Critter Id

[bound_for_obx]

I moved a piece of live rock the other day and found this little guy hiding behind it. It is about the size of a dime including the tentacles. Any idea's?

 

[morgan24]

It looks like some sort of anemone?????? But not sure what kind.

 

[Fluff]

I agree it looks like some type of anemone. How long have you had it? And this is the only one?

 

[bound_for_obx]

I think that it probably came in with the live rock. If so, I've had it since June or August of 2004. I was looking thru Calfo and Fenner's "Reef Invertebrates" last night and I am wondering if it maybe is some sort of Holothurid (Sea Cucumber) I remember a slug sort of thing that was attached to the live rock when I put the rock in the tank. At the time it was wedged into the rock and sort of felt like dried silicone. After the rock was submerged, it expanded and moved off the rockwork and disappeared. The live rock, by the way, came from Liverocks.com. It could be some sort of anemone, but my gut feeling is that it is something else.

 

[roka64]

Has it been moving? It looks like it is in a different location. Have you seen it eat, if so, how does it feed?

 

[bound_for_obx]

It has been in the same location for at least the last week. I did see something similar to it a long time ago in another area of the tank. But havn't seen it since. I don't know if this is the same organism or a different one. I havn't seen it eat anything. It currently is in an area of Med to High flow. When I moved the rock, the sand blew away and revealed it.

 

[morgan24]

you could try to feed it like an anemone, just a thought to see what it will do

 

[Devilishturtles]

That's really neat. I also agree it looks like an anemone....perhaps the beaded anemone (cause it's pretty much the only that I know of that will bury in the sand). Just a guess though.

http://www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/ezidweb/animals/Urticinacoriacea3.htm

 

[bound_for_obx]

I checked it out last night after lights out and all of its tentacles were up in a vertical position. I also found a second one tucked a piece of live rock. the second one is much smaller and only about a quarter of inch across.