Please help identify

Fally · 12-31-2005, 09:22 AM

My 29 Gallon is in the middle of it's cycle and my wife has noticed an interesting creature on the Live Rock I purchased. It looks like a little green circle, like a piece of green thread in a circle. It seems to have little clear tenticles with tiny white things at the ends. It hides inside a small hole in the rock and comes out quite often. When it is in the hole you really can't see it at all. I will include a few pictures, he is like halfway out at this point.

I'm kind hoping it is a good guy, cause I don't think my wife would let me harm it!
I have searched around the net for this thing and have come up with nothing. I would greatly appreciate any help that could be offered!

ReefNeck · 12-31-2005, 09:28 AM

Really hard to tell from the pics but it COULD be a duster worm. (Harmless). I have a couple on some LR.
Does it retract real fast if you get anywhere near it?

Fally · 12-31-2005, 09:41 AM

I juat waved my scraper all around it and nothing, I touched it a couple times and it retracted... It doesn't look much like my other Featherdusters. I have a piece of dead coral with a bunch of little dusters on it.

ReefNeck · 12-31-2005, 09:54 AM

See if you can possibly get a closer pic of it. I know it's difficult to do so.
It could be aptasia but can't tell in those pics. If it is, It needs to get gonebefore it takes over your tank but as I said, Can't be sure from those pics.

ReefNeck · 12-31-2005, 09:56 AM

Also, Is that Crushed Coral I see for the substrate?
Nitrate trap. I would get rid of it and go with Live sand if you can before you get too far into the tank.

graphixx · 12-31-2005, 10:27 AM

yep looks like a little feather duster, you will get more and more of them as the cycle continues!! also......... WELCOME ABOARD!!!!!

Fally · 12-31-2005, 10:33 AM

I am not sure what the substrate is to be honest. It is what my LFS
uses and sells for Marine tanks. After the milky mess this made when I
put it in, I doubt I will change it out anytime soon.

Why would
it trap nitrates more then other kinds? Does it trap junk in the nooks
and crannies?
Thanks!

graphixx · 12-31-2005, 10:40 AM

You nailed it right on the head. detrius and stuff get trapped into the crushed coral and it just sits there and rots. causing a spike in the nitrates. Reef sand is much finer and gives a better anaerobic zone (no oxygen) for dentrifying bacteria. But being tht the tank is new you should be allright for now but I would recommend entertaining the thought of changing it in the future. Just make sure not to over feed and have a good cleaner crew.

ReefNeck · 12-31-2005, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graphixx22

You nailed it right on the head. detrius and stuff get trapped into the crushed coral and it just sits there and rots. causing a spike in the nitrates. Reef sand is much finer and gives a better anaerobic zone (no oxygen) for dentrifying bacteria. But being tht the tank is new you should be allright for now but I would recommend entertaining the thought of changing it in the future. Just make sure not to over feed and have a good cleaner crew.

I agree 100% greg!

Fally · 12-31-2005, 11:06 AM

Thanks for all the great advice! I think I will work on a good cleanup crew. I planned on having more inverts then fish anyway.
What would you guys suggest is a good cleanup crew for a 29 gallon tank? I have 2 blue legged hermits and a regular crab now. The regular crab hitchhiked on my live rock! All I have seen of it is it's claws comming out from under a rock... I have heard that serpent stars are good cleaners?
I think I'll let the aiptasia grow some to see for sure what it is. I'll update the top post with some new pictures when I can get them, hopfully today.