Colonial Anemone/Parazoanthus? 12/22/10
Hi Crew,
<Howdy Jim>
So far I have had my tank (29G reef) set up for about a year now. Despite some algae and pH problems which I'm working to get in-line everything seems to be doing well. I have used your site for a reference for the past year and so far it has been a great resource and I haven't had to ask any questions directly up until now (thanks!).
<Welcome!>
It seems that every week or so I still notice something new in the tank.
Lately I have seen 3 colonies of these "polyps" in my tank. From some research on your site and elsewhere, the only conclusion I can come up is that they are some kind colonial anemone or Parazoanthus.
<Mmm, am pretty sure these are Aiptasiids... the family of Glass Anemones.
Please see here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasiaidfaqs.htm>
They don't seem to respond to changes in light like a tube worm, although when I prod them with an object they seem retract into their rigid tube. They are only a few mm wide and long.
<Oh! Small thus far>
Do you believe these will become a problem if they start spreading throughout the tank?
<Could be if they begin to squeeze out other life, perhaps stinging your livestock>
Should I remove them, or just monitor them for now?
<If not too numerous... I'd just watch/see. Do see the related links above the citation re controls of various sorts>
Please see attached photo.
Thanks,
Jim
<Welcome and happy holidays. Bob Fenner>

Diatom/BGA question and polyp ID 12/21/10
Hello crew!
<Howsit Chris?>
My name is Chris, and I started my first marine reef tank this past October (my 30th birthday present from my wife). All is going fairly well, but I do have two questions. So first off, my set-up:
65g tank, containing about 36g Instant Oceans salt water premixed with RO/DI at my local supplier, 20% weekly changes, 110LBS live rock (mostly Fiji with a bit of Haiti), 60LBS CaribSea "live sand" on top of 60LBS crushed coral/stone making a sandbed ranging 4-6" deep (depending on flow). No sump (yet, will add in new year)
Red Sea Berlin skimmer (rated to 250g) with Mag pump @550gph, Eheim classic 2213 canister filled with Eheim Substrat Pro and LR crumbles, floss on the intake replaced weekly, @116gph. Hydor Koralia (pre-evolution) 850gph fan, Hydor Nano 240 gph fan, MaxiJet 600 @160gph. Total flow in the tank is 1916gph.
Livestock 2 percula clowns, 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 blue-leg hermits, 1 stand-sifting star, 14 Astrea snails, 6 turbo snails, assorted small dusters, hitch-hiker clams (rock boring I think), wormy dudes. Small frag of Orange Polyps (will ask about these in a moment).
Tank "cycled" if you could call it that remarkably quickly. Like, I never actually saw an Ammonia spike. For three days my Nitrites were "up" (1.0, 0.50, 0.25), but both have been flat at zero since. Various and sundry people kept telling me to wait, it would spike, but after four weeks I figured I was safe and bought the clowns. They've been fine. 40 LBS of the live rock was uncured, but the other 70LBS was bought out of two different established (I think both about 4 years old) hobbyist aquariums near-by.
One person said it was reasonable, because there is so much rock and sand, that my cycle was likely just really really quick (agree?).
<Yes>
I check Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, SG and Phosphates 3 times per week, and KH Ca once per week. Using API test kits. Ammonia/Nitrite never budge off 0, Nitrate bounces between about 5-20ppm leading up to water-change day.
Phosphates go between 0-0.25ppm, but I'm told that's not hugely accurate.
SG is nearly always pegged at 1.023, temp never seems beyond 83.2-83.9F.
KH stays around 13dKH, Ca at around 450ppm. Oh and pH is always between 8.1-8.3
Lighting is a Marineland double strip LED (24x1watt diodes with 12 moonlights), one 50/50 Coralife t8 that came with the tank and a 6500k PC.
I'm planning to move to all LED in the next year, before I get into corals.
Lighting runs full for 12 hours, moonlights for 24 hours.
I've been feeding the clowns on flaked veggie food, three times per day (which I thought was a lot, but was on advice from place I bought them.
They eat vigorously every time, as do the shrimp (doing their little back-stroke) is this too much?), and started feeding the polyps 3x weekly using Kent Zooplankton (5ml per feeding, obviously the shrimp and clowns get some too, despite feeding directly. The polyps all close, so I assume they're eating).
Okay, first question, I've attached a picture of the polyps. They guy who I got them off of said they were Orange Star Polyps. I'm not so sure. Best I've been able to find searching here and online would be Orange Sun Polyps, but I'm not sold. What do you think? Also, I've heard both sides, that they do feed off photosynthesis and that they don't. What say you? Is 5ml zoo 3 times per week sufficient feeding?
<Zoanthids of some sort and feeding okay>
Second, I've had some algae, that I know isn't algae.
<BGA, Cyanobacteria>
Different people have told me it's either Cyano or Diatoms. I've looked at various pictures and can't decide, there's some in the polyp pic, as well as in the other pic I've attached. As you can see, it ranges from crimson red to brown to grey/black. It definitely prefers areas of less flow, it grows on both the glass and LR, but especially on LR where there is healthy purple coraline algae. I generally siphon it off during the water changes, but it keeps coming back. When I thought it was diatoms, I assumed "just wait", but it's been present now for about 6 weeks. Nothing eats it, though the snails do push it away to eat under it, so it gets dislodged. Is it diatoms and I just need to be patient, or BGA, and I'm overfeeding (it's been present since before I got livestock and started any feeding)? I'm also considering
putting an ounce or so of activated charcoal in a pouch in the canister for a few weeks, might this help?
<Mmm, there are a few approaches to consider...>
Thanks so much for such a great resource!
Chris
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm
and the linked files above... What elements of what you read/discern are at play here? Bob Fenner>
Re: Diatom/BGA question and polyp ID 12/21/10
A little follow-up: The polyps: Orange Zoanthids?
<Mmm, yes. Zoanthideans: http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
BobF>

Emerald crab eating soft coral picture 9/17/10
Hi guys,
<Pete>
I do not have any questions for you today (its a wonder!) but I did snap a picture of an emerald crab hitchhiker eating one of my zoas.
<That little bugaboo! Caught in the act!>
I had this hitchhiker in my tank for a longer time than my mantis shrimp but figured he would be food for the mantis (when it was added) so I never really bothered to fish him out. After adding the mantis, I didn't see much of him so I figured the crab was breakfast already. Today, to my surprise, he was out in the open munching on my newly added zoa frag that I had just added about 10 minutes ago.
Guess he liked the colors so much on that one he finally went out of hiding to eat it. I never had any evidence of him eating softies before.
<Mmm, Zoanthids aren't Alcyonaceans (Soft Corals)>
I guess now I know the reason why my LR coralline algae was "bleaching." I always thought it was my lights. He's in my FOWLR tank now with my other emerald. Guess he could help my other aquarium stay clean without eating my softies.
<Have oft mentioned that Mithraculus species are largely misunderstood...
are not "cleaner uppers", but eater uppers like most decapods>
Anyways, I figured you guys might like the picture and may want to use it for future reference when people ask about emeralds eating softies and other reef
compatibility issues.
Happy reefing!
Peter T
<And you, Bob Fenner>

ID of a nem? 3/31/10
Hi, I have this nem & no one on the forums I belong to has correctly identified it. Was wondering if any of you guys could. It came as a hitchhiker about the size of a dime 7 months ago. Now it is as big around as a baseball almost fully cover that whole piece. Thanks for your help.
--
Michelle
Would you please send along a larger image... maybe 300 dpi, 500kbytes or so?
ID of a nem? 3/31/10
Hi, I have this nem & no one on the forums I belong to has correctly identified it. Was wondering if any of you guys could. It came as a hitchhiker about the size of a dime 7 months ago. Now it is as big around as a baseball
<!?>
almost fully cover that whole piece. Thanks for your help.
--
Michelle
<This looks to be a Zoanthid... not an Actinarian/Anemone... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
Unusual that it's so large though. Bob Fenner>
Re: ID of a nem? 3/31/10
ok I am camera illiterate, so I attached a photo bucket link. maybe that will help. I'm sure its a nem, not a Zoa. I feed it 2 jumbo Mysis every other day. Its a pig, oh and has a mouth.
http://s479.photobucket.com/albums/rr152/michelle9491/?action=view&current=005-11.jpg
<... this is a pic that includes a colony of an Octocoral... is it the polyp in the upper left you're interested in?>
http://s479.photobucket.com/albums/rr152/michelle9491/?action=view&current=002-15.jpg
Hope this helps! Thanks
<... Please see where you were referred to... this macroscopically is a Zoanthid. BobF>

Re Reef tank, Duncanopsammia prop. 3/25/10
Hello again Simon,
<Hello Eric>
I hope I've done this right as I'm not the most computer savvy...
<Yes, just fine>
I had the question about the Duncan coral propagation after I found about 9 tiny heads growing under the fragment of mushroom coral I bought... Well here is the pic, hope it sent.
<Got it!>
It looks EXACTLY, like every picture I've looked at of them. From colour pattern to centre feeding apparatus to the stalk.
<Ok, but the polyps here are retracted. Have they come out at all?>
Only exception is they are smaller and the tentacles are shorter, I'm sure because they are young.
<Ok>
Any ways, if you think they may not be Duncans for any reason let me know and I will take appropriate steps regardless.
<Because you can't see the polyps, these photos alone would not confirm it to me, but coupled with your description I can believe it. This is very lucky, as this is a quite wonderful coral in just about every regard, best of all that it is very hardy indeed. The thing that is worrying me is that the polyps are not 'out'. This means that 'summat is up', probably water quality>.
So. That's them under the green "mush" cap there are four there and five more on the other side. It also appears two more are spouting or branching off of one of the larger tubes, unfortunately you cannot see them due to the low resolution of the picture. They are hiding in there tubes unfortunately I don't have time for them to open as I have an
appointment...
<So they have opened before? Good if so.>
I also wanted to know where to get the putty and when I attach them do I do it above water ???
<This can be done in or out of the water.. best done out if you can, but the putty does work fine 'in-tank'. Do be warned not to use too much at a time if you do though, it can irritate corals if you use too much in the system. As for where, look on the web.. search Google.. 'Milliput'. But have you considered removing the mushroom instead? I think this might be a better option, if these are growing out from all sides of that small piece I would be loath to remove them for the sake of a single Corallimorph>
If so how long can they be out of the water.
<Ooo, a good amount of time'¦ easily enough to do the job. As long as you keep the coral moist the whole time, you can have it out of the water for hours, but the job really should only take a few minutes. I do implore you to purchase Anthony C's 'book of coral propagation'.. an excellent book, and covers a lot more ground than the title suggests. Or try here for some techniques: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/fotm/index.php
Fragging Duncanopsammia is identical to branching Euphyllia, but the skeletons on Duncans are a bit more dense, so it does take a little more work. Simon>
Re: Reef tank, fragging 3/25/10
<Hi Eric!>
Thanks again for the timely response ..
<No problem>
And yes they are most definitely open and stay out most of the time.
<That's good then>
Even as I left they had opened more then in the pic I sent so I guess when I get home I will take a look to formulate a plan of action as to whether I'm going to move the mush or the Duncans... If I have more questions I'll get back to you as I'm fairly new to this..
<Ok, no problem>
Although I am a little worried now that you mentioned them not being open I've read they are more active at night is this correct...
<Not in my aquarium they are not. Most definitely open during the day and about half-retracted at night>
And what would be some early warning signs of sickness or stress...
<Polyps not opening will be the first sign. You are aware that this is a Scleractinian coral and so will require maintenance of Ca, Mg & Alkalinity? Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm>
Ps if you don't mind I will send a pic of them open when I get home let me now if that's ok as I'm sure you are busy.
<This is fine Eric, send whatever pictures you like (of the coral that is!). Simon>
Re: Reef tank, fragging 3/25/10
<Hi Eric>
Here is a pic of the "Duncans" I hope it is clear enough for a positive ID.
<Not really.. these look more like Zoanthids to me here.. are you sure these have a hard skeleton? Try here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm>
Although from what you've told me I'm 99.7% sure that's what they are. And they do, like you said seem to be more active during the day. I just thought I'd ask just in case... so please ID for me if possible, and I'd like to say "I know every one says it" that you and the rest of the crew are the apex of timely, intelligent helpfulness. so for that I commend you,
<Thanks!>
Thanks again Eric
<No problem, Simon>

Hitchhiker Zoanthid ID / Aiptasia? 3/15/10
Hello Crew,
<Hello Sam>
I'd like to begin by reminding you all that you have one of the most useful websites for aquarium keeping on the web. Thank you!
<Yes, it's a great website for sure!>
I have a polyp that recently sprouted from a piece of (now cured) live rock. The usually ravenous blue-legged hermits haven't touched it, and I swear I saw an Astrea snail up on that rock last week. It looks a lot like a Zoanthus of some sort, but could it perhaps be an Aiptasia instead?
<No, I do think this is a Zoanthid>
The tank is just started - it has been cycled for a month, with 5 blue-legged hermits (I know you don't recommend them, but they have really been entertaining), 5 Astrea 'cone head' snails, and one big, healthy, and happy true Percula. I'd like to add one more fish and some soft corals, but am going slow.
<Good practice and well done>
It's a 30 gallon tank with 10 gallon sump, all nitrogen species undetectable, pH looks like 8.0-8.2, specific gravity 1.023,
<Would raise this to 1.025>
temp ~78, but I may be overfeeding the clown a little since she can be lazy and won't chase down food that isn't on her 'half'.
<Heee! If she's not chasing food, then she must be fat! A bit like my mother-in-laws cat... with a food bowl containing 'low fat' food that is always full to the top, and a belly that touches the ground. But this excess you are feeding is likely getting consumed by something... and the clown may also be getting most of it's food from the system, in the form of plankton, 'pods' that could be feasting, multiplying, on your excess additions...>
Thanks in advance for your help in examining this blurry photo - it appears aquarium photography is an art in itself.
<It is, and one that I have yet to master myself - I think this is good enough for this purpose however>
Sam
<Simon>

Zoanthid ID & juvenile angel & eel ID 3/8/2010
Hey Crew !!!
<Hey Abdo!>
Abdo here, from the land of the pharaohs :D (AKA aquarium no man's land!!!)
<Ahh, hope to be diving w/ friends in Sharm this coming May>
First I just want to show my deeeeep gratitude for you guys being there,
really makes the difference !!! from the bottom of my heart: THAAAAAAANK YOUUUUUUUU
<Welcome>
now down to business
I have just ventured into invertebrates and I'm having a hard time identifying that group of polyps I just bought, the tank they were in at the retailer's was such a biohazard that a military submarine wouldn't survive !!!
<Heeee!>
anyway I attached a picture, it was taken the day after I put them in the tank, they were acclimated very slowly over 4 hours and now I think 80% of them have opened completely :D Yay :D Hope you guys could help me treat the polyps well :)
<Looks to be some species of Zoanthid; very nice>
Another question, hope I'm not being a pain in the neck here......
I bought what I identified positively as a vermiculated angel, at just under an inch long!!!, do you have any special recommendations regarding such a fish, given its size and other tank inhabitants ??? any advice ???
<Mmm, yes... keep it with small-ish, easygoing fishes, non-predatory invertebrates and you should be fine. These angels grow quite quickly when small, given good circumstances>
lastly (I promise), I had bought those 2 eels a while ago, and I've been having such a hard time identifying them it drives me crazy !! their looks are not special but their behavior amazes me!! They are grey with white bellies, 30cm long with 1cm diameter or so, small eyes, dotted lateral line near the head and curved, burrow under the sand and they do it backwards, meaning they stick their tails in and slip into the sand bed, and once they grab a piece of food they quickly pull it down under the sand to eat it, the retailer said they we're from the red sea, but I wouldn't count on anything he says.
the closest matches I could find in Dr. Burgess's atlas of marine aquarium fishes were "Pisodonophis cancrivorus" and "Muraenichthys tasmaniensis" but I'm not so sure..... I attached the best picture I could take, hope it helps.
<Mmm, is an Ophichthid... a Snake Eel... looks a bunch like an Apterichthys species... Unfortunately I don't see this species in my in-print reference works, and Fishbase.org is running VERY slowly currently. I would go there, and search "By Country" (I did for Jordan), Marine fishes (which will come out by default by species) and re-sort by family... Look at the Ophichthids found there (the Red Sea)... and try to find these species for photos, further descriptions>
I have a 110G + 20G sump, since August 2008, sandy bottom with one pile of LR, some locally obtained Ulva, 2 four stripe damsels, 1 domino, 1 silver moony, 1 Aidablenius sphynx, many coastal shrimps, 1 vermiculated angel, 1 common goby, 1 red tomato, 1 urchin with short sharp spines (red sea), several mussels and oysters, some Nerites, the 2 eels and the clump of Zoas.
<Sounds very nice indeed!>
Thank you in advance, and sorry for the long email :S
<Thank you for sharing! Bob Fenner>

Can You Please Help Me Identify? Likely Protopalythoa -- 2/5/10
Hi Guys,
<Hello George, Lynn here today.>
Thanks for the great site and help.
<Always a pleasure.>
I just bought a Nano 34 gallon and found these guys on some of the LR. I can't tell if it is Aiptasia or hydroid Myrionema or something else.
<Thankfully, it's neither. It appears to be a nice little group of Zoanthids, likely Protopalythoa, aka button polyps. Please see the following links for more information:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_1/cav1i1/blane-zoanthids/zoanthids.htm
Be sure to check out Bob's terrific photos at this link for comparison: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Pix%20Of%20The%20Day%20Marine/POTD%20SW%20Arch%20120-149/swpotdarch148.htm >
Thanks
<You're very welcome.>
George
<Take care, LynnZ>

Aiptasia? 11/3/09
Hi Crew!
<G>
I looked over the FAQ's on identifying Aiptasia, and found some previous posters pictures that looked similar, that you confirmed or thought were Aiptasia, and some that looked similar that were identified as not being Aiptasia. I would really like to know for certain if I should "yank" these guys from the tank.
<Mmm, I wouldn't... Looks to be a good deal of space for them here...>
I believe they are all still attached to the half shell you see there, so they would be easy to eliminate at this point. Thanks in advance, your site is awesome!
Greg
<These are Zoanthids. Bob Fenner>

Question About My Zoanthids/Zoanthid Behavior, ala Salty 11/11/09
Good evening coral gurus
<Hello George>
- my first time for a question. I have 60 gal reef tank with some long time (18 months) colonies of Zoanthids which were primarily brown center with green tentacles. Colonies have grown nicely over time. However more recently I am experiencing more of the polyps becoming a "washed out brown" color and they appear to be "stretching or reaching" out a. As a result the real colorful polyps appear to be smothered out or disappearing. Lighting is 2 -150W 14,000K HQI's. Any ideas as to why this is happening? Picture attached. It's like I almost want to take a colony and give it a haircut and trim these off (LOL), but I know that's not the answer.
<Zoanthids can and will change color given differing conditions and/or in the presence of competing Cnidarians.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
George T

Question About My Zoanthids, RMF's go 11/11/09
Good afternoon gurus - first time for a question. I have 60 gal reef tank with some long time (18 months) colonies of Zoanthids which were primarily brown center with green tentacles. Colonies have grown nicely over time.
However more recently I am experiencing more of the polyps becoming a "washed out brown" color and they appear to be "stretching or reaching" out a. As a result the real colorful polyps appear to be smothered out or disappearing. Lighting is 2 -150W 14,000K HQI's. Any ideas as to why this is happening? Picture attached. It's like I almost want to take a colony and give it a haircut and trim these off (LOL), but I know that's not the answer. Thanks
George T
<Hello George. Well, first off I'll mention that this is apparently two (competing) varieties, likely species of Zoanthids... w/ as you state, the more somber one overtaking the prettier. Next I really want to stress that
these animals are VERY toxic to other life, including humans. You MUST be extremely careful in handling them... keeping the "juice" out of your eyes, face, off your skin period. If you are still inclined to try separating the colonies, please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthidcompfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Do take care, Bob Fenner>