invertid25

FAQs about Non-Vertebrate Animal Identification 25

Soft Coral ID Help'¦ More Likely Algae -- 06/16/07 Good Afternoon, <Good day! Mich here.> I am having some difficulty in trying to figure out what this coral is (assuming it is a coral at all). I have searched and searched all morning to no avail, so I thought I would see if you happened to know what it was. I have included a picture, but due to the limitations of my camera (and my own photography skills), I will also try to describe it as best I can. <Sometimes as helpful as pics.> I know one fact that may help in identification. It came from waters off the Florida Keys, it hitched a ride one some zoanthids I bought direct from a diver. It was not at all apparent when I placed the zoanthids in the tank. It sprouted from the small rubble the zoanthids are attached to, and in a matter of two weeks has gone from barely visible to the size of a cotton ball. It is very "poofy" looking and is white to grayish in color. The polyps (still assuming it is a coral) are very tiny and do not look like clove or star polyps do, they appear to be very tiny single stalks with the appearance of extremely tiny Italian Parsley (best description I can think of). It does not react when touched. There is no stony or calcified structure I can detect. Hopefully I was thorough enough in the description. The picture is attached. <I suspect this is some type of algae, though I can't really tell from the pic. The quick rate of growth makes me doubt it is a soft coral, as does your description of the polyps. Soft corals are generally octocorals, this does not sound like an octocoral. My best guess... algae. Thought the featherlike structures shown in the photo are hydroids! Be careful not to touch them. They can pack a powerful sting! More here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hydrozoans.htm and related links in blue.> Thank you for your time,
<Welcome! Scot M.

Hitchhiking Brittle Stars - 6/15/07 <Hi Matt> I have searched for hours and hours attempting to identify these critters I have living in my rock. I just want to know what they are and what they look like. I would guess that there are at least six of these guys hanging out in tiny holes, some no bigger than a 1/4 inch in diameter, in my rock. The only thing visible is two, half inch tentacles reaching out. I actually saw one pop out for an instant after a feeding of brine shrimp. It looked segmented like an insect but it was so quick I cannot be certain. Can you help me identify these critters? <I sure can! They're small brittle/serpent stars, most likely a species that stays small (usually around an inch or less across), and a neat addition to your tank. They hitchhike in and like to hang out in crevices in, and around, the rockwork. What you're seeing are several of their little 'arms' reaching out in hopes of catching a bit of food floating past. Please see WWM for more information, starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestarreprofaqs.htm > I attached a photo and I can also send a higher resolution copy if needed. <Thanks, but I think we're good to go!> Thanks Matt Huppert <You're very welcome! -Lynn>

Re: Hitchhiking Brittle Stars (Maybe not?!)- 6/15/07 <Hi Again!> It is definitely not a brittle star. What is your second guess? <Hmmm, sorry about that! If there's any way you can get a good close up shot of one of these, that would be terrific. Thanks. -Lynn><<RMF would swear this is an Ophiuroid also>> H

Input on FAQ "Hitchhiking Brittle Stars - 6/15/07" -- 06/16/07 Hey Crew, <Hi Andy! Mich here.> Was perusing today's questions and noticed the above Q/A regarding tentacles sticking out of rock at night. I have tons of these, tan and red/brown striped with what appears to be bristles--some are quite (relatively) large in diameter. I assumed that they were bristle worms, <Unlikely.> especially since I keep seeing more and more, but thought it odd that 3 and 4 "worms" would be sticking out of the same hole and pretty much remaining stationary. Not that I'm afraid of worms, <Heee! Just don't eat them! Won't make people like you more!> but glad to hear that they are stars. <Yes. Beneficial members of the clean up crew!> Learn something new every day . . . . <More here for your edification! http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestaridfaqs.htm Mich>
Andy

Invert. ID, SW 6/13/07 Hey guys, I've been trying to figure out what this little guy is. http://www.craigberry.net/tmp/aquarium/IMG_0440.JPG http://www.craigberry.net/tmp/aquarium/IMG_0442.JPG http://www.craigberry.net/tmp/aquarium/IMG_0443.JPG http://www.craigberry.net/tmp/aquarium/IMG_0444.JPG As far as I can tell it never leaves that spot day or night. It's in a hole in my live rock about the size of a pencil and it blocks himself into it with some sort of shield looking thing. It only opens up about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way and if there is a bump or fast motion it covers back up. More curious then concerned about it. Thanks! Craig <Is a Bivalve... likely an Arca species: http://www.google.com/custom?q=arca+clam&cof=AH%3Acenter%3BGL%3A0%3BAWFID%3Ac12f9ba1e9294d73%3B&domains=wetwebmedia.com&sitesearch=wetwebmedia.com Bob Fenner>

Can You Tell Me What This Is? A Filter Feeder. - 6/7/07 Hello, <Greetings, Mich here.> Can you help identify these dime sized growths? I have a 55gal. saltwater tank with live rock. The temp in the tank was around 90 deg. <Too warm as I presume you know.> They pretty much grew overnight. <Looks like a harmless filter feeder to me. It might be a sponge or perhaps a tunicate. It looks quite pretty. Enjoy your new addition!> Thanks
<Welcome! Mich>

Marine Multicellular Organism ID? Anemone 6/6/07 Hello All, <Hi Lisa, Mich with you today.> I am hoping that you can help with ID-ing an organism which hitchhiked into my tank on a piece of live rock. <Will try!> The rock was bought from the South-East UK, and was the 'Eco-Friendly' man-made type <Eco-friendly man-made type is a bit of an oxymoron; nature does a better job and is a renewable resource. The processing of cement isn't exactly environmentally friendly, to quote Wikipedia.com: cement manufacture contributes about 5% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions.> - I'm unfortunately unsure of its original provenance. <Ok.> The rock was placed in my tank about two months ago and this organism has been expanding ever since. At first it was a small irregular patch of dark purple and white 'barnacle-looking cells'. Now it has split into several patches, the largest of which has taken on a more regular rounded 'colony' shape (centre of photo), surrounded on the outside margin by what seem to be more filamentous structures. The colony reacts as one organism when touched - contracting slightly and rapidly as a whole. The surface of the organism feels a little papery, and as you can see from the colony on the right hand side of the picture, sometimes appears to rupture open in places. My partner claims to have seen the red spot in the bottom centre of the photo protruding out of the surface of the organism, but I really cannot tell if this is directly connected to the purple/white organism in question. <Appears to be an anemone of some sort, perhaps an Epicystis sp. More here and related links in blue: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm > Apologies in advance if this is something obvious or often-discussed. My main concern is whether or not it is dangerous to my other tank-dwellers (a variety of soft corals, a couple of snails, and two true perculas). <Is a stinging celled creature, like so many soft corals we keep.> Many thanks for any advice you can offer. <Hope this helps!> Lisa (Midlands, UK)
<Mich (Middle of Nowhere, USA)>

Re: Marine Multicellular Organism ID? -- 06/07/07 Hi Mich, <Hello again Lisa!> Having done some more research on this (while I should have been working today!), my feeling is that this organism may actually be an ascidian, possibly Botryllus or Botrylloides spp. (http://www.edge-of-reef.com/tunicati/htmen/TUNlistacomposteen.htm really helped), although I bow to your superior knowledge. <Mmm, hard to tell with just one photo, but I don't think this is the case and I stick to the original ID as an anemone. Here's why: a. The movement you describe "contracting slightly and rapidly as a whole" is more typical of an anemone than a tunicate. b. I believe the red spot is actually the mouth of the anemone and the protruding behavior you stated would be consistent with an anemone. c. Tunicates are difficult to keep in captivity. The relatively rapid growth is more inline with an anemone than a tunicate. d. It sounds like this organism has split and divided which would also be more likely with anemones than tunicates.> Either way, it's interesting! Many thanks for your input and I shall continue to do my research into this hitchhiker. <Please do.> Keep up all the good work! <Thanks, will try! Mich> Lisa.

Tiny White Tubes All Over Rocks and Pumps -- 5/25/07 Hi, <Hi Adrian> I tried to find answer to my problem in my reef tank but don't believe I found it, so decided to send you this email and hope you can provide guidance/tips. I've a 55 gal reef and fish tank. In the past couple of months, I noticed a lot of tiny, 2-3mm long tubes growing on rocks, pumps, and corals. The tubes are hard and brittle, and I don't see anything coming out from the tubes <Can be very difficult to see in something this small.> and don't think they are tube worms. I feel helpless but want to do something to stop the growth before they take over the tank and destroy corals in the tank. Any help is greatly appreciated. <Hmmm, well let's see if we can figure this out. This is where a photo would be terrific, but I know how difficult that can be! Have you seen any signs of irritation among your corals? Also, how long has your tank been up and running? At any rate, unless you're seeing problems with your corals, I wouldn't worry too much about these guys. What you describe sounds like one of many possible, but very common and harmless, filter feeders. They hitchhike in on rock, etc, and can become quite numerous for a time. Just when you think the tank is going to be overrun, the population subsides all on its own. Incidentally, you can scrape them off the pumps (and tank sides if they appear there) with an algae scraper. Actually, I find that a credit card works well for this and does a lot more good there than in my wallet! I hope this helps. Be sure and let us know if you have any additional concerns or if there are any new developments.> Thanks, Adrian <You're very welcome! Have a great, and safe, holiday weekend! --Lynn>

Mysterious LR Guests: Sponges 5/23/07 Hello Bob, <Hello Aimee, Mich filling in for Big B.> I have attached 2 pictures of some things that are growing on my live rock that I have not been able to identify. I have some green hair algae, but these are still stumping me. I have a false percula clown, yellow damsel, 2 Banggai Cardinals, 5 blue leg hermit crabs, zebra mat anemone, leather coral, golden polyps, pulsing xenia, and a few star polyps in the tank that have been doing well. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 1st picture - looks like Jell-O polyp type things <Looks like a sponge to me.> 2nd picture - center has white pineapple looking (possibly sea squirt?) <Also looks like a sponge, a Syconoid sponge I believe. Actually, is possible that both photos are Syconoid sponges. More here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm <Welcome! Mich>
Aimee

Re: Identification... A Sponge. 5/22/07 <Hi there, Mich here!> Wondering if you guys could tell me what this soft sponge like thing is that is growing on a piece of my LR? <It does look to be a sponge. There are some 5000 types, most requiring microscopy for identification. So the ID is a little vague... sorry. Enjoy it! Mich>

Re: Identification... A Sponge 5/22/07 I too would have guessed it to be a sponge, thanks for the confirmation. <Yes, sorry I can't offer more here.> crazy there's that many kinds out there! <Mother Nature loves diversity!> Keep up the good work. <Always trying! Thank you for your positive comments. They are appreciated. Mich>

Weird White Pod or sack on tank - looks like something that was attached to Alien Or Syconoid sponges 5/18/07 <Greetings Earthlings!> Well, we have been up and running almost 16 weeks now. I just posted the pics at http://www.mmrcsl.org/fish I'm having an identity crisis!!! <Dissociative Identity Disorder, shades of Sybil or Dissociative Fugue, shades of Agatha Christie?> About 3 weeks ago I noticed the Gracilaria in my refugium was no longer growing. <OK.> Is it possible that running a poly filter all the time is starving it? <Mmm, I would be more concerned about other issues such as circulation, is the algae tumbling, getting enough light? More here and many related links in blue: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgpropfaqs.htm > Anyway, attached are 3 pics. I see quite a few of these growing in the refugium on the inlet side probably 15 or so, but I don't even know what to begin with for search criteria as to their identity, of course white spot and white pod are really bad search criteria. <Heeeheeeee! Vague.. wait, no more vague! Close to 2000 hit combined on WWM alone! Looks like harmless Syconoid sponges to me.> Enjoy the pics at the address above, if you have the time. <Thank you for sharing!> As always I appreciate your help!! <A pleasure to assist!> Oh and for some perspective, these guys range in size from tiny booger <Niceee description!> to real small pea.... actually 2/3 of a small pea! <Are you sure 2/3 of a small pea, and not 3/5 or 9/16? Perhaps the size of a lentil? Hee! Mich>

Re: Weird White Pod or Sack on Tank - Looks Like Something That Was Attached to Alien Or Syconoid Sponges Identity Crisis - Dying Gracilaria -- 5/19/07 <Hello Earthling, now called Dan, Mich with you again.> Hmmm, I think the problem is one in the same Mich. More in depth look in the fuge. This pod seems to turn into a two antennae white slug. <Mmm, nope! You have two different creatures here. Sea Slugs and Syconoid sponges> I've seen two crawling in the fuge...very small & they appeared white. <These Sea Slugs look to be of the order Sacoglossa or Sap-Sucking slugs which feed mainly on algae. Likely they are part of the genus Elysia. More here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seaslugsopisthobranchs.htm > This one in the pic was in the tank... not so white. <Perhaps greenish?> Also is a pic of what I would call a bunch of Pupa entwined in the Gracilaria. <Nope, still Syconoid sponges.> Thanks with the help. <Welcome!> Man I am scratch'n for an answer... with out the Gracilaria, my nitrates are beginning to rise. <Gracilaria can be a challenge to grow. If it's growing sponges, it's not tumbling enough.> I could put Chaeto in there but would that be fuel for these things as well? <No, but Chaeto or Caulerpa may be a better food source for the slugs which can be difficult to keep in captivity. Mich> DanH Picture Too Large! 5/18/07 <Please return with a smaller picture attached. This one is overloading out bandwidth. Thanks, WWM Crew> <No worries.>

Don't know where to start looking. (Hitchhiker ID with pics) 5/16/07 Greetings and good day to you. I have a 55g reef tank, with a 29g fuge.. diy skimmer, 65wX6 PC lighting. The tank has been up for about 6 months. This tank was upgraded to from a 29g. Recently, I have seen these sponge appearing creatures in a couple of spots in my tank. Here are a couple pics: [IMG] http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/triggerjay/hitchiker/55gtank001.jpg[/IMG] [IMG] http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/triggerjay/hitchiker/wierd003.jpg[/IMG] <Okay... too blurry, dark to make much out...> My main worry here is that they are something bad. All the ones I have seen are near my corals. The one pictured is at the base of my green star polyps. I also have one near a Kenya tree, and another near my mushrooms. At night, they extend out about 6 inches or more, and dance around. During the day, they do not move, and are about the size of a pencil eraser. Last night, I got the flash light out, and the video camera. The video is shaky at first, but will progress and you can clearly see the worm like creature. It was suggested to me they may be peanut worms, but from what I have seen on the web, they are not. Here are the video clips I took last night: [URL= http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/triggerjay/hitchiker/?action=viewÂ¤t=wierd030.flv][IMG] http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/triggerjay/hitchiker/th_wierd030.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL= http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/triggerjay/hitchiker/?action=viewÂ¤t=wierd029.flv][IMG] http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/triggerjay/hitchiker/th_wierd029.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. You guys rock! Jason Sanders Springfield MO <Please peruse our marine ID pix... starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marinvind1.htm Bob Fenner>

Re: I don't know where to start looking. (Hitchhiker ID with pics), A Priapulid? 5/18/07 I searched your database, and could find nothing that even looks like it. I posted on another site, and it was identified as being from the phylum Priapula, which I also did a search for on your site and came up empty. <Very rare...> It seems there is not much known about this creature, and the person that identified it said he has been keeping saltwater tanks since 1967, and have never run across this creature in all his years in the hobby. He is also has a major in zoology and geology. I am bringing this to your attention, so you can compare our findings and your own, and possibly add it to your database. Thanks in advance. Jason Sanders <Thank you for this further input. Bob Fenner>

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