Logo
Please visit our Sponsors
FAQs on Identification of Stinging-Celled Animals 9

Related Articles: Cnidarians, Water Flow, How Much is Enough,

Related FAQs: Cnidarian IDs 1, Cnidarian IDs 2, Cnidarian IDs 3, Cnidarians ID 4, Cnidarians ID 5, Cnidarians ID 6, Cnidarian ID 7, Cnidarian ID 8, Cnidarian ID 10, Cnidarian ID 11, Cnidarian ID 12, Cnidarian ID 13, Cnidarian ID 14, Cnidarian ID 15, Cnidarian ID 16, Cnidarian ID 17, Cnidarian ID 18, Cnidarian ID 19, Cnidarian ID 20, Cnidarian ID 21, Cnidarian ID 22, Cnidarian ID 23, Cnidarian ID 24, Cnidarian ID 26, Cnidarian ID 27, Cnidarian ID 28, Cnidarian ID 29, Cnidarian ID 30, Cnidarian ID 31, & Anemone ID 1, Aiptasia ID 1, Stony Coral ID 1, Mushroom Identification, Soft Coral ID, Alcyoniid ID, Xeniid ID,

ID on live rock... Octocoral -- 10/18/07 Hello, <Hi John, Mich with you tonight.> I was wondering if someone could help with an I.D. of life that came on a piece of live rock I purchased the other day. <Well at quick glance I thought it was a sponge, but it is not. On closer inspection it looks like an Octocoral of some sort, perhaps of the family Clavulariidae. A nice surprise for you.> Picture attached.
Thanks,
<Welcome! Mich>
John

Cnidarian Identification 10/17/07 Hello again <Hello> The sack like growths are in the photos at the top and bottom of this page www.wetwebmedia.com/cnididfaq4.htm. Do you know what they are now? They had covered the tank within weeks. Do you know where they came from or what I can do to get rid of the remaining ones, in case they spread again? Thanks again, Danielle <To quote Bob on the FAQ, "Leave them... look like some sort of polypoid life...". I could not venture a more accurate guess.> <Chris>

Id: Staurocladia oahuensis - 10/16/07 Hi, <Hi there, Ben> This tiny little fellow, about 50 thousandths of an inch across, is presently adhered to the front of my tank: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fyngyrz/1573547118/ <Nice photo!> He looks like a baby anemone of some kind to me. Any of you recognize the lil' fellow specifically? <Heeeeee, well, not that one specific individual, but I do recognize the specie: Staurocladia oahuensis. These are tiny crawling hydromedusae, also known as hydroid jellyfish, and are generally not a problem. They typically wax and wane in aquariums, sometimes appearing in great numbers, only to disappear a short time later. Please see these links for more information re: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/jellyidfaqs.htm http://www.ronshimek.com/Animal%20Groups%203%20Cnidarians.htm > Thanks!
--Ben
<You're very welcome! --Lynn>

Coral Identification 10/14/07 Hi crew....Anthony, Bob, Steve... how is going... <Going well, Carlos, James with you today.> I attached a picture of a recently purchased coral or coralymorph, <corallimorph> so can you help me to identify it?? <Looks like Ricordea Florida. Go here for more info. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallim.htm> Thank you very much. <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Carlos

Re: Creature ID,  Pseudocorynactis sp, Aiptasia -- 10/04/07 >Hi, ><Hello Ben! Sorry for the delay. I had some problem accessing your links> No problem. Just wanted to be sure you got it. <<Yes! Got it!>> Now maybe I can help you. That link is to "flickr"; flickr uses Java, but otherwise should work with any modern browser. It is one of the most widely used sites in the world for images. Firefox will work perfectly, as will Opera, Safari, Explorer, Omniweb and Mozilla. Just make sure Java is on. Firefox is *highly* recommended - best browser on the planet, and it is free. <<I have a Mac so I'm using Safari.>> >just a cornucopia of living goodness. ><Amazing, isn't it?> Indeed it is. <<One of my favorite things was just watching what developed from the LR.>> >We popped it in our 55-gallon tank, which was about two months old at the time, and everything has done just fine. ><Glad to hear! Is this the tank in your bathroom? Is quite a beautiful bathroom I might add!> Thank you. My sweetheart and I built it. This was an empty box, an abandoned church, and we're building an interior into it as time and funds allow. <<How cool! You have done a beautiful job with the bathroom for sure!>> Yes, that's the bathroom tank. We have three others that are freshwater. Odds are good there are more salt tanks in our future. We have room, and motivation is growing. No surprise to you, I'm sure. <<Yes, as one of my crewmate Andrea said... Multiple Tank Syndrome is hard to fight.>> >But do watch out with this Xenia... it can become a "weed".> Not sure I mind, really, I find them quite beautiful. Especially when they pulse. <<Assuredly! Xenia can be quite beautiful, some people can't get xenia to grow, while others can't get rid of them!>> The intent is to make a reef tank, not so much a fish tank, but I'm not sure we're looking for conventional imports - I'm very curious to see what grows. All manner of things are starting up. If they really get crazy, maybe I'll put them in a new tank. :-) They took transport poorly, took many days to recover, and some died. Be easier if they were local. <<Absolutely, shipping is a big problem with this coral.>> >We only have a couple of small, innocuous fish at this point, going slowly. ><Slowly is good!> That's my understanding. I'm patient. Mostly. :-) <<Heehee! Can be hard but is worth your while!>> ><This appears to be Pseudocorynactis sp, a corallimorph.> Ah. Thank you. With the name, I found a pic and a little info on your site. Very good. <<Glad to hear!>> ><This may be an Aiptasia that has collapsed upon its self... a good thing... more reading for you below on this matter.> Nope, definitely the same as the other patch; opens nightly now. Funky little thing. <<Oh Good! Pseudocorynactis sp. are very desirable corals.>> >The last patch of jelly still looks the same as shown in the image above. Here's how a closed one looks: ><This pic is a duplicate of the Xenia.> Now THAT is just plain weird. I still have the original email in my outbox, and the correct three pictures are linked. Can you tell me what web browser you are using? <<Safari.>> Something is flat busted. You're not using... cough... AOL, are you? <<Heehee! No.>> Because there's just no polite way to put it, AOL is last decade's technology today, busted, crippled, censored and laden with the digital equivalent of Aiptasia. Or copper sulfate. :) <<Heehee!>> ><Ummm, if you like Aiptasia... You will want to try to eliminate this pest. More here: Yes, I've read all about them, and am willing to throw one or more nudibranchs in there if required, <<Can work, but I would recommend other means first. Especially while you have a reasonable amount to get rid of. I would recommend injecting the Aiptasia with a syringe filled with either Calcium or Lemon juice. The Berghia nudibranch are good, but are obligate Aiptasia eaters... therefore once the Aiptasia are gone the Berghia will slowly starve to death. The other means can be effect.>> but so far, they just seem interesting and pretty to me. <<So far but you really will want to get rid of them. They can kill and limit the grow of other desirable species.>> No migration. Yet. <<Yet being the key word here...They can really take of and multiply very, very quickly.>> If they start killing things, as seems likely from everything I've read, then it'll be a nudibranch picnic as soon as I can get some. <<Again I would recommend other means first, and use the Berghia only as a last resort. Cheers and good luck to you Ben! Mich>> Ben

Marine Betta not Feeding Picture... ID Palythoa -- 08/26/07 Including the picture often helps. <Yep!> The coral I am curious about is on the left. <Mmm, hope you mean top.> I assumed for a long time that they were rock anemones but now I actually have some glass anemones which look entirely different. <The corals in your picture include a mushroom on the bottom and on the top are Palythoa. More here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm Similar photos here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoidfaq2.htm > Thanks,
<Welcome!>
Zach
<Mich>

Strange Floating Creature 8/14/07 Hi wetweb team, <Hi Peter> I've been a long time reader of browser of your site. I find it invaluable for all my freshwater and marine fish keeping needs. I currently have a 75gal reef tank which has been set up for a year+. I have taken the fish out lately to do some heavy duty aqua-scaping. Without any fish there seems to be a tremendous bloom of life around the live rock. Tonight I took my flashlight and looked at the tank in the dark. To my surprise there was a squishy looking little jellyfish type creature in the water being blown around. I have seen what looks to be like hermit crab larvae before but this is something new. I quickly took a medium sized cup and captured it as it came close to the surface. This creature looks like a medusa stage of some animal though I do not know what it could be. It pulses like a jelly fish. The white protrusions have a property of being sticky as it is now clinging onto the wall of cup. I was thinking of keeping it alive and seeing what it turns into. Enclosed is a picture I drew of it as best I could. To be honest, that is exactly what it looks like. Thanks for all your guys help and advice. <I'm thinking you are correct, more than likely, some type of jellyfish.><<Or perhaps a Hydrozoan in the medusoid stage... or even a Ctenophoran. RMF>> Sincerely, <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Peter Cao

Visual identification, Polypoid life...   5/30/07 I just noticed this guy growing in my tank, at first i thought he was a featherduster or tubeworm of some sort but i haven't been able to turn up any searches that look like this one. unlike a feather duster this guys stem is soft and when it retracts it retracts stem and all to were it is just a spec on the live rock. do you know what it is? <Mmm, see the number of tentacles? Is an octocoral... See that their pinnated? Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidaria.htm  Bob Fenner>

Re: Tank Upgrade, Critter ID and Clownfish Question.   5/24/07 Hi Justin and all at WetWebMedia its Ben here from the UK, I hope you have had a good Easter and haven't eaten too many chocolate eggs. <I didn't even get one!> Am not sure if you recall me saying that I am looking to upgrade my 45litre tank to a 3ft 100litre tank at the end of the month and after looking at the FAQs about upgrading I thought I would just run past you how I plan to make the change. I think I am going to set the new tank up in its new space and fill it up with about 60 litres of bought salt water and leave it overnight to warm the water to as close to the main tank as possible. How does this sound so far? <I would actually first fill it with freshwater only... to test for leaks, levelness, hook up all the gear, make sure it's functional... leave this go a day or two...> My next question is in regards to substrate. I currently have 20lbs of CaribSea live sand in my main tank and am wondering if it is worth buying another pack of the same sand to place in the new tank or should I just buy plain marine sand and then seed it with the established substrate? <Either one...> How much would I need to add to the new tank? <Posted... read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/index.htm scroll down to the greenish line... on Marine Substrates> Once the water in the new tank is at the same temperature as the main tank I intend to start adding water from the old tank to fill it up, before doing this would it be best to add all of the live rock or is it best to fill the water up and then add everything all at once? <... also posted... Please learn to/use the indices, search tool> My LFS has said that it is best to add everything all at once, they have also recommended that I purchase SeaChem stability and SeaChem prime to add to the new tank for the first few days, does this seem ok? <Sure> Once everything has been added to the new tank I would like to purchase more live rock, I think I will gradually add 1 small piece every 1-2weeks just so that it will hopefully keep any spikes to a minimum. I think those are the only questions that I have regarding the tank move, if I have missed anything important out please let me know. <Just reading... there is much ancillary/related material you will encounter by investigating thus.> I feel I should mention that I am going to be using the same AquaMedic BioStar flotor from the main tank so hopefully the bacteria will still be present. My next subject (sorry about this) is in regards to a naming a creature that I have found on my live rock, Am not sure if you remember me saying about this creature in my first emails (it resided directly below my leather toadstool) I have hopefully attached a picture of it for your perusal, at present it does not seem to be causing a problem, am fact I quite like the little guy, under actinics the tentacles? fluoresce a nice green colour. <Mmm, looks to me like a Zoanthid> Lastly I have one other question for my own interest really, its nothing serious its quite amusing I think, have you ever known a clownfish to host a feather duster? <Yes> As mine has decided that he likes to sleep and wriggle inside the head of my white feather duster, he loves it. Is there an explanation for this behaviour or do I just have a really friendly clownfish :). Again I have attached some photos for you to see. <Are close symbionts in the wild... or consumed... with Actinarians... look for substitutes in captivity> I thank you again for all of the help that you have given me over the last 6 months and I hope you can help again. All the best to you all Ben Sandford
<Be chatting, reading... Bob Fenner>

Help ID, Beaded Anemone (Heteractis aurora) and Palythoa   5/8/07 <Hi Michelle, another Michelle with you tonight!> Thank you for an excellent site full of helpful info. <Glad you think so!>     It has been an invaluable tool for me with both my saltwater and freshwater tanks.   <Tis good to hear!> I currently have a 20-gallon long tank with 22#'s of live rock 4 electric blue hermits, 1 chocolate chip sea star, <Mmm, these often don't do well in captivity.  They are not reef compatible and may eat sessile invertebrates, soft and stony corals, even anemones.> 5 purple mushrooms (started with 3, but they budded into new babies) a very large red sea squirt that came on my live rock, a monster sized turkey wing approximately 4" length, (also a hitch-hiker) and a rock with over 50 zoas on it.    The live rock is a mixture of Florida aqua-cultured and Caribbean live rock. My tank parameters have been very stable for a small tank, ph 8.2, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates .5, and calcium 380.   I do a 10% water change every week and do tests 3 times a week. This tank has been up and running for a year. <Excellent!> I still do not have any fish in this tank as I'm trying to decide what I would like.  The fish I decide on will be the only fish in this tank (just 1).   <Very wise!> I do need some help with identifying 2 critters in my tank that have come as hitchhikers on my live rock.  It does have an appearance of a type of Aiptasia, but much prettier.  There are only 2 in this tank and they have not spread to any other live rock in my tank.  I would like to have someone more experienced in identification to confirm this for me before I "accidentally" zap a possible good guy.   <Looks like a beaded anemone (Heteractis aurora) to me, typically prefers a sand bed but it will relocate if it's unhappy.  A little more  here:   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm > The other critter is a small round shaped. It does have small tentacles that are out constantly looking for food.  I feed it small pieces of Mysis shrimp every other day.  It has been rather entertaining watching it eat as it puffs up around the food.  Since finding it, it has grown from a small eraser head size to the size of my thumbnail.   <Mmm, likely a Palythoa.  Though Palythoa will generally close around the food item like a purse string.  More here and related links in blue:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm  > Even though my tank has been up for a year, it's still amazing to see new things on there that I didn't see before.   <One of my favorite parts in setting up a tank is watching what grows out of the live rock.> Hoping everyone has a great week. <And the same to you!>
Michelle
<Cheers!  Mich>

Strange creatures on the aquarium glass    5/3/07 Dear Sir,    <Adeel>   I hope you are doing good. This is my first time, so I apologize if not following any fixed procedure for asking a question.    <You're doing fine>   Tank Details : I have a 50 gallon fish only salt water tank with some amount of live rock. Its been about 6 weeks or so since I setup the tank. I collected water from the sea FYI. I have two 3 striped damsels. Just today I added a pair of percula clown. All other parameters are normal...since I believe the nitrate cycle must be complete by now.    <Yes>   Question : I have noticed very very tiny almost a dot sized white spots on the aquarium glass. On close observation, I noticed the white dots actually have tiny white hair/spikes...almost like a tiny microscopic sun or a microscopic flower. It is totally white. When I push it off the glass with the tip of a stick, the creatures just falls off and floats with the water current till it settles down. I hope I have given a good description.  What are these things and do I need them? <Mmm, could be a polyp form of life of some sort... Cnidarians... of any of the three Classes... Hydrozoan... Scyphozoan... or...?> Are they beneficial...if not how can I kill them? <No way to tell, and not likely easy... Very likely "came in/along" with the water... If you want to continue to collect your own, it needs to be processed... in the dark, by poisoning possibly... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seah2onatural.htm and the linked files above> I have put in too much in setting up the tank and cannot think about losing it. Please tell me if these creatures are safe or not although they are microscopic sized. Just to add. I have also noticed those white roach type bugs that run around on the glass.   Thanks for all your help.      Adeel   Let me know if you need a picture. Its very difficult as they are microscopic, but I can try anything to save my tank. I am writing all the way from Dubai and I love your website. Good work. <Thank you for your kind, encouraging words. Chances are that what you describe is not problematical... But again, I would at least store all new water in the dark for a few weeks before using. Bob Fenner>

Unknown hitchhiker White Ball Corallimorph (Pseudocorynactis sp.)   4/27/07 <Hi Jim, Mich here.> Would you advise your best opinion as to what this creature is. <Yes, looks to be a White Ball Corallimorph (Pseudocorynactis sp.)> I found it on an empty snail shell in my tank. <Likely a hitchhiker.> One opinion from another forum was that it is a bleached majano anemone. <No.  It is not a Majano anemone.  Is a lucky addition to your tank. You might try offering this coral finely chopped fish at night or when the tentacles are extended.  They are not common in captivity so enjoy it!>   Thanks for any help.
<You're welcome!  Mich>
Jim

Trying to Identify This, a Coral Perhaps  - 04/25/07 Greetings, <And salutations!  Mich here.> I have attached a photo of a creature that hitched a ride on some LFS cured live rock that I recently purchased.   <OK.> I've taken several pictures but have not been able to get one with the eye.  The eye is just off the shadow to the left of the creature.   <Eye?> I am not sure whether or not if it alive or calcified.   <This would be helpful info.> Any help in identification or a site that may be able to identify would be great. <It is difficult to say with the limited information provided, generally the more info you can provide the better, i.e. is it motile or non-motile, is it fleshy or stony, is it smooth or rough, etc.  I suspect this is a stony coral or polyp of some sort, though it also resembles a shell.  It is difficult to say with the limited info.  It is unlikely anything harmful.>   Thanks
<Welcome, Mich>

Is this it? RMF cropped

Pics and ? Nudibranch and polyp/anemones  3/28/07 Hi there to all the crew. My name is Tracey. I have a 125 gallon reef tank and have for about 13 years now. I have two things I would like to address here. First, I have a couple of colt coral that started suddenly not doing well. Like they were being stung, <Consumed, predated...> but nothing was near enough even with current that would make that probable. I needed to top off my water and added my upped the alkalinity just enough to irritate the critter that was causing the problem to come into view. I am attaching a pic of this beautiful guy which I think is maybe a Nudibranch? <Yes... at least a Opisthobranch/Seaslug...> I'm surprised to see this now as I have not added anything new in months. I took him out and place him in quarantine until I learn more. I have seen and removed these before quite some time ago, and they had more of a pink color but were smaller. This guy is about 1 1/2" long and 3/4" wide. I removed him with tweezers and he had a sticky and slimy substance left behind what ever he came into contact with. I have found them near the base of the colt only. I'm not seeing flesh decay of the colt, it looks more like it being stung though I'm not certain. The base of the colt looks like it is separating some from the rock. He looks better already after only an hour of removing him. <Is/was being chewed... keep your eyes peeled for others> Ok, my next issue is this. I have several different polyps in my tank and have had a new species of some sort pop up and they multiply quickly. They split in half and they just move around and make more, even through the current. They grow on the glass, in the sand, on the rocks like crazy, and I have seen them grow attached to other coral. I'm wondering if this is some type of anemone rather than polyps. <Mmm, some pix look like Zoanthids... others summat like Anemonia species> I did have an Aiptasia problem and got that problem under control, so I'm pretty sure that's not what these are. I took out a few rocks that are just covered in about a months time and quarantined them also. I'm sending a few pics of these as well. Thanks in advance for your time and help. I love this site. Tracey <Do take a scan on/over WWM re these species... best to not let proliferate/cover too much of your LR. Bob Fenner>

 

Become a Sponsor Features:
Daily FAQs FW Daily FAQs SW Pix of the Day FW Pix of the Day New On WWM
Helpful Links Hobbyist Forum Calendars Admin Index Cover Images
Featured Sponsors: