Got a hitchhiker or unknown critter?? Check here for an ID

[ManOfSalt]

LOL! It wouldn't surprise me after all the google images I saw of how big those worms can get O_O

 

[Mike J.]

Have you checked out the youtube videos on Eunice worms? It's small now, but not for long. My 6" blenny bit me the other day. First time, don't know what got into him. But how'd you like to be scraping the glass and one of those think your finger is a piece of meat?

HUGE Eunice / Bristle Worm - YouTube

 

[ManOfSalt]

HOLY MOLY! That makes me wanna kick it to the sump just to see how big it will get! That's something that would freak out my fiancee though I know it. She mistakes me for a piece of meat and bites me sometimes...next time she does I'll tell her that she's no better than a blenny ):

 

[ManOfSalt]

They are veracious eaters and shouldn't be that hard to trap. (hopefully) Put it in a specimen container and post a pic when you do. Good luck!

Well now I just feel bad. The poor bugger has managed to lose quite a bit of limb since last night. Not even sure how that happened. Oh well nevertheless, hunt over, potential future crisis averted.

 

[Mike J.]

A successful hunt!

 

[ManOfSalt]

Found another one this morning! Scared the crap outta me when I saw him just lingering on the rock. I snatched him up quickly. I think this one may be the Nereid you were talking about Mike. Features are fairly spot on compared to some of the google images. What do you reckon??

[video=youtube_share;72ypNRth26g]http://youtu.be/72ypNRth26g[/video]

 

[Mike J.]

Nah, Amphinomidae, just your regular fireworm. Good clean up crew. I'd still take the ones over four inches out.

 

[ManOfSalt]

Thanks again Mike. I'm so bad at this ID thing lol. I'll make a rule of thumb. If the worm is longer than my thumb it's coming out my tank!

 

[vlangel]

Micah, your YouTube videos are giving me nightmares! I did check my tank out in the middle of the night and didn't see any bristle worms on steroids! A lot of the ones in my display were probably eaten by a six line wrasse I had. I will keep an eye on the display to watch for them to repopulate.

 

[ManOfSalt]

LOL Sorry Dawn! I suppose your wrasse acts as your Dream Catcher then! I will definitely add a wrasse to my livestock list. There's heaps of baby bristleworms now and when it's time to stock fish I'm sure they'll be huge and / or quite prevalent.

 

[lookingsexual]

good or bad? i just found this and tiny ones everywhere but it looks like the little ones eat some of my copepods or something

 

[Mike J.]

Acoel flatworm. Good CUC, but bad in large numbers.

LionfishLair.com - Hitchhiker Guide to your Aquarium

 

[ManOfSalt]

My LR is going to rise against me one day. Everything is just coming alive! What is this thing?

[video=youtube_share;BBPAiwyL2xk]http://youtu.be/BBPAiwyL2xk[/video]

 

[vlangel]

Micah, I didn't see anything. I do love the way your water shimmers against the rock. My T5s don't do that except the night setting which is LEDs.

 

[Mike J.]

Wish it was a little clearer. By the process of ruling out, what you have there is a sea cucumber or sea apple. Sure would love to see another video. Love your videos. Fascinating.

 

[ManOfSalt]

Micah, I didn't see anything. I do love the way your water shimmers against the rock. My T5s don't do that except the night setting which is LEDs.

Thanks Dawn! That's a UV LED with both day and light setting turned on. Adds a nice color to the video. Hopefully this video is a bit clearer.

Wish it was a little clearer. By the process of ruling out, what you have there is a sea cucumber or sea apple. Sure would love to see another video. Love your videos. Fascinating.

Thanks Mike! I suppose it could be a Sea Apple then? It's the closest thing to it from what I've searched. A couple of Sea Urchins have the hole characteristic, but when I first put that in, I had no idea what it was so I just put threw it in. I don't remember placing it at that spot so I'm guessing it did that itself?? According to what I've read, that's what Sea Apples do. Really can't thank you enough for these IDs.

[video=youtube_share;MYThyrMiGFI]http://youtu.be/MYThyrMiGFI[/video]

 

[ManOfSalt]

I may be wrong about this. But my feeble google searching of "retracting sea plant" led me to a creature known as the Peacock Worm (Sabella Pavonina). My LR is littered with these things. I think they're just astounding things. Every time I walk by this one in particular, it rushes into its tube and then slowly comes back out . I had to film it. The quality is not the best so it may take a couple go's to see it.

[video=youtube_share;XX34sfDkUiU]http://youtu.be/XX34sfDkUiU[/video]

 

[Mike J.]

Well, you're on the right track, but I doubt your rocks came from western Europe. Peacock worms (Sabella Pavonina) also need sand, silt, or mud to build their non calcareous tubes. How about Sabellidae or tube worm or what everyone commonly calls Feather Dusters. I have quite a few Feather Dusters in my rock also; mine are mostly black, Vanuatu rock.
Sorry, for sideways pic.

 

[ManOfSalt]

Ah hah!! That'll be right. Thanks Mike. That's the closest I've gotten with identifying something in my tank lol this is not easy work!

 

[magranche]

sorry for the bad picture quality. This creature was probably a foot long and in person did not look like a bristle worm or fire worm…any ideas? I'm afraid it's a Eunicid worm.