Tentacles or worms? Unknown creatures in tank

hsnydn

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Hello Everyone,

As a newbie in reef tank, i would like to ask some creatures i couldnt understand if those are part of corals/tank or not.

- My tank was cycled for 4 month.
- 50lt tank with PS.
- I didnt use live rock or sand.
- Corals added a month ago by using seachem dip.
- 2 Turbo snail and 2 hermit crabs are on duty.


1- I see some white structure with sand particules around the zoa, i was thinking that these are coral tentacles. However i couldnt see any similar tentacles for corals on internet and i am worried those are a kind worms.
2- Acan coral had a tube and similar tentacle and didnt see that during the lights on.
3- there were manysmall insect on the sand running all around. Those are useful or not?



09354F8E-C492-45DC-BC35-F6EEA02220B2.jpeg
 

Tired

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The first picture, hard to say just from the tube. A lot of worms build tubes like that, most of them completely harmless.

The second one looks like a spaghetti worm. Spaghetti worms sometimes build tubes, and have many tentacles they use to gather up detritus. They're useful cleaners, but may minorly annoy a coral by touching it a lot. If the corals open fine during the day, the worm is no concern.

Those bugs are amphipods. They're good fish food and can do some cleaning, but if left with no fish to eat them, can multiply out of control and bother corals. They'll also eat dying corals.

The acan looks a bit shrunken in your picture, even for lights off. What does it look like during the day?
 

Coraline_Bank

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1 & 2. Those are spagetti worms and they are a beneficial hitchhiker/member of you C.U.C. (clean up crew). Good guys, harmless.
2. These are all good! Copepods, amphipods and more! Microfauna that help clean detritus and provide live food to fish and corals

All these are good tank inhabitants! :)
 
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hsnydn

hsnydn

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The first picture, hard to say just from the tube. A lot of worms build tubes like that, most of them completely harmless.

The second one looks like a spaghetti worm. Spaghetti worms sometimes build tubes, and have many tentacles they use to gather up detritus. They're useful cleaners, but may minorly annoy a coral by touching it a lot. If the corals open fine during the day, the worm is no concern.

Those bugs are amphipods. They're good fish food and can do some cleaning, but if left with no fish to eat them, can multiply out of control and bother corals. They'll also eat dying corals.

The acan looks a bit shrunken in your picture, even for lights off. What does it look like during
the day?

Thank you for the information. What kind of fishes can control amphipods without harming corals and other members. I was thinking to keep only 2 clown fishes. Actually another fish was not in the plan due to tank size.
For Acan coral, During the day, this is the form of it. When the lights off it shranks.

F56AEEF5-212A-44BF-9E78-3CBED85E0EF6.jpeg
 
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hsnydn

hsnydn

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1 & 2. Those are spagetti worms and they are a beneficial hitchhiker/member of you C.U.C. (clean up crew). Good guys, harmless.
2. These are all good! Copepods, amphipods and more! Microfauna that help clean detritus and provide live food to fish and corals

All these are good tank inhabitants! :)
Thank you. I was thinking that coral itself building its own calcium structure and it is growing. And i was happy. Now i know the truth. Ignorance is bliss…

At least, those guys are good and harmless.
 

Tired

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Clownfish will eat amphipods just fine, most fish will.

The acan looks decent during the day. Make sure to feed it. Place a few pieces of mysis shrimp or food pellets on it with the pumps turned off, and let it engulf the food before turning the pumps back on. At least once a week is good.
 

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