|
FAQs about Non-Vertebrate Animal
Identification
30
Related Articles: Marine Invertebrates, Marine Invertebrate Systems, Marine Invertebrate Compatibility,
Marine Invertebrate Disease,
Marine Invertebrate
Reproduction, Quarantine of Corals and
Invertebrates, Feeding
Reef Invertebrates, Lighting
Marine Invertebrates, Water Flow, How Much
is Enough,
Related FAQs: Non-Vert IDs 1, Non-Vert IDs 2, Non-Vert IDs 3, Non-Vert IDs 4, Non-Vert IDs 5, Non-Vert IDs 6, Non-Vert IDs 7, Non-Vert IDs 8, Non-Vert IDs 9, Non-Vert IDs 10, Non-Vert IDs 11, Non-Vert IDs 12, Non-Vert IDs 13, Non-Vert IDs 14, Non-Vert IDs 15, Non-Vert IDs 16, Non-Vert IDs 17, Non-Vert IDs 18, Non-Vert. ID 19, Non-Vert. ID 20, Non-Vert. ID 21, Non-Vert. ID 22, Non-Vert. ID 23, Non-Vert. ID 25, Non-Vert ID 26, Non-Vert ID 27, Non-Vert ID 28, Non-Vert ID 29, Non-Vert ID 31, Non-Vert ID 32, Non-Vert 33, Non-Vert ID 34, Non-Vert ID 35, Non-Vert ID 36, Non-Vert ID 37, Non-Vert ID 38, Non-Vert ID 39, Non-Vert ID 40, Non-Vert ID 41, Non-Vert ID 42, Non-Vert ID 43, Non-Vert ID 44, Non-Vert ID 45, Non-Vert ID 46, Non-Vert ID 47, Non-Vert ID 48, Non-Vert ID 49, Non-Vert ID 50, Non-Vert ID 51, Non-Vert ID 52, Non-Vert ID 53, Non-Vert ID 54, Non-Vert ID 55, Non-Vert ID 56,
Non-Vert ID
57, Non-Vert ID 58,
Non-Vert ID 59,
Non-Vert ID 60, Non-Vert ID 61,
& Marine Invertebrates, Marine Invert.s 2, Marine Invert.s 3, & FAQs about:
Marine Invertebrate Behavior,
Marine Invertebrate
Compatibility, Marine
Invertebrate Selection, Marine
Invertebrate Systems, Feeding
Reef Invertebrates, Marine
Invertebrate Disease, Marine
Invertebrate Reproduction, &
& LR
Life Identification, LR
Hitchhiker ID 1, Anemone
Identification, Aiptasia
Identification, Aiptasia ID 2,
Worm Identification, Tubeworm ID, Polychaete Identification, Snail Identification, Marine Crab
Identification, Marine Invert.s 1,
Marine Invert.s 2, Marine Plankton,
|
|
Searched everywhere, cannot ID
12/5/07 Hello, I have a new tank about 4 months old and I see a
lot of these critters moving around very fast like. I started
noticing these creatures about two weeks letting my tank go fallow
due to a Coral Beauty I brought home having what I diagnosed as
velvet. To make a long story short, the two clowns that where in
perfect health before I introduced the Coral Beauty did not make it
after I was able to eradicate them and put them in quarantine. The
good news is, the lawnmower blenny survived and seems to be at good
health now two weeks into quarantine. <That's a brittle star
of some sort (likely one of the "mini-brittle" stars). I
don't see how the brittle stars and fish disease would be
related.> Your help would be greatly appreciated, Michael
<Best,
Sara> |
|
|
Re: Searched everywhere, cannot ID -12/4/2007
Sara, Thank you for the response. I know the pictures had the
brittle star in it. What I am trying to id is the creature to the
right of the star. My photography is not that great and I probably
added to much information instead of getting right to the point. I
have underlined the creature in the photos with a red line. It
appears to be some kind of micro-crustacean but I was not able to
identify it here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/podidfaqs.htm Is it
some kind of Amphipod? Or shrimp? <Looks like it, yes. It's
really hard to tell just from the photo, but it looks like a
"mysis shrimp" (not a true shrimp) of some kind. Whatever
it is, it doesn't look like any of the bad guys.>
Michael
<Best,
Sara> |
|
|
| Parasites on my Pico (I have pictures)... perhaps
semi-predaceous Platyhelminths 11/30/07 Dear
WetWebMedia Crew, <Chris> I am a huge fan of your website, it
has been invaluable to my introduction into the world of salt water
aquaria. Following the recommendations on your site has not led me
astray thus far. Onto my problem: Roughly six months back I set up
a custom designed and constructed saltwater pico (less than 5
gallon) tank that is stocked with various types of mushrooms and a
'reef lobster' (not sure of the species). <Yikes...
predaceous> Some of the mushrooms had these small spots on them
(barely noticeable at the time as they are almost the same color as
the mushroom). Since then these 'spots' reproduced en mass,
have migrated onto the glass of my tank and spread to the other
mushrooms as well. The largest of the spots is roughly the size of
a pencil eraser (the tip) and the smallest one I can see is the
size of a grain of table salt. I couple this tank to my main reef
tank by way of manual water exchange <Well-stated> so I am a
little concerned about contamination. I have not noticed these
spots on my lobster but he is somewhat shy so I don't have many
opportunities to look closely. I have attached a link to a picture
of these 'spots' an I was hoping you could help me identify
them, determine whether or not they are harmful and how to deal
with them.
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6338/picoparasitesyg0.jpg
<Oh! Nice pic... these are flatworms...> Thank you, -Chris
<Might well be deleterious to some of your other cnidarians in
the main system. I would take care to not contaminate, introduce
them... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pestflatwrmanthony.htm and the linked
files above. Bob Fenner> |
|
|
Worms and Nocturnal Critters... Cirratulids,
Eurythoes, and Gammaridean Shrimp Oh My! 11/30/07
Hello Crew, <Hi Sammy, Mich here.> Your site has been a
tremendous help for me. I like to add to the many praises your guys
are getting. <Thank you for your kind words.> I have a 175
gal reef tank that has been running for 6 months. I am now finding
a lot of worms and nocturnal critters that seems to be quickly
growing in numbers. I just like to know if this is something I need
to get concerned about. <Generally, no. Usually this is all
good.> First, the number of string worms has increased greatly.
There is a bunch every inch or so on the sand. Some have moved onto
the rocks as well. Here is a photo of it. These guys send out long
tentacles to pull larger sand pebbled towards the group to form a
little mount on the sand. The fish don't bother it at all.
<This is a hairworm, a Cirratulid species. They are beneficial
scavengers and a wonderful addition to your tank.> Next to it is
a worm that comes out only after the lights are off. These are also
increasing in number. Both of these are really creeping my wife
out. <Well they are creepy-crawlies, so I do understand your
wife's reaction, but beneficial and commonly found in systems
with live rock.> Here is a closer shot of the nocturnal worm.
Some are 4 inches long. I find them at the base of every rock in my
tank. <This is a fireworm (Eurythoe sp.) and named so with good
reason. You're not going to want to touch these guys. The
chaetae/bristles contain venom and can pack a rather painful sting.
That being said, these touch-me-nots are beneficial scavengers and
another fine additions to your system.> It is hard to get a good
photo of these guys. As soon as I shine a flashlight on them to
focus my camera, they scurry away into hiding. <Yes, but your
photos are decent.> A third critter that only shows up at night
is something that looks like a shrimp, but it crawls all over the
rocks like wobbly bugs. Here is a photo. <This is a Gammaridean
amphipod, commonly called a Scud, or your fish might call them
yummy! Again their presences in your setup is an asset.> I
really appreciate your help in identifying them. Should I get rid
of them? <Nope! Keep'em!> And if so, how? I have one more
question. I have this black pearl that is growing on one of my
coral. What is it? <It is Valonia, a nuisance alga. Try to
gently remove it, wiggle it carefully with your fingers and
hopefully it will come lose. Try not to break the bubble which
contains reproductive material that you do not want to spread
around your tank!> Is it normal to have it on this kind of
coral? <Is not uncommon but you don't really want it
there!> That feather duster seems to be an invader of this coral
also, right? <Yes.> Should I leave it alone? Regards,
<Cheers, Mich>
Sammy |
 |
/Amphipods/image004.jpg)  |
|
Weird thing in my tank -11/19/07 Here's
an interesting thing I found in my tank. Well, not with a picture
since my digital camera is garbage. So I'll try and describe
it. I found it crawling on my Zoanthid colony. It looked like a
whitish/very faint green snail. But without a shell! I'm
guessing some type of hitchhiker sea slug or something. But it
was pumping white liquid into my tank for a few minutes before I
could remove it and I'm hoping it wasn't any poison or
whatnot! <More than likely, it was spawning.> It almost
looked like it was releasing fertilized eggs or something into
the water but I made sure to take it out. Unfortunately, I
couldn't isolate it so I just got rid of it. <Hmm...
ok.> While I'm sure that's not nearly enough for an
ID, I'm at least hoping I could be in the right ballpark and
that I was right in removing it since I had no idea what it was
releasing! Haha. <I'm sorry, there are just too many
gastropods/slugs/etc. that might fit this description. There are
Zoanthid eating Nudibranchs, but they're usually bright
orange and yellow. You could browse here to see if you find it:
http://www.seaslugforum.net/> - Jon <Best, Sara M.>
Re: Weird thing in my tank, invert. ID
f' -11/19/07 I kind of figured that it would be
impossible to give me even close to an ID, haha. Just a late
night email to you guys with something I'd never seen in my
tank before. And yeah, it definitely was NOT a bright color. It
was a very drab white/greenish color. And hopefully it wasn't
detrimental if it was spawning! Though if I see another one, I
will no doubt take a photograph. - Jon <No worries, did you
see anything on the slug forum (http://www.seaslugforum.net/)
that looked similar at all? It's a fun site to look through
anyway. -SM>
Re: Weird thing in my tank -11/19/07 It
slightly resembled some various Aglajid species, actually. I
mean, not 100% resembled but slightly looked like them, anyway!
<Hmm, well, all I can suggest is that you, next time, maybe
don't be in such a hurry to bump these things off. I know we
all hear the horror tales of some slug or bug destroying whole
reef tanks-- but they're mostly camp fire stories. There are
very few (if any) critters which, if you see one, you need to
kill it on-spot right away. There's almost always time for a
quick ID first. ;-) Best, Sara M.>
|
Eggs or not eggs ? lol -11/18/07 Hi I have what
looks like wads of angle hair pasta that has been deposited between
crevices of the live rock in about one inch section. Its not squiggledy
its trait thin strands woven back and fourth . I assume it is eggs of
some kind it is not clear but almost yellow. I have a sea hair
<hare... What species? Many sold are not tropical animals...> in
the tank and some turbo snails. I'm betting on the sea hair. Their
are no definite egg forms you can see. It just looks like angle hair
spaghetti in loops like a shoe lace . Thanks mike <... no pic?
Likely a Sponge growth of some sort... though could be... eggs,
algae... Please peruse here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marinvind1.htm The
ID files. Bob Fenner>
Yet Another ID... Yet Another Sponge...
11/17/2007 Good morning crew. <Good morning Chris.> Chris
here with another ID question. <Mich here with another ID
answer.> I've spent the past two days looking for this
critter on your site with no luck. <It's there.> I'm
not a computer wiz but I was thinking. What if you had pages with
nothing but submitted pictures that you could click on to be taken
to the appropriate page. I don't know if that is in the realm
of possibilities but it's just an idea. <And a good idea at
that! Will discuss with RMF.><<A good idea... but... the
real problem... It's just me who places all... seven days a
week... and I am currently just able to keep up with what I do...
RMF. IF we were more commercial, we COULD hire folks (we do this
for free) to greatly improve the sites>> Now on to my
question. This guy is some kind of hitchhiker. <Yup.> It
lives in my LR. <Yup.> Is not mobile but does have what seems
to be a feeding tube that stick out a little farther than it's
tentacles <???> and pulls it in when hit with light. <The
tentacles that pull in are unrelated... Perhaps something else
nearby, like the tiny feather dusters off to the left in the
pic.> I've attached a picture to help. <Is a sponge... a
Poriferan, identification to the species level usually requires
microscopic examination. Is nothing to worry about. This is a
harmless filter feeder, though an excessive amount could indicate a
nutrient problem. Some similar pictures here: Enjoy!
Mich> |
|
|
White Bugs... Likely Copepods 11/15/2007 Hello
again, <Hi Worried Julie, Anxious Mich here> I have a 28-gallon
tank that is about 3 months old. <OK.> I have a maroon clownfish,
Firefish, neon goby, cleaner shrimp (who molted this morning) and some
snails & crabs.. I added about 10 pounds of live rock last week.
Everything seems to be fine until now. <Quarantining new purchases
will save you time, money and emotional tolls in the long run. Please
consider doing this in the future. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/quaranti.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i4/quarantine/Quarantine.htm
> I'm seeing a ton of what look like white bugs all over the
back and side glass. They are too small to gather a description. I can
see them moving about the glass. They are about the size of a pinhead,
maybe smaller. What do you think they are? <My guess would be
Harpacticoid copepods. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i1/Pods/pods.htm > How
could I have gotten them? <Likely came in on your newly acquired
live rock.> Are they going to cause any problems? <Actually these
are quite desirable. They are an excellent food source for your fish.
The population will likely wax and wane.> What should I do.
<Watch and enjoy.> Worried Julie <No worries here Julie,
Mich.>
| Hairy turbo snail... Hydrozoans Hi, <Hello
there> I love your website--it has been a lifesaver for a newbie
like myself. <It is for you we generate it> I have searched
and searched but cannot find out what this is attached to my turbo
snail. They look like tentacles, are in pairs and about 4 sets
hanging out on him/her. Thanks in advance! Amber <I see these...
small, "fuzzy" hair-like projections... They're
likely hydropolyps... Hydrozoans... stinging, yes, but not likely a
real problem here. Please read:
http://wetwebmedia.com/hyzoanidfaq.htm Bob Fenner> |
|
.jpg)
|
|
|
