the unknown algae on the live rock in pic 1. <Is a
foraminiferan, be careful, these creatures sure can hurt your
fingers, but are otherwise harmless.> The hermits & emerald
crabs like to chew on the algae, so I suspect it's not bad, but
I could be wrong. <The algae look like a Sargassum to me, just
watch that it doesn't get out of control.> Any help with
identification would be greatly appreciated as well as any advice
on how to get rid of it (if that is what should be done) <Manual
removal if it gets too bad.> Thanks again for your help &
hard work! Pavlo |
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| Please Help! (Live Rock Hitchhiker Paranoia) --
03/04/08 So I got a piece of live rock from a guy on my local
board (San Diego) and I immediately identified some Asterina
anomala. <<Mmm, yes'¦a controversial genus/species.
Some folks swear they consume their corals'¦others swear
they have no problems at all with them>> And tonight I saw
this guy near a piece of encrusting Montipora that appears to be
receding. I was bummed before that I didn't dip and quarantine
the rock and now I am even more scared. <<Dip? As in
'freshwater dip?' Quarantine, sure'¦ Cure if
necessary, you bet'¦ But 'dip' as a prophylactic
treatment for live rock? Not how I would treat 'my' rock.
Seems such a waste to spend the money on live rock only to destroy
so much of the emergent life on/in with a freshwater or medicated
dip>> I am picking out everything I see. <<Really?
Everything? Just because you found an Asterina spp starfish?
Don't you think you might be overreacting? If you are certain
an organism is harmful is one thing, but otherwise, you are
defeating much of the purpose of introducing the rock in the first
place (bio-diversity)>> Can I get an ID on this guy please? I
think the red dot on him is a result of the tweezers but he is flat
(so I thought flat worm) and has an obvious spine looking thing
running down its back. The worm or whatever it is hard and curls up
like a roly-poly out of the water. <<The pictures are not
good at all'¦ But from what I can discern, and from your
description, I'm fairly certain this is a Chiton (do a keyword
search and see what you think), a beneficial algae/diatom
scavenger'¦and certainly nothing to be fearful of re your
livestock>> What are the odds that there are more of these,
this guy is 4mm in length? <<The odds are very good there are
more'¦if you are lucky [grin]>> Thank you! Mike
<<Happy to share, Mike. Relax and enjoy/study the emergent
life in/on your rock'¦most does turn out to be a
'good' thing. Regards, EricR>> |
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