Found this under a rockflower

olonmv

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Doing maintenance after months and found this under a rockflower. Not sure what it is.
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olonmv

olonmv

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Here are a few mor pics. What ever it is it’s hard and firmly planted to the rock. It’s about the size of a dime and it for sure has grew there over time, I just noticed it today.
30E1A649-11A5-45E3-8B1F-5F1685DC25EB.jpeg
43B024C2-4ADD-4468-BC5D-CF71A2A9FDE7.jpeg
6B605968-23A5-45CB-A404-526AFA313CCD.jpeg
4A13866A-248F-4911-9185-462203B2196B.jpeg
 
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olonmv

olonmv

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Looked up bivalve and a mussel is what looks closest to what I got. I’m just not sure.
 

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Looked up bivalve and a mussel is what looks closest to what I got. I’m just not sure.
If it’s a bivalve, you should see it being open and then it will close and visibly move if you disturb it. You may also be able to see siphons when it is opened up.
 
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olonmv

olonmv

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If it’s a bivalve, you should see it being open and then it will close and visibly move if you disturb it. You may also be able to see siphons when it is opened up.
I’ve only noticed today and that was during an extensive tank cleaning so I think it’s probably gonna be shy for a bit. I’ll definitely be keeping an on it to see how it behaves.
 

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Can’t really tell from the pics. Best guess would be a bivalve, but need better pics and/or a description of what it is. Does it move? Is it hard/soft? Size? Etc.
Agree. I think keeping bivalves is not a long term venture because aquarium water is too clean or lacks the right suspended food.
 
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olonmv

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Agree. I think keeping bivalves is not a long term venture because aquarium water is too clean or lacks the right suspended food.
To be fair to me……it must be right water conditions since whatever it is, it’s grown to the size it is when I know for sure it wasn’t there a couple of months ago.
 

Dan_P

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To be fair to me……it must be right water conditions since whatever it is, it’s grown to the size it is when I know for sure it wasn’t there a couple of months ago.
Kudos to you! If that thing is growing, corals should be a snap :)
 

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Kudos to you! If that thing is growing, corals should be a snap :)
Actually some of the bivalves that hitch in on aquacultured live rock are very hardy. I have dozens several years old that survived everything a new tank can throw at them.
 

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Can’t really tell from the pics. Best guess would be a bivalve, but need better pics and/or a description of what it is. Does it move? Is it hard/soft? Size? Etc.
Standard "generic reef mussel." I've had a couple of that look identical to this survive and grow for over ten years in my nano. They've gone months at times without any direct feeding, So unlike many bivalves, these can be pretty easy to keep alive long term, and don't grow super fast or move around in any way that's going to present a nuisance. Appreciate the filtering it's doing for you and enjoy it.

If someone knows the scientific name I'd like to hear it. Not many resources out there for IDing tropical reef mussels.
 
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olonmv

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Actually some of the bivalves that hitch in on aquacultured live rock are very hardy. I have dozens several years old that survived everything a new tank can throw at them.
This is a total mystery for me seeing that I started my nano with dry rock and the last add to the tank was an anemone back in March. Nature is awesome even when kept artificially.
 
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olonmv

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Standard "generic reef mussel." I've had a couple of that look identical to this survive and grow for over ten years in my nano. They've gone months at times without any direct feeding, So unlike many bivalves, these can be pretty easy to keep alive long term, and don't grow super fast or move around in any way that's going to present a nuisance. Appreciate the filtering it's doing for you and enjoy it.

If someone knows the scientific name I'd like to hear it. Not many resources out there for IDing tropical reef mussels.
Cool, I was leaning towards mussel after it was suggested that it may be a bivalve. Any filter feeder is a good thing in my book (unless told otherwise). After noticing it and giving it some time to feel safe I gave it another look and definitely could see it slightly opened with its little valves protruding out. It’s found it’s place in my tank and by the looks of it, it isn’t a bad guy so it’ll keep its home by his/her rockflower buddy!!!
AFDA6B65-DB38-4C19-98CC-7153AF0CFF0A.jpeg
 

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