Interesting Hitchhiker: Pseudocorynactis – 6/14/09
Dear WWM crew,
<Hello>
I have a brand new to-be reef tank, 50 gals with 15 gal sump, skimmer, small DSB in sump, live sand and live rock in display tank.
<Nice>
The rock came from various local fish stores and is all apparently Fiji rock. Some was more "dead" than others.
<You’d be surprised what can pop out of what appears to be barren rock after it’s been in your tank for a while!>
The rock with the most life on it is really blossoming out.
<Neat!>
My parameters are pretty stable now at 1.0025 SG, pH 8.2 or 8.3, KH 9, Ca ~450, temp 79 deg F (I live in the Calif. valley, so it's difficult to get lower than this without going to lengths). The live rock has several worms, maybe Spionids (2 palps); there are 2 sizes of those and one is quite scarily large.
<It could be a similar little tube dwelling worm/Polychaete called a Chaetopterid (family: Chaetopteridae). They have two feeding appendages, a ringed parchment-like tube and can be surprisingly large.>
There are also some small (really, really small) things that look like
hydroids, but they are single stranded and perhaps only 3mm long.
<Hmmm, do they live in a tube? If so, do they look like what’s in the following link? http://bb.wetwebmedia.com/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=307
If so, they’re harmless Vermetid Gastropods. This common hitchhiker reaches about 10mm or so in length and lives in hard tubes that can break and be very sharp, so watch out. They feed by means of casting out a single mucous thread that catches particulate matter in the water and is then reeled back into the mouth. If this is not what you have and you’d like to pursue an ID, do try to get a photo or two and we’ll see if we can’t get you some answers.>
There are 2 nice Sabella sp. type feather dusters and one really tiny feather duster that I don't know.
<Many varieties>
There is one polyp that is almost certainly the dreaded Aiptasia; see attached, 1st rather blurry picture.
<Yep, looks like Aiptasia.>
The second picture is an unknown polyp. It's pretty!
<Yes, indeed!>
Very small as well, perhaps 0.5 cm in total diameter, all splayed out. I wondered if you could possibly try to identify it for me?
<I sure can! It looks like a beautiful little Corallimorpharian in the genus Pseudocorynactis. They’re harmless and usually nocturnal. Not a whole lot is known about their care, but they're thought to feed on zooplankton/pods and such. For more information/photos, please Google our site, and the net, using "Pseudocorynactis”: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Googlesearch.htm >
I used a tripod and remote shutter trigger, but it's still a bit out of focus.
<Looks great to me!>
I have read WWM's FAQs on getting rid of Aiptasia and am still confused. Should I try a peppermint shrimp initially since I don't have enough food to sustain Berghia Nudibranchs and it's too small to inject (at least for my skills)?
<I’d skip the peppermint shrimp since they come with their own set of issues and go with a Kalkwasser (pickling lime) and water slurry. This method works well on those small, nearly impossible to inject anemones. Just mix Kalk powder with water (to about the consistency of heavy cream), put it in a plastic syringe (doesn’t have to be one with a needle), turn off all the pumps, and aim for the mouth of the anemone. As soon as you touch it, it’s going to withdraw into the rock. Chase it as far as you can go with the syringe tip and inject the Kalk solution. The idea is to fill and cover the hole with a small blob of Kalk. You don’t need a big mound covering the hole, just enough to block the anemone completely. The reason you don’t want to go overboard with Kalk is that it’s very caustic and will burn whatever it touches (be sure to avoid skin contact). It’s a good idea to have a turkey baster handy, just in case you need to remove any excess from within the tank. Once you’ve covered the Aiptasia, wait about 5-10 minutes then turn the pumps back on. That should do it, but if not, treat again.>
Thanks much!
<You’re very welcome! Take care, LynnZ>

Pseudocorynactis Caribbeorum   4/26/09
Hi Crew!
<Ahh, the "sweet one". Hello Melissa>
I would like to start by saying that you guys are wonderful!? I am on your site all the time and find everything? so helpful, so thank you :)?? I am looking for confirmation on what I believe is a Pseudocorynactis Caribbeorum.
<Appears to be so>
I just notice these white tentacles on a piece of live rock that I've had in my tank? for years, I'm guessing it was just hanging out.? I was able to capture a nice photo which I have attached.? Any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated!?
Thanks again and you guys are awesome!!!
Melissa
<Please see here re: http://wetwebmedia.com/mushridf4.htm
and the files above re aspects of care. Bob Fenner>

Corallimorph? ID
Hi Crew
<Hi Karen, Mich here tonight.>
I was doing my usual cleaning/water change on my reef tank last weekend and
out rolled the critter pictured here -
<Cool!>
it seems to have been hanging out in the substrate.
<Really, unusual place for it.>
I stuck it in a hole in the rock to keep an eye on it;
<I'm sure it's happier there!>
in the upper part of the tank where there is good flow.
<It will appreciate that.>
It looks like a Corallimorph;
<It is.>
similar to Corynactis californica;
<Close, but I believe you have a Pseudocorynactis caribbeorum.>
but if so I am at a loss to explain how a cool-water species got into my tank.
<Pseudocorynactis caribbeorum are warmer water species.>
There is one main polyp, which when fully extended is about 1.5 cm. There also appear to be 3 small buds attached to the main polyp (one is visible as the pink mass on the right of the main polyp).
<Wow! I see it. Great that you were able to capture that on film. You may want to contact Brian Plankis the founder of Project DIBS, as there was interest in breeding this species and he would likely find your photo helpful. Please see his post here:
http://www.projectdibs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1153 >
There is a central mouth, and the tentacles are club-tipped and clear.
They retract to direct food to the mouth.
<Yes, you can see photos of this on the site above.>
The whole polyp closes into a pea-sized ball when it has something to "swallow". I have not seen, however it extending the tentacles and mouth on a stalk like mushrooms do. Finally - although it does not seem photoactive, it does have a weak fluorescence in the club-part of the tentacles, which I take to be due to zooxanthellae?
<Yes, often the tips are orange, thus the common name Orange Ball Anemone.
These are generally nocturnal, and are capable of locomotion, and in my experience tend to gravitate to lower light areas of the tank.>
Any idea what this is, and is it ok in a tropical environment?
<Yes and yes.>
This tank is about 5 years old; with thriving soft coral (mostly mushrooms and green star polyps).
<Highly allelopathic animals, best to keep this tank dedicated to these animals.>
I added some pacific live rock and Florida live sand about 10 months ago; which is how I imagine it was introduced.
<Likely from the Florida sand, as this is a Caribbean species.>
Thanks for your help
<Welcome.>
Karen
<Mich>