Cirripedian ID    7/17/07
So I was helping my cousin-in-law find plants for her new aquarium down on the docks and we found a bizarre animal that I can't identify. I found them attached to a piece of seaweed with a silvery white, bubbly substance. The animals themselves are difficult to describe. The resemble something I have seen before, that look like clams living on the sea bed, but the clamshell sits suspended above the seafloor by the foot of the clam. In this case the foot is a tube (attached to the other seaweed). The shell isn't actually a shell at all but looks like a bivalve. Out of the 'shell' pop 1-2 dozen little arms, and they seem to be doing the feeding. There is also a black dot behind them that could be an eye. They are a pale gray-white, and only about an in in length overall. We are on the coast of Maine so I'm gonna have to say these guys prefer cold water to warm. One more thing is the seem, oddly enough, to be aggressive. When I stick my finger in the bowl they try to wrap around me.
Anyway, I know this is a pretty weak description, but I can't seem to find a picture online to send you. I've lived my whole life on the New England coast and I've never seen on of these guys
<Well, it's impossible to say without a picture, but you seem to be describing stalked barnacles. Many stalked barnacles attach to floating objects and live in colder water.>
Thanks!
-Aaron
<My pleasure.
Sara M.>

What the barnacle? Nano-Marine Issues   3/1/07
I searched your sight and didn't like what I read (darn you guys).
<..Not usually what we hear but...okay.>
Anyway, I believe I have a barnacle problem.
<Okay.>
Recently, I was unable to do my mandatory 50% water change on my 2.5 nano.
<I see.>
I was having great success until recently due to one problem a couple months ago with a heater that wiped out half my tank (I lost a fish, a worm and some snails)
<You had a fish in 2.5 marine nano.....now I am not liking what I am reading.>
and another one about 3 months later when my emerald crab died who kept the tank utterly spotless (in fact this crab was the savior of the tank).  
<You are keeping too much in this tank.>
In both instances, I rallied the tank for several days with several water changes until things tested better. But due to guilt and uncertainty as to why the emerald died, I couldn't bring myself to buy another one for about a three weeks now.
  I usually have nitrates no matter what,
<I bet...>
but can keep them at bay with consistent 50 % water changes (no protein skimmers in market yet to speak of). This is the first time in a very long time I didn't due my water change every week (I changes it this past weekend.) Since the death of the crab, green hair algae went nuts as wells as a lot of grayish like bullcrap
<?>
sticking to the rock, the later of which I can shake off rock by squirting a feeding tube at it. Now, in the past week, after I did my (only one week behind) 50 % water change, plus two 20 % water changes in past three days, I have BARNACLES every where.
<Feed off oh high nutrient levels.>
The nitrates are around .25 to .50 ppm.
<You don't any chance mean 22rppm or 50ppm do you?. The amounts above are nothing really as far as nitrates are concerned.>
I did go a head and buy a smaller baby emerald on Monday who is holding his own just fine for now (he is eating, cleaning his/her self).  I also have a small male/female set of dragonets
<Uh-oh, methinks these animals will be short-lived, please read WWM re: dragonet behavior.>
(wrongly called scooter blennies)
<Well yes, but this is a commonly used...well common name for them, the only way to be sure is to provide scientific names.>
and one small clown fish, about 8 snails in total (4 very small and 4 medium sized of varying species) and 6 hermits (4 very small red Mexicans approved by this site b/c I recall checking and 4 small to medium sized blue legged hermits) and one sea cucumber (tiger) who cleans all my sand until its is pure white.
<Your nutrient issues will only continue, this tank is over and inappropriately stocked my friend.>
I also have or had a worm (feather duster) who may be dead b/c he hasn't come out since day before water change (guy at store said they grow their heads back and to keep it and wait and see, is this good advise? Should I lose it?)  
<They will recuperate in ideal conditions which these are not.>
My question is, will these go away?
<Not int his tank with it's current conditions.>
How many additional water changes should I continue to due besides my 50% every 7 days?
<Mmm...as much as possible until you can find homes for these animals.>
Do I have to toss all the rock/sand and start over completely due to inevitable larvae break outs.
<Read WWM re:.>
  I have visible copes/amps and micro stars still living in the tanks as we speak.   It is still established and I would like to not have to toss everything and start again.
<I would suggest some animals for natural predation but not in this size tank, the barnacles are just a symptom a major root problem.>
I am pulling my hair out over this.  I have a 10 gallon nano that is perfect because of your site's great advice (it has countless goodies and night diving w/ the flash light is awesome and endless!). I can do this small nano too, I think?
<Not with what you have in it.>
Please save my tank and my sanity.
<Read here my friend: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nanoreefsysart.htm .>
Sincerely Colleen in Long Island
<AdamJ in So. cal.>

Barnacle in Tubastrea, Concerns Unlikely to come to Fruition - 02/09/2007
Hello to the wonderful crew at Wet Web Media, It's Brandon again.  
<Hi Brandon!  It's Mich again.>
I am writing because I had a thought, while watching my Sun Coral.  
<Hmm, maybe I could send a couple a people to see your Sun Coral so they might have some thoughts.>
I bought two colonies, because I knew that the LFS they were in was either going to starve them, or sell them to someone who could not care for them.  
<"Rescue" is not necessarily the best policy here.>
I will admit that I was not terribly interested in hand feeding two colonies of Sun Coral, but I have grown quite fond of the guys, watching them eat and all.  
<I hope you do not tire, another reason why rescue is not always a good thing.>
I noticed that there was a creature inside one of the colonies.  I have identified it to be some species of barnacle.
<OK.>
My concern is that all things grow, and I am quite sure that the barnacle will grow, resulting in one of two outcomes.  
<Actually barnacles usually don't do well in captivity and typically starve.>
Outcome one, the barnacle splits the colony, and assists me in propagating it.  
<Unlikely.>
I am hoping that this is the way things go.  Outcome two, the barnacle grows larger, but is not able to break the colony, and dies a horrible pressure death, causing me to have to take the colony out, or risk the reef.  
<Also unlikely.>
I have already looked at pulling the barnacle out and relocating it, but he is bigger than the hole he lives in.  I was hoping that someone at WWM had run into something like this before.  I have been reading an article that Anthony wrote regarding coral propagation.  I am planning on buying his book as soon as I know the name of it ;).  Hoping that you guys could tell me that too.
<"Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1: Reef Gardening for Aquarists"  by Anthony Calfo.>
If I have to split the colony on my own I was wondering what would be the best way to go about it without loosing either creatures.
<Unfortunately, I don't think this will be an issue.>
I also recently asked about a Trachyphyllia.  I was concerned that it would die because of a loss of tissue, and algae growth on the skeleton.  I moved it out of the light to a slightly shaded area, and it is doing much better.  So thank you for the help Mr. Fenner, as you were the one that answered me on this.  
<He will see.>
I would also like to thank you all for the help that you have given me in the past,
<You're welcome.  Glad you have found it useful.  -Mich>  
Brandon R. Foster

Barnacle in Tubastrea, Concerns Unlikely to come to Fruition - II - 02/11/2007
Greetings all,
<Greetings to you Brandon!>
I had a few concerns that the barnacle would starve to death as well.  But I have been observing him, and he seems to be eating quite well.  
<One can only hope.>
I have actually observed him sticking out some sort of feathery hand like appendage, and "catching" food items with it.  
<Yes, typical behavior.>
I have been feeding a mix of Mysis, and phytoplankton.  It is pretty interesting.  When the Tubastrea eats, the barnacle eats.  I have frequently seen him eating, actually I can't recall not seeing him catching things.  The only time that he isn't seen is when one of the larger fishes swims by.  As to the rescue.  I am kind but not fool hardy.  I waited for about three weeks before purchase on the sun coral, and I read all that I could on the site, then I read http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0797/0797_3.html.  The article by Eric Borneman.  Armed with this information, I felt that it was easily in my capability to care for these organisms.  
<Thank you for making an effort and educating yourself, I was merely commenting on your self described questionable commitment to hand feeding.>
I have been feeding them nightly.
<Very good.>
I have let them continue to be nocturnal, because I leave work when the lights are already off.   I have noticed  as of late that they will come out any time that I add food to the tank, and I have even seen them catching free floating food items.  
<All good signs.>
This encouraged me, and I think that it has even
lightened my load a bit.  By the way, I did QT them for a month, during which I did feed them.  
<Very good.>
I didn't notice the barnacle until a few weeks ago. I saw him come out.  I thought that it was something with a tongue.  I
watched a bit closer and realized that it was the aforementioned feathery hand like appendage.  I have had both colonies, and the barnacle for a few months now.  I thought that if he were going to starve he would have done that by now.
<Maybe, maybe not.>
Thanks again,
<Welcome!  -Mich>
Brandon R. Foster