Live Rock Hitch-hikers

[H&Wnano]

Now that the sand has settled, we are beginning to see the live rock hitch-hikers come out into the open. So far, we have identified a Kenya Tree Coral (Capnella sp.). We have a small (1/4 in) shrimp that doesn't poke his head out too often and two other un-identified hitch-hikers among the typical coralline algae and encrusting sponges....

 

There is a small anemone that is yet unidentified, but we don't think it is an Aiptasia. It is about 1/3 in in diameter with a red oral disc and tentacles of a yellow/cream color with orange-ish bubbled tips. Its tentacles are pretty long when they are extended fully (usually only after all the lights are out) to somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inches. Husband and Wife both find it cool, but Wife doesn't want to get clownfish....

 

 

Buried within a nook of live rock is another creature that we have no clue about. It only comes out when the lights are off and looks like two attached hollow tubes of a brown color with orange/yellow spots. It extends out between 1/2 and 1 full inch. Whenever the lights kick on though, it shrugs back up inside its hole. Husband is thinking it could be some sort of nudi that is hiding (?).

 

 

Any thoughts on what these sneaky little hitch-hikers might be and how to care for them would be appreciated.

[lakshwadeep]

first looks like a pseudocorynactis anemone (orange ball anemone)

[matty0206]

The second looks almost like a vermetid snail that has lost its tube.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

[H&Wnano]

Thanks. We did some reading on the anemone and it sounds like it could be it - it has three little clones sitting around it that were also on the rock when we put it in the tank. Looks like a clownfish pair won't be the thing for it either.

 

It will be interesting to see what comes of the possible snail...if it is that, then he's pretty big for a hitch-hiker and he certainly won't be moving that rock he's taken up as residence.

 

Thanks again for the help!

[H&Wnano]

The second looks almost like a vermetid snail that has lost its tube.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

 

 

So Husband and I went to our LFS with a photo and talked about this crazy little guy, which is a tunicate! Our very own little sea squirt. Perhaps we will call him squirty. =-)