Who are these creatures who just appeared?

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

And what about these guys? The little ones just appeared on my filter tube this morning. The one in my palythoa has been there, and I thought it was Aptasia. I bought expensive sea slugs to eat Aptasia! Am I wrong?

KrisReef · Oct 26, 2023

Looks like the dreaded aptasia

Hopefully your superheros will handle the problem.

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
And what about these guys? The little ones just appeared on my filter tube this morning. The one in my palythoa has been there, and I thought it was Aptasia. I bought expensive sea slugs to eat Aptasia! Am I wrong?

Yes. That’s what I feared—Ive just been hoping I’m wrong! My slugs arrived yesterday. I released them on top of the rocks and they scurried off to hunt for food. I notice that one of the baby Aptasia on the rocks yesterday is gone today. Guess I’ll have to scrub them off the filter tube.

Cell · Oct 26, 2023

Does not look like the normal aiptasia to me. Too many tents.

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
Yes. That’s what I feared—Ive just been hoping I’m wrong! My slugs arrived yesterday. I released them on top of the rocks and they scurried off to hunt for food. I notice that one of the baby Aptasia on the rocks yesterday is gone today. Guess I’ll have to scrub them off the filter tube.

P.S., I got my Berghia Nudibranchs from Dunkin’s Aquatic Gardens. What a pleasure to do business with them! Their animals were big, fat and actively hungry! The deal was great too: 2 adults and one juvenile for the price of one. Packaging, presentation, etc., were thoughtful. If I ever need zooplankton I’m definitely going back!

sfin52 · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
And what about these guys? The little ones just appeared on my filter tube this morning. The one in my palythoa has been there, and I thought it was Aptasia. I bought expensive sea slugs to eat Aptasia! Am I wrong?

Look at those pretty aptasia

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

Cell said:
Does not look like the normal aiptasia to me. Too many tents.

I don’t understand “tents” (I’m looking it up), but I agree some of these guys are dubiously Aptasia. I have one obvious, large Aptasia—no doubt on that guy—but the babies are troublesome, and the one on my palythoa is scary. I love my paly!

Cell · Oct 26, 2023

Tentacles.

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

Cell said:
Tentacles.

Oh! (More acronyms—hard for newbies.) I was looking at their tips—Aptasia is clearly pointed and shape is not so clear. One of the baby “Aptasia” is missing today—so I do think that one was correctly ID’d and I figure the slugs got it. One of the slugs headed straight for it when released yesterday. Thanks for your opinion. It really helps. As you know, sea slugs are very expensive and if I’m wrong I’ve just purchased “caviar” for my crabs.

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

sfin52 said:
Look at those pretty aptasia

Yeah, right.

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
Yeah, right.

The big one in my tank killed Kit Chiton, my chiton, the dirty rat! He’s going to be sorry now. There’s a hit out on him,

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
The big one in my tank killed Kit Chiton, my chiton, the dirty rat! He’s going to be sorry now. There’s a hit out on him,

I doubt the aiptasia killed a chiton.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
I was looking at their tips—Aptasia is clearly pointed and shape is not so clear.

There are many types of aiptasia and exaiptasia found in the hobby.

cherith · Oct 26, 2023

cherith said:
The big one in my tank killed Kit Chiton, my chiton, the dirty rat! He’s going to be sorry now. There’s a hit out on him,

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
I doubt the aiptasia killed a chiton.

So did I! The little guy arrived in the mail about a week before his death. He was reluctant to leave the seashell he came in and he didn’t move much for a couple of days. Then he moved and attached to the roof of a small cavern in the rocks by his placement. A few days later, I saw him sidled up next to a large Aptasia. I kinda worried, but figured he would be OK because of his plates. Then a day or so later he was on his back on the sand below and a bumble bee snail was exploring him.

I tried to revive him, but it was over—my cleaner shrimp went to work right away to get rid of the carnage.

The seller did give me a refund, but he agreed it was possible the Aptasia stung the chiton. The guy was a “fuzzy” chiton who had live tissue around his edges…right where he was cuddling up with the Aptasia. Whatever, the Aptasia has to go. Nobody has anything good to say about Aptasia and I have other beloved creatures in there I want to protect!! I appreciate your analysis. I thought the same.