The AC hitchhiker ID thread (now thumbnailed)
- Thread starter mogurnda
- Start date
I am trying again...it would probably be easier to wait and see what this thing grows into! Anyway, this is the best sketch I could manage of the mystery critter. The tube-y thingy that's sticking out on the left side is almost transparent. The whole look is kind of fuzzy, like there are tiny projections coming off the thing all over. If nobody can identify this guy now I'll give up...I was hoping to figure out if it was something I should get rid of or not.
Jan
Jan
Teddy Bear Crab
This seems to be a common stow away on rock and if you search for it on google you will find next to nothing. full name is Polydectus cupulifer.
Here is a not to great pic I took of the one I caught in my tank. Fantastic looking thing that I was going to keep, after the small bit of info I could glean advised that they were reef friendly.
However after talking to 2 LFS's it turns out that they are not! Whilst they will not bother fish it seems they have a liking of corals. One LFS told me how they had one that over night munched its way though a £50 clam!
I did find also that it could smash its way though rock, as it ripped chunks off my rock and stuffed the pieces into all other entrances into his cave (and were talking pieces larger than an inch sq).
This fella is about 2 1/2" in diameter although its pretty much all legs.
This seems to be a common stow away on rock and if you search for it on google you will find next to nothing. full name is Polydectus cupulifer.
Here is a not to great pic I took of the one I caught in my tank. Fantastic looking thing that I was going to keep, after the small bit of info I could glean advised that they were reef friendly.
However after talking to 2 LFS's it turns out that they are not! Whilst they will not bother fish it seems they have a liking of corals. One LFS told me how they had one that over night munched its way though a £50 clam!
I did find also that it could smash its way though rock, as it ripped chunks off my rock and stuffed the pieces into all other entrances into his cave (and were talking pieces larger than an inch sq).
This fella is about 2 1/2" in diameter although its pretty much all legs.
Calcareous tubeworms can proliferate on the surfaces in your tank, and are especially noticeable on the glass. This one's about 2 mm across, at fairly high magnification.
Not all bristleworms are friendly scavengers. This guy is a foot-long (when contracted) predatory eunicid worm. Lives entirely under the substrate, and comes up for snacks during the night. This one has been seen snacking on mushrooms, but is still living happily in one of my tanks. Great for keeping the deepest areas of the sandbed from going anaerobic.
Amphipods. You've got to love these little guys. They scavenge, they act as snacks for your fish.
Synaptic cucumbers
These guys are also called medusa worms. They are very common in fairly turbid waters, but I hadn't seen any as hitchhikers until yesterday. Found about three of them, each an inch or two, crawling around on this macro. Must have come in with some turtle grass.
They are a type of sea cucumber, but without tube feet. Because they are suspension feeders, larger individuals usually starve in tanks. We'll see how these guys do.
It may be time to reorganize this thread again. Seems like it might be a pain to wade through three pages to try to identify things.
These guys are also called medusa worms. They are very common in fairly turbid waters, but I hadn't seen any as hitchhikers until yesterday. Found about three of them, each an inch or two, crawling around on this macro. Must have come in with some turtle grass.
They are a type of sea cucumber, but without tube feet. Because they are suspension feeders, larger individuals usually starve in tanks. We'll see how these guys do.
It may be time to reorganize this thread again. Seems like it might be a pain to wade through three pages to try to identify things.
More hitchikers
I have found these in my tank:
This is a photo of one of my burrowing clams. I have two and they open up and sift the water column most of the day, and they close up at night.
The Vermatid (the "monster" in the tube) was a lot of fun to observe until a bumblebee snail I introduced believing a website that claimed they were reef-safe ate it. So much for the good doctors...
The star is one of several that have crawled out of my LR...they can go unobserved for weeks on end...
The hydroid has been posted, I think.
This is another bristleworm pix. This worm is one of my oldest tank inhabitants.
I have others, I'll try to get pictures.
I have found these in my tank:
This is a photo of one of my burrowing clams. I have two and they open up and sift the water column most of the day, and they close up at night.
The Vermatid (the "monster" in the tube) was a lot of fun to observe until a bumblebee snail I introduced believing a website that claimed they were reef-safe ate it. So much for the good doctors...
The star is one of several that have crawled out of my LR...they can go unobserved for weeks on end...
The hydroid has been posted, I think.
This is another bristleworm pix. This worm is one of my oldest tank inhabitants.
I have others, I'll try to get pictures.
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