InvertIDFAQ15

FAQs about Non-Vertebrate Animal Identification 15

ID Needed Please 4/10/06 Can anyone identify these things crawling on the glass of my refugium? <Are juvenile/intermediates of polychaete worms> They move at a good pace and are about 1/16 of an inch. I don't see any shells. I hope they are nothing bad. I just bought a two spot blenny and put him in the refugium yesterday and noticed these things tonight. <Not bad... more beneficial> Here is the link to the pictures and drawing. http://www.cupids-playground.com/unidentified%20worm.htm Thanks in advance, Mary O.
<Thanks for sending this along. Bob Fenner>

Tiny little starfish like bugs 4/9/06 I have recently noticed several small bugs on the glass of my 46 gal reef aquarium. It's only been setup for close to a month now. I have about 20 small hermit crabs, and about 15 snails, along with 50 lbs of live rock, and a pretty deep sand bed. These bugs have a white center, with what looks to be 8 to 12 hair like tentacles (also white). They are only about 2mm in diameter (including the tentacles). Any idea what they could be? <Mmm, likely some sort of small species of polychaete worms> One other newbie question. Is there a recommended way to vacuum the sandbed? Should one remove the rock, or just try to vacuum around it as best as possible? <Posted... on WWM. Read through the Marine Maintenance areas or learn to/use the Google search tool, read the cached versions (to highlight key terms...). Bob Fenner> Thanks, Josh

SW invert. ID 4/9/06 Can anyone identify these things crawling on the glass of my refugium? <Would love to> They move at a good pace and are about 1/16 of an inch. I don't see any shells. I hope they are nothing bad. I just bought a two spot blenny and put him in the refugium yesterday and noticed these things tonight. Here is the link to the pictures and drawing. http://www.cupids-playground.com/un...fied%20worm.htm <I'm just getting page not found. You haven't given enough info the be able to determine without a pic. So can you fix the link and resend? Thanks, Jen S.> Thanks in advance, Mary O.

Argh! Murder outside the tank!! Mainly invertebrate id's 4/9/06 I have some stars that need an ID before placement into my tank ....I got this from the LPS and these hitched a ride not sure what they are ...They closely resemble Ophiarachna or green serpent stars ...... I know that these can and will eat fish up on growth ..... http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4081417a.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4081418a.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4081422a.jpg I also killed a clam/oyster in this process not knowing that is what it was due to the fact that it did not look anything like a clam/oyster....I could have sworn that it was a rock so I tried to cut it down to fit into my tank much to my surprise it was a clam/oyster of some sort .So I have attached some of those pictures http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071396a.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071397a.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071400a.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071402a.jpg <I have to tell you that I am absolutely horrified by this. You have to be extremely careful cutting into anything for your tank. It's all alive, or has life in it (like in live rock). You can always run the risk of damage, or in this case mortality. And with pliers too! Please investigate thoroughly, don't make hasty decisions.> Also can you tell me are these yumas or Ricordeas http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071391a.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071387a.jpg Thanks

Bad Attitudes and Horrible Replies - Murder Take II 4/10/06 > Argh! Murder outside the tank!! > I have some stars that need an ID before placement into my tank ....I got > this from the LPS and these hitched a ride not sure what they are ...They > closely resemble Ophiarachna or green serpent stars ...... I know that > these can and will eat fish up on growth ..... > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4081417a.jpg > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4081418a.jpg > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4081422a.jpg > eaters. Very beneficial. As long as it doesn't get huge, you'll be fine.> **thank you they were my biggest concerned they will be added to the tank sometime today** <<< You're welcome>>> > I also killed a clam/oyster in this process not knowing that is what it > was due to the fact that it did not look anything like a clam/oyster....II > could have sworn that it was a rock so I tried to cut it down to fit into > my tank much to my surprise it was a clam/oyster of some sort .So I have > attached some of those pictures > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071396a.jpg > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071397a.jpg > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071400a.jpg > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071402a.jpg > be extremely careful cutting into anything for your tank. It's all alive, > or has life in it (like in live rock). You can always run the risk of > damage, or in this case mortality. And with pliers too! Please > investigate thoroughly, don't make hasty decisions.> **sorry that horrifies you however it was not a hasty decision at all in fact it was covered in coralline algae . Tell me you have never cut live rock etc. , or had a coral not make it your system (unless you don't have salt water tanks)...So this will also horrify you but we have a Dremel that we use . Your site even recommends using a sharp razor/exacto blade to "cut " to frag . If this horrifies you I am sorry , that is part of the life cycle . You may not agree with everyone's methods the same as most don't agree with the way you folks answer at times . So unless you have NEVER made a mistake hold the criticism. I know you guys do this for free and its great but you don't need to bash some one for something that can not be conveyed in 1 stinking email....Let me ask this one final thing .......do you know 100% the details, unfortunately to don't I did not have a before just the after , so before you bash think that maybe there was not malice involved ******* <<<Think about this fully - without emotion and you will realize I wasn't horrified by what you did per se, just that it happened. Nor was I even remotely bashing, just giving advice. Everyone makes mistakes, believe me I've made my share, and you'll make yours. I didn't like that it happened at all, but I didn't really blame you either, just gave you what I would do instead. I do agree about using a sharp tool to do the job - I just didn't particularly like what I saw in the pictures, I'm sure you didn't either, right?>>> > Also can you tell me are these yumas or Ricordeas > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071391a.jpg > http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/kma570/Aquarium/P4071387a.jpg > things you buy and put into your tank. The info here is outstanding. Jen > S.> **** Ricordeas huh pay dirt at !! I do research all things that are even considered to go into my tank .You are correct the info that is out there is good but not organized , nor all complete , and most of you have attitudes and bad ones to boot....G'day*** <<<Alright then, yes, we all have our opinions here - you have to remember we are providing you with a free service. We donate our time to help others out. If you don't like what we all say, which you've made clear you do not, you do not have to use this service. Let us have more time for those who are appreciative then, right? Have a wonderful day, Jen S.>>> > Thanks

Live Rock/Hitchhikers 4/4/06 Hello. <Hello Jenifer. Always liked that name.> I have a small 6 gallon tank. In my tank I have a long tipped anemone <Much too small a tank for anemones.> and three feather dusters (a Hawaiian feather duster and two small colored ones) plus some live rock, crabs, and snails (no fish at this point b/c I had a small ick problem that killed my clownfish). I went on vacation and when I returned I noticed a few new creatures in my tank. Baby Anemone? Suddenly I notice that I have a few (three or four) of what appear to be baby anemones. One is living on one of my feather dusters' tube and the rest are on the live rock. They are a too small to take a picture of but they are pink (a little larger then a pin) with small tentacles with little white balls on them. The creature closes up just like an anemone when something goes near it. It actually looks just like a baby anemone. <Hard to say without a pic. I'm guessing they are Aiptasia, something you do not want.> Unknown Critters - Please help The other new critters in my tank look like small bugs that creep around in my live rock, corals, and around my feather dusters (the larger ones being almost a centimeter, the smaller ones are a millimeter or so). They are whitish or brownish in color (whiter as they get bigger) and almost look like worms (but crawl...so worms with legs) and have two to three antennae on their head. There seems to be quite a few of these. Please help! <More than likely harmless copepods/amphipods, will disappear when you add a fish since they are yummy to them. James (Salty Dog)>

Live Rock/Hitchhikers/Re: A tank full of unknown baby critters - 04/05/2006 I looked at the pages on amphipods and I am almost positive that is what the lil bugs are (the guy at the fish store agrees also). As far as the other critters (the ones that look like baby anemones), I did a lot of reading and searching online and it doesn't look anything like a Aiptasia (or other pest anemones that I saw online). Also it contracts when something swims by it (just like my feather dusters). Unfortunately I was not able to get a picture with my camera. Is there anything else that u <you, no "u"s Jen.> can think of that I can look at? Is there any way that it is a baby feather duster? <Unlikely> I am asking b/c <No b/c, because.> it is on my feather duster's tube but it is a different color. <Try to capture it on camera Jen. James (Salty Dog)> Regards, Jen

Pink Stinger? - 04/04/06 Hi, <<Hello>> I am wondering if you can help identify something in our marine tank. <<Tough to do without a photo, and even then sometimes...>> We can see what looks like a small (1/2inch) pink balloon type thing under a small rock tunnel. (it looks like the bluebottles we have in Australia but we can't see tentacles) <<Possibly a sponge or tunicate. Very unlikely to be a jellyfish...and probably more unlikely to be a Portuguese Man-of-War (bluebottle).>> We have had a coral beauty and a tang die of no apparent cause recently. <<Probably unrelated.>> Could this be some type of stinger, or a plant growth? <<Most likely an encrusting sponge, or some other innocuous organism.>> We don't want to pull the rocks apart unless necessary. <> Thanks Megan <<Regards, EricR>>

Hitchhiker ID 4/1/06 Hello. I just bought a hammer coral earlier today, and found a little hitchhiker swimming around the bag that I was hoping you might be able to help me identify. The closest thing I can compare it to is an Aiptasia anemone, except it swims around by pulsing it's tentacles. <A medusoid rather than polypoid animal...> On the body, it looks like it may have a small siphon that it uses for propulsion, like a squid. <Perhaps a salp... a swimming sea squirt of sorts> I don't see any eyes or other features. It's so small it's hard to tell. The longest tentacle is a little under a quarter inch. I got as good of a photo as I could for something so tiny. Right now I have it isolated in a small cup with fine mesh netting over the top to keep it from swimming into the tank. I don't think it would harm anything if I just dumped it in the tank (probably be eaten by a fish pretty quickly), I'm just interested in learning what it is before I decide where to put it. Thanks again, Kevin <Mmm, don't know... but is neat! If it were me, mine, I'd "risk" putting it back in the system... Bob Fenner>

Sponge? Yep 3/25/06 Crew, Can you help me ID this (see pics)? I think it is some type of sponge, solid but kind of rubbery to the touch. Would you recommend removing or leaving it? <The latter> I sent you this via a different email about a week or so ago and did not receive a response so I thought I would try again. <Appreciate this... more and more getting lost> Thanks for all you guys do.
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Help with id 3/24/06 Hello. I'm resending this because I haven't gotten a response, and I'm not sure if it went through. AOL's somewhat unreliable with attachments. Sorry if I'm duplicating an email that is sitting in someone's in box. Thank you for your help and your wonderful website! --Original message-- Hi. I was wondering if you may be able to identify this white-ish stuff on one of my live rocks. I'm not sure what it is or how to care for it. It's soft to the touch and feels sort of velvety. Here's a picture. --update-- Since I originally sent this, the 'stuff' in question has started to turn a dusky gray. If you can help me with ID, perhaps I can care for it! Thank You. <Are some sort of Syconoid sponge... Please see here: http://wetwebmedia.com/spongeidfaqs.htm Bob Fenner>

Unidentified Creature 3/20/06 Hi I recently got a rock nearly completely covered in button polyps. One of the polyps isn't actually a polyp, it seems to be some animal camouflaged as one. This animal is either hiding under a trap door that looks like a polyp or its back looks like a polyp. Every once and a while one side of the "polyp" lifts and yellowish antennas/arms are visible. Even stranger today I noticed a slime-like thread coming from this creature. Looking at it closer the animal appeared to using the thread to feed, releasing it then later, after various particles/detritus became stuck it pulling it back in, then releasing it clean again. Any idea what this could be, I have tried searching the Internet and your website and cant find anything about this. Thanks -Zach <Is most likely a species of tube-dwelling polychaete worm or a tubiculous snail. Not harmful. Bob Fenner>

Unknown Creature living in Tank... 3/19/06 Dear Crew, <Helana> A few months ago, I noticed a strange tube like stem growing out from one of the branches of my "clove polyp" corals. (It's hard to see where the origin of this creature is coming from) It is extremely hard to the touch, and has a little creature with 2 antennae popping out and secreting a web like thready substance. (Looks like the antennae of say, a snail or something like that) The tube seems to be growing longer with time. I thought it was pretty cool at first. But now, it seems that the thread/web like secretion that it is emitting may be bothering my clove polyps. <Might...> The polyps seems to be slowly disappearing or staying closed. I'm not sure if the clove polyps are suffering because of this unknown creature, or if they are unrelated events. Do you have any idea what this unknown creature is, or if it is bad for my tank/inhabitants? <Is very likely a species of tubiculous polychaete... a tubeworm of the phylum Annelida... there are thousands of such species... Could be a tube-building snail...> Actually, as I just began to take some photos of this tube like creature, I think it is actually secreting this thread like web above to the clove polyps and using it as a net to pull off the polyps and eat them. This can't be good can it? How do I get rid of this thing, can I just break the tube off and throw it away? Oy very.. <You could... but I would likely just leave it unless it is really bothering you. Bob Fenner> Helana Gelleri

Sponges And Algae - 03/17/2006 Hi, <Hello Matt.> Can you give me any information on the two pictures attached. One photo is of a brown plant in my 75 gallon tank. It appeared quickly and is growing rapidly. Is it a Caulerpa? <Can't really make out in the picture, but does appear to be an algae of some sort.> The other photo is of some sort of cocoon in my 30 gallon tank. <This one is a sponge, nothing to worry about.> It gets big and retracts on a daily basis and at times has long fine "arms" protruding from it. Both specimens are anchored to the live rock. Thank you in advance for your help. Matt <Sorry for the brief response but have a "full plate" this AM. - Josh>

Carnivores Loose in my tank? Worm and snail IDs 3/15/06 Hey there, I have a few questions for you. I have search your site and found a few answers but none directly about these. First, I have bristleworms in my tank and including extensive research on Rob T's sites, I have not found an exact picture of this worm. <There are thousands of species...> I found it out on google, but it was just a picture and no indication if it was carnivorous or not. I have a ton of these in my tank and have successfully captured the large ones, including the one in the picture I have attached. Can you confirm if it is carnivorous? <Cannot from the images provided... but would not discount such a notion based simply on the size...> Second, there is an unidentified snail in my tank which seems to normally come out at night. I have captured it here, and I have not been able to identify it with any of your articles. It has a blue hue to it and I am concerned it might also be causing harm to my mushroom or others (I've pictured the mushroom as well, it's now more white that green). I ready of the type of snail that is harmful to corals (bull snail?) and I did remove one of those, but I wasn't sure if this other snail was harmful as well, it's beautiful and I would like to keep it. I appreciate all your help! <Again, can't make out enough detail from the images provided. If you are concerned, see evidence of damage, I'd remove this animal. Bob Fenner>

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