ID Help, GOT PICTURE

[LeslieH]

New water means fresh oxygen, waste removal, and possibly food so any type of critter would probably perk up. Did you try the milk trick Ron suggested? If it worked you really don't need me to dissect the thing.

Why don't you add the dropping & tissue to the alcohol along with the beast itself? And jot down that I'll be back to LA on the 22nd.

 

[jnarowe]

I did not try the milk test fearing that it would foul the water and kill the damn thing. And another note: the "perking up" process resulted in a bunch more "tissue" in the vial. I think this thing is shedding "skin".

OK, so I will add everything into one vial and preserve it. Jotting down your return is about as good as yelling at the moon. Brain damage has its downsides, but I will put a tickler in Outloook and see if that works. Please PM shipping telephone number and an email address for UPS tracking.

Also consider I could keep it alive and over-night ship it to you if that would be preferred.

 

[melsmom]

huh! that's interesting because I have them in my tank also! I never thought much about it because we're so new to this I just thought they were normal. I also have slugs....? has anyone really figured out what it is?

 

[emgeeay]

It looks like a tunicate to me--a sea squirt, Phylum Chordata. Lowest form of life with some semblance of a spinal cord. (Has this in common with my ex.) More cartilage than calcium, but a start.

 

[jnarowe]

huh! that's interesting because I have them in my tank also! I never thought much about it because we're so new to this I just thought they were normal. I also have slugs....? has anyone really figured out what it is?

Show us a picture!

 

[NaH2O]

OK - I'm guessing the milk comment was on another forum? I thought I was going crazy for a second. Can you copy/quote the suggestion here, so I can understand that part, or paraphrase the reasons behind milk? Thanks!

 

[jnarowe]

IIRC it was to see if the "thing" siphoned some in. It has been suggested that I use ethyl alcohol for preservation.

 

[LeslieH]

5% Formalin is the best preservative for soft bodied animals but many researchers use 70% ethyl alcohol. I mentioned isopropyl & vodka because they're acceptable & easy to get for non-researchers.

Sponges feed by siphoning in the water through small openings, filtering out the particulates & DOM, then releasing it through the exhalent siphon. One way to see if something is really a sponge is to mix milk with seawater then pipette it next to the critter. if it was actively feeding you should be able to see the milk being absorbed & then being emitted.

 

[LeslieH]

Okay, PM sent. Brain damage, huh? You and me both! Hopefully one of us will manage to remember.

 

[jnarowe]

I may try your suggestion on the milk test. I have to get my courage up... is it beer thirty yet??

 

[mmn_usn]

Always Beer 30.

 

[jnarowe]

Just had a nice Abita warm-up.

 

[mmn_usn]

I can't wait until I can start drinking.... Motorcycle accident and drugs keep that at bay.

 

[jnarowe]

Actually IME, drugs work much better with alcohol. Just had a chocolate martini and an Abita... God I love this country!

 

[eliterecon14]

I think it is no ordinary snail/sponge/blob thing it's KIRBY. Or what happens when kirby drowns and gets sucked down down down.............................

 

[jnarowe]

So last night I was showing the thing to Sherman and noticed that the vial with the "old" tissue and turds was almost completely clean of any debris, tissue etc. I had transferred the old liquid into this vial when did the water change on the thing.

Seems very strange that whatever those materials are, they would go back into solution.

 

[jnarowe]

I will be shipping it out tomorrow AM. BTW, when I put in the alcohol, it lasted about 3 minutes and then shriveled up. Still stuck to the side even today though.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

**** snails can't hold their liqueur

 

[jnarowe]

well, if I was in a large swimming pool filled with booze, I can't say I would last long either!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Hey J, ever get a final ID on your mysterious critter?