THE ULTIMATE ID THREAD! Before you post WHATS THIS? LOOK HERE!

[fishestate]

As a point to adding to the ultimate ID thread, I wanted to add a link to an old resource in a new location.

 

Chuck's Addiction was a very valuable resource for the hobby over the last decade or longer. You are probably familiar with it already, if not you've surely been given advice from someone who is or was.

 

Sadly the owner of that site is no longer able to maintain it.

 

Fortunately I was given his permission to host a mirror, available at http://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net

 

His master hitchhiker ID guide is available at http://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net/hitchworms.html

[pmemmer]

Any ideas on this alien that came in on my Florida live rock today?

 

alien by Phil Memmer, on Flickr

[amphipod]

Any ideas on this alien that came in on my Florida live rock today?

 

alien by Phil Memmer, on Flickr

brown guy right?

[pmemmer]

Yup, long brown guy dead center. It is not attached to the rock... though whether it would *like* to be I don't yet know. He's now hiding under one of the rocks. Anyway, I hope someone knows his name or planet of origin...

[amphipod]

Yup, long brown guy dead center. It is not attached to the rock... though whether it would *like* to be I don't yet know. He's now hiding under one of the rocks. Anyway, I hope someone knows his name or planet of origin...

touch him and see if he sticks to skin, and tell me if he's slimy or not.

[pmemmer]

If he comes out again, I will... right now he seems very content to stay underneath the bottom rock of the pile, where he can't be bothered. But perhaps he'll venture out at night.

[amphipod]

If he comes out again, I will... right now he seems very content to stay underneath the bottom rock of the pile, where he can't be bothered. But perhaps he'll venture out at night.

I should also ask how does he move around, is he like an earthworm, like a slug, or something else?

[pmemmer]

I've only seen him move in the water column, and not on a surface, so it's a little hard to say (he's on the rock in the pic, but the only time I've seen him actually moving, he was about an inch away from the rock, mid-water). Since then I've seen him in a couple of different spots, but haven't seen him get there. I would say he moved more like a slug than a worm... he wasn't "squirmy."

 

One other thing: the end of his body that is facing the surface in the pic is a mouth, which was open and fairly wide, almost all the way across that end of his body.

[amphipod]

I've only seen him move in the water column, and not on a surface, so it's a little hard to say (he's on the rock in the pic, but the only time I've seen him actually moving, he was about an inch away from the rock, mid-water). Since then I've seen him in a couple of different spots, but haven't seen him get there. I would say he moved more like a slug than a worm... he wasn't "squirmy."

 

One other thing: the end of his body that is facing the surface in the pic is a mouth, which was open and fairly wide, almost all the way across that end of his body.

that changes everything! Did it have eyes? And if it did have eyes, could it be a very small moray eel?

[pmemmer]

that changes everything! Did it have eyes? And if it did have eyes, could it be a very small moray eel?

 

I could not see any eyes. My daughter, who is something of an invertebrate whisperer, swears that it has little fins. I haven't seen them, but if she's right, that would definitely lend credence to the eel theory. And its skin coloration also would fit... I did think "eel?" when I first saw it, but I'd never heard of an eel coming in on someone's live rock, so I assumed it was some kind of worm instead. But maybe not!

 

EDIT: looking at some eel pictures, and I'm less convinced. I think I would have noticed eyes as prominent as most eel eyes. And the mouth on this thing is less eel-like and more worm/lamprey-ish. But I'll see if I can dig him out this weekend for another look.

[jamescstein]

shrimp, (pistol and mantis), fish (usually blennies), eels, octopuses have all hitchhiked on live rock. If it hides in a cavern it could possibly get trapped and caught when the rock was collected.

[amphipod]

I could not see any eyes. My daughter, who is something of an invertebrate whisperer, swears that it has little fins. I haven't seen them, but if she's right, that would definitely lend credence to the eel theory. And its skin coloration also would fit... I did think "eel?" when I first saw it, but I'd never heard of an eel coming in on someone's live rock, so I assumed it was some kind of worm instead. But maybe not!

 

EDIT: looking at some eel pictures, and I'm less convinced. I think I would have noticed eyes as prominent as most eel eyes. And the mouth on this thing is less eel-like and more worm/lamprey-ish. But I'll see if I can dig him out this weekend for another look.

lol the more you tell me, the weirder this animal keeps getting, I seen only one actual eel someone posted in the identification forum saying it came from the rock, so it really isn't common at all to get actual eels. With your animal, I wouldn't even be sure it's a vertebrate. Had the animal closed its mouth ever? Is there any other features that you noticed that the picture isn't catching?

[pmemmer]

I'm gonna get that little bugger out tomorrow, and we'll get to the bottom of this.

[pmemmer]

OK, went fishing this morning, and got some better pics (and a movie, to see its movement). Definitely not an eel... but when I flipped over the rock I found a very nice looking little coral hitchhiker, too (not exactly sure what it is... ideas? To the left of the sea monster.)

 

alien closer with coral by Phil Memmer, on Flickr

 

alien closer 2 by Phil Memmer, on Flickr

 

Video:

 

IMG_0923 by Phil Memmer, on Flickr

[amphipod]

That's pretty cool, I have a few ideas of the organisms identity, it may be a Nemertea, how big is he? Also do you have any quarantine or isolation tanks?

[pmemmer]

Could be... it's a little hard to see in the pics, but there was some mucous stuff coming out of its mouth in a long string, which stayed stuck to the rocks after he moved, which would seem to be in character for a nemertea. He is about 2.5-3" long when fully extended.

 

Don't have a QT to put him in, so if he turns out to be troublesome, he'll need to go

[amphipod]

Some species are voracious polychaete, or arthropod predators. Yet some species can be an excellent cuc member. Offer the worm some meaty items and see if he will scavenge.

 

Either way I would say it is in your best future tank interests to have a quarantine tank, that way you don't introduce diseases to your livestock when you buy more livestock.

[pmemmer]

Yup, a QT is the eventual plan... I still have a ways to go before any "real" critters are getting added to this tank.

[amphipod]

Yup, a QT is the eventual plan... I still have a ways to go before any "real" critters are getting added to this tank.

sounds good to me.

 

What is your tanks future plans?

[pmemmer]

Well, the initial plan quite simply is to watch what cool stuff comes out of the very fresh Florida rock (so this critter has been a win already, even if I do have to eventually evict him). I'll eventually host a mix of macros, LPS, and photosynthetic gorgonians. And a fish to keep the kids happy.

[amphipod]

Well, the initial plan quite simply is to watch what cool stuff comes out of the very fresh Florida rock (so this critter has been a win already, even if I do have to eventually evict him). I'll eventually host a mix of macros, LPS, and photosynthetic gorgonians. And a fish to keep the kids happy.

sounds like a solid plan. It is a pretty cool hitchhiker for you to have obtained.

remember to supply him some small meaty items as a potential food, any raw meat should suffice, that way if he's a good scavenger he won't starve.

[HarryPotter]

sounds like a solid plan.

Hey Amphipod are the little tubes coming off this coral just worms? Anything to worry about or normal?

 

I am always surprised by the amount of life that has snuck into the tank. Started with dry rock, and now have all sorts of brittles, some worms, feather dusters, etc.

 

[amphipod]

Hey Amphipod are the little tubes coming off this coral just worms? Anything to worry about or normal?

 

I am always surprised by the amount of life that has snuck into the tank. Started with dry rock, and now have all sorts of brittles, some worms, feather dusters, etc.

 

just a few little vermetids it looks like at a glance, no tentacles or hairs coming out of the tube correct? Really the only bad thing vermetids do is irritate sps corals In their immediate vicinity, and a few species grow quickly, they are good at taking extra particulate matter out of the water since they constantly send out mucus nets to feed.

[HarryPotter]

just a few little vermetids it looks like at a glance, no tentacles or hairs coming out of the tube correct? Really the only bad thing vermetids do is irritate sps corals In their immediate vicinity, and a few species grow quickly, they are good at taking extra particulate matter out of the water since they constantly send out mucus nets to feed.

 

Nothing I can see, but I just noticed this today, so il check tonight

[HarryPotter]

just a few little vermetids it looks like at a glance, no tentacles or hairs coming out of the tube correct? Really the only bad thing vermetids do is irritate sps corals In their immediate vicinity, and a few species grow quickly, they are good at taking extra particulate matter out of the water since they constantly send out mucus nets to feed.

That was too easy for you! How about this: mystery substance on a snail!