What are these little guys??

[mjslaugh]

I have been just fascinated looking at my tank this morning. I am seeing all kinds of really cool stuff. I believe I have found a few of the mini shrimp and starfish, they are getting blown around the tank with the current, but I am seeing a few of both of these guys and I don't know what they are I was hoping someone would recognize them. The second pic I am refering to the arm like thing extending out of the rock, I can't tell what it is coming out of but it has had two out at the same time and there are several of them all over my tank??

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The arms are from tiny brittle stars hoping to snag some food.
The shrimp things are assorted pods. Both are good signs.

 

[sandollar]

You will notice all sorts of new things on your rock as time passes even if you haven't added anything in a long time to the tank. It use to amaze me. I think herefishyfishy's on to something. First pic is a little blury though.

 

[mjslaugh]

Yea, I am still working on getting good pics really close, I finally figured it out pretty well, but not enough obviously.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I think herefishyfishy's on something.

Now was that really called for?:badgrin::lol::lol:

 

[sandollar]

Now was that really called for?

What I meant herefishyfishy was that I was in agreeance.

 

[NaH2O]

I think in the second picture, what looks like an arm is actually a peanut worm. It looks too smooth to be the arm of a star (at least my weary eyes see it that way). I also noticed a vermetid snail in the second picture. The red tube looking thing on the top of the rock (about 10 o'clock in the picture) looks like a vermetid snail. They are pretty cool. You'll see what looks like spider web coming from the tube, which they use to feed.

The first pic is too blurry, but you'll find all kinds of fun critters in your tank. If you go over to the resource library (link in my signature), you can go into the invertebrates section and learn a ton of information. Especially on pods and tiny bugs!

 

[mjslaugh]

Wow thanks, I was wondering about that to cause I have identified a few brittle stars in my tank, so I was a little curious, but the funny thing about that vermetid snail, I was watching that web yesterday and I just figured that it was a younger one of the other arms. In fact at one point the web was down over that side of the rock and the arm was reaching up and they played tug o' war with a little piece of something.

 

[lizardarm]

I have been just fascinated looking at my tank this morning. I am seeing all kinds of really cool stuff

That there is the first stage of the sickness:badgrin:
Next thing you know, you're upgrading.
I'm thinking peanut worm also.

 

[Curtswearing]

I would recommend plucking that Caulerpa on the right side.

Is your Jewel Box Oyster on the top alive or dead?

 

[mjslaugh]

You'll have to be more specific on the Caulerpa, what is that, why is it bad??

Is that what it is, I believe he is still alive, I have observed movement inside the shell, but I am not sure if it is current or the oyster.

Anyhow thanks for the diagnosis, I really enjoy knowing what all the little critters are.

 

[NaH2O]

Curt - where do you see the caulerpa? I thought it looked more like a peanut worm stretched out. Unless we are looking at two different things....

 

[mjslaugh]

and I am the ignorent newb in caught in the middle...help!!

 

[Curtswearing]

Sorry, please don't feel caught in the middle. Doing an ID via a photograph is difficult at best.

Here's what I think you have.

Yellow - mushroom anemone
Light Blue - Jewel Box Oyster
Green - Vermetid Snails and/or spionid worms
Brown - unknown turf algae
White - Caulerpa tendril

I can see why Nikki thinks it's an extended peanut worm. She could very well be correct.

I have a question. Is the item in white still extended? If you pinch it with your fingers does it stay there or retract?

Even if we are both wrong, we're better than this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALob...og.org/2008/07/31/animal-identification-fail/

 

[mjslaugh]

okay, that is much clearer now, they don't stay out, and I have never tried to pinch one. I have tried to locate what they come out of, but they look like the come right out of the rock. If they are coming out of anything it is these little white pieces of rock. I guess I can sit there and try to pinch one.

 

[mjslaugh]

okay so I tried to pinch one and it retracted well before I could get close to it. I also took a pic of lloyd and the other side of the rock in question.

I also have another question the things that look like vermatid snails, I have one that has a thing that extends straight out the top about 4mm and it is blood red, I am trying to get a visible pic of it, but haven't got one, anyone know what it is??

 

[NaH2O]

Hmmm - Does the red thing move around? Is it doing anything?

Here is a video of a vermetid snail eating. See if what you see extending from the tube you are asking about looks similar to the vermetid snail feeding in the video: Feeding Behavior of a Vermetid Gastropod

Also, this article: Worms that ain't....Vermetid Snails In Marine Aquaria by Ron Shimek

 

[mjslaugh]

Assuming mine are just really small still, they do look like that using a web to feed, however the one guy in question doesn't he doesn't put out a web and when he comes out of his tube he sticks straight up almost the full height of his tube, and he is a really amazing blood red color. I still haven't gotten a good pic, but I did realize he is kinda visible in that first pic I put up although he isn't extended in the pic.

 

[mjslaugh]

Okay I just got a good pic with the little guy extended, I didn't have a chance to circle him, but he shouldn't be to hard to find just look left and below the shroom.

 

[mjslaugh]

haha, there he is, my little emerald loves the camera, he found his way into this shot.