help ID a hitchiker

[kpiotrowski]

All you all have been great responding to the newbie section...and I am a newbie so here it goes. too small to get a pic, but Iv'e got my first hitchiker and of course I am jumping to the conclusion AIPTASIA out of newbie fear. I have seen several .5mm to 2mm little creature that look like upsidedown aiptasia. their stalks are about twice the size of their bodies, are clearish white in color ( but the larger ones have a tinge of light burgandy) have 8 to 12 very uniform tenticals terminating in bright white bulbs with hair like projections extending from each bulb 2-3 times their size. they are hanging around tenticles down on my macros and on the glass...almost wrapping their arms around the macros. I notice a free swimming one flying around like a jelly fish with the same type of pulsing motion.

I have looked at a few hundered pics of hitchikers and many pic of aiptasia and they really look nothing like it. then agian they are very tiny still so, yeah, any ideas?

 

[jrgilles]

Would be a lot easier to ID with a pic...

Could they be hydroids? There is a pic in this thread:
Nano-Reef.com Forums > Hydra's on a crabshell?

Are they on the glass or on underside of rocks or what?

Maybe tiny feather dusters?

 

[Scampy]

A pic would definately help. Here is a link to a pretty good ID site. Maybe that will help.
Live Rock Hitch Hikers

 

[returnofsid]

There is a species of Aiptasia that "swims." I'd also suggest looking at Hydroids or maybe even Ball Anemone, though they don't "swim."

 

[Aquanaut]

So, was this rock or infective pieces from another system and not the sterile stuff that began your build? If from another system, you could ask the source what if any hitchhikers were ID'd in their system prior to sale to pinpoint a name. You could re isolate any newly added rock till further ID, or nuke the rock surface in another bin and see if that removes them. I think Hydroids or if fresh rock could be jellyfish. They begin life like an anemone before launching/swimming. Bulb tipped subject is possibly young Marjano, still not good either way.

All you all have been great responding to the newbie section...and I am a newbie so here it goes. too small to get a pic, but Iv'e got my first hitchiker and of course I am jumping to the conclusion AIPTASIA out of newbie fear. I have seen several .5mm to 2mm little creature that look like upsidedown aiptasia. their stalks are about twice the size of their bodies, are clearish white in color ( but the larger ones have a tinge of light burgandy) have 8 to 12 very uniform tenticals terminating in bright white bulbs with hair like projections extending from each bulb 2-3 times their size. they are hanging around tenticles down on my macros and on the glass...almost wrapping their arms around the macros. I notice a free swimming one flying around like a jelly fish with the same type of pulsing motion.

I have looked at a few hundered pics of hitchikers and many pic of aiptasia and they really look nothing like it. then agian they are very tiny still so, yeah, any ideas?

 

[crazyfish253]

Flatworms looks like this maybe?

 

[user 26995]

do they look like these
Reefs.org: Where Reefkeeping Begins on the Internet - Hydroids by Ronald L. Shimek October 1997 Aquarium.Net

 

[user 26995]

Actually I think returnofsid got it with ball anemone. Thats what it sounds like to me too.

 

[user 26995]

looks like this?

 

[user 26995]

there are a few different looking ones. Google search them.

 

[kpiotrowski]

Thank you ALL very much. here is a pic. keep in mind they are very fast swimmers! and HAD to come in with a shipment of fish, snails, or hermits

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[user 26995]

Oh, wow...you know that is a type of jelly fish.
I saw that on another persons thread. I think it was PaulB's thread.

 

[user 26995]

Nice shot of it too, by the way!

 

[kpiotrowski]

Not hard to believe they are jelly from the way they swim. what kind of a problem do I have now? they are showing up like mad...like prob hundreds already in the last two days. None in the display so far and they have to go through and iwaki to get to the display so hopefully the reason they are not in the display is they are not surviing the trip. here is a couple more pics.


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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[jrgilles]

I would relax maybe. They will probably grow until the use up some trace resource and will then die off. Newer tanks often have some things cycle like this. I had it with hydroids (also jellyfish related)

How long has your tank been set up?

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk

 

[kpiotrowski]

I belive I have a postive ID as Staurocladia Oahuensis. Most of the info I have found, and mostly from form posts seems to indicate these won't be much of a problem in my fuge with the obvious possibilty they could irrtiate corals or fish if in a display. guess I will just be waiting it out and enjoying them in the mean time.

 

[jrgilles]

I have seen many odd creatures cycle in my fuge. They grow up, take over, then they just disappear and some other creature emerges. Very cool to watch.

Another reason they might just be hanging out in your fuge is that there is way slower flow. These things might not be able to handle too much flow.

 

[kpiotrowski]

Now that these jelly are in the 2mm to 4mm range I have to retract my earlier ID of Staurocladia Oahuensis. look very similar except the one I have are more uniform, swim like mad....and even sting a bit as I found out tonight. after having my hand in the water for about a minute I had about 7 places that were tingly...like when your foot falls asleep but not too bad. a few are making it through the Iwaki 30 into the display and I witness a chromis eat one and spit it out....and another chromis come right after and eat and swallow it. and he is alive so, hope it tasted good.

I belive I have a postive ID as Staurocladia Oahuensis. Most of the info I have found, and mostly from form posts seems to indicate these won't be much of a problem in my fuge with the obvious possibilty they could irrtiate corals or fish if in a display. guess I will just be waiting it out and enjoying them in the mean time.

 

[user 26995]

Are they actually growing bigger? I'd be interested to see how big they get.
I'd almost like to have one.

 

[kpiotrowski]

BYOTB ( bring your own tukey baster) lol. I'm thinkin they are pretty cool....but this is all new to me since I am a recent convert from freshwater guy. they are more active in the evening and night and it seems as one decides to launch upwards ( 50g fuge) it signals dozens to do the same. I have the fuge lights cycle on at night so I don't know if its a light or moon cycle thing that increases their activity. ive got some sea lettuce and red gracilaria that they love to live in, so that would be an easy way for anyone to get them home...and man does those two macros LOVE my fuge. tons of growth and great colors! I am battling ich right now though as a word of warning.