View Full Version : Hitchhiker
htrae2014
10-28-2007, 3:48 PM
It seems as though a new critter hitched its way into my tank via LR. Cant get a pic (even on macro!), but its a single polyp about 1 cm dia. Its not a featherduster but looks more like a small glass anenome, though it does have the same type of banding synonomous with featherdusters and extends from a transulent tube... Any ideas?
Might be a hydroid. This is a macro of some I shot in my tank:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/grinssmi/10_what.jpg
htrae2014
10-28-2007, 4:22 PM
Nah thats not it, its definately more featherduster in appearance. I should just call it a featherduster and call it a day, but I will try for some more macros tonight. It looks like a raggy featherduster... There's actually 2 I just noticed. Thanks for the help!
htrae2014
10-28-2007, 4:25 PM
Actually after a quick google image search, this might seem right.
amanda_
10-28-2007, 4:41 PM
That looks like something I had growing in my tank. I'm not completely sure but it looks like aiptasia anemone. If it is aiptasia, it will travel quite a bit and isn't harmful unless you have corals because it stings them.
No, not an anemone. A worm it would appear, but I'm not certain what kind. Anyone else know? A type of fan worm? A small medusa?
jmeltzer
10-28-2007, 8:30 PM
I had a few bunches of worms similar to that, unfortunately my sailfin tang took care of all of them. There must have been close to 100 of them on one of the live rocks I got from my LPS.
Reefscape
10-29-2007, 3:20 AM
Actually after a quick google image search, this might seem right.
That is a stinging hydriod worm..
Niko
htrae2014
10-29-2007, 8:47 AM
That pic posted previously by me was from a google search, not the actual specimen, but I was able to get a good shot of it last night. Does this change your thought Niko, or are you sticking with the hydroid worm? Thanks for the help everyone!
jmeltzer
10-29-2007, 8:57 AM
I think that might be aiptasia.
take a look at this link..
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/organismstoavoid.html#aiptasia
htrae2014
10-29-2007, 9:03 AM
That is what I was thinking, glass anenome. Thanks for the link and confirmation!
Reefscape
10-29-2007, 9:06 AM
Yes, they are Glass Nems in post 10
Niko
htrae2014
10-29-2007, 9:16 AM
Should I get of them as I've read in several references? I kinda like 'em, but being new I think I would like any new life growing in there that I didnt directly introduce... :dance2:
jmeltzer
10-29-2007, 9:30 AM
I would get rid of them as quickly as possible. From what I understand they multiply very fast and can become a nuisance.
You might want to try a pepermint shrimp. I have seen peppermint shrimp devour aptasia in seconds.....
Grins
10-29-2007, 10:58 AM
Unless you want them to take over the rocks I'd get rid of them. Some without reefs keep them but I don't know anyone with a reef that does.
fsn77
10-29-2007, 11:03 AM
I wouldn't keep them either... They can reproduce very quickly. When they are small, they don't look so bad. But, the large ones I've seen in tanks where they are left uncontrolled are more of an eyesore than anything else if you ask me. But, to each his own...
htrae2014
10-29-2007, 11:05 AM
I dont have a reef just yet, but that is the direction in which I'm heading so I guess I'll get rid of them before they spread any further (I've only seen 2 so far). Will a scarlet/skunk cleaner shrimp take any interest in them because they were going to be my shrimp of choice for the tank?
fsn77
10-29-2007, 11:11 AM
Peppermint shrimp would most likely eat them, but skunk cleaners won't touch them unless they are trying to steal a meal from one.
There's a wide variety of home remedies you can inject them with, too, in order to kill them off... kalk paste, boiling water, (hot) vinegar, (hot) lemon juice, among others... as well as some comercially available products like Joe's Juice.
Grins
10-29-2007, 11:12 AM
No, they'll ignore them. Personally...if the rock doesn't have any coral on it yet. I'd remove the rock while battling them to be sure it is QT'd away from the others. I wish I had done the same, I opted not to because it was on the bottom but in retrospect it would have been the easier method.
htrae2014
10-29-2007, 11:19 AM
I think i will try to zap them with some boiling water in a syringe and if that doesn't do, then its off to QT! Thanks for the help! On a side note/question, does the introduction of this animal suggest that my water parameters are pretty decent? I am getting itchy to introduce my first frag! (though Nitrates are still upwards of 30)
Grins
10-29-2007, 11:23 AM
I took it as a sign that the reef gods thought it would be funny to mess with me.
And hold off on the corals, those nitrates need to come down.
Reefscape
10-29-2007, 11:27 AM
Aiptasia will grow in most conditions, good or bad in my opinion..
Niko
clown-lover
10-29-2007, 11:32 AM
They sure in the heck don't care where they grow.. I was really surprised to see them in the back unlit corner of my return this weekend. A whole colony of them. Like I said in another thread I think they KNEW I put the peppermint shrimps up above in the display tank.. :)
htrae2014
11-01-2007, 9:31 AM
**FOLLOW-UP**
Boiling water in a syringe did the trick as suggested by fsn77. I will keep an eye to see if they re-sprout , but otherwise... looks good! Thanks for the help everyone!