Help with identification

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jvennitti

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
46
Location
Virginia
I used the link to Hitchhiker FAQ and looked through many of the more recent posts in the Saltwater & Reef - Identification forum and still have some questions about two items that I got on my recent purchase from liverocks.com. The two pictures are attached. I apologize for the fuzziness of the one, but pictures through the tank are harder than I thought.

I also added a shot of all the LR. Call it a supportive plug for liverocks.com.

Thanks in advance for the help,

Jeff
 
Remainder of attachments

Got fooled and thought they were all attached, but were over the 100 kB limit. Here they are.
 
Third time's the charm

The last photo for id.

You'd think that after reading the instructions that I'd have it on the first try. :oops:
 
I am not sure why, but it seems we are getting about 8 of your posts...I have deleted the copies. Also, above, your images are duplicated, if you go in and edit them, you can remove the multiples so they do not go against your photo useage quota.
hth
 
Well the last pic of your first pic looks like a cuke. Could you take a clearer one of it? Be sure to keep on top of water changes to make sure all of your hitchhikers survive.

hey, you can take the (soon) out of your sig :)

Jim
 
IMG_1593.JPG is definately a cuke but not sure on the species without a clearer pic. Not one of the better HH for a new tank IMO. IMG_1589-1.JPG is a sea squirt and quite harmless. It will filter feed from the water and is not photosynthetic. There is a decent chance it will survive the cycle.

Cheers
Steve
 
Hara,

Can you give me instructions on how to remove the images. I tried the edit, but I don't see the images in the post. About the 8 posts, I hope that I have figured out the attachment mechanism now. :oops:

I'll try to get a clearer picture of the cuke, but it's near the bottom and I couldn't get a straight-on shot. I'll try a manual focus perhaps.

Thanks for the help,

Jeff
 
steve-s,

What is it about the cukes that make it not good for a new tank--care, stability, etc.? I'd like to do the right things to keep it healthy if it's a good critter for the long term.

Thanks,

Jeff
 
A new or unstable tank is the last place for a cucumber of any species. They can cause numerous water quality issues if the die or if a female and she spawns under stress. Without fish in the tank this is much less a concern but still something to keep watch on. Also in a newer tank there is most likely not enough natural foods to sustain it and there is a possibility it could starve and you could lose the cuke.

If possible, I would suggest asking the LFS or friend to house it until the tanks ready. If you keep it, just be aware of the risk.

Cheers
Steve
 
Steve-s,

How would I go about removing it? It has found itself a nice crevice on the LR to attach to. Of course the crevice is at the bottom of the tank. How can I tell if it is even still alive?

As an aside, I plan to do more research, but would it find the natural food on the rock that it was attach to originally?

Thanks for the response,

Jeff
 
jvennitti said:
Steve-s,

How would I go about removing it? It has found itself a nice crevice on the LR to attach to. Of course the crevice is at the bottom of the tank. How can I tell if it is even still alive?
Best opportunity will be at night after the lights have been off for awhile. This is when they will be most active depending on species. It should give you a decent opportunity to collect it. If possible, I would suggest getting a cheap HOB breader box that is well ventilated for safe keeping until it can be taken to the LFS for trade. Do not do this until you can go to the LFS the next day or even the same day if you get up early enough. Leaving it trapped for too long could stress it and do not place it in a travel bag for long periods. There is a good chance it will die.

The best indicator for health is color. They will quickly fade to a very dull grey/whitish hue when stressed or "on the way out" . Do not mistake that for shedding though. On occassion as they grow, a thin external layer is shed much like a snake. It will be fairly evident as there will be breaks in the skin and peeling much like a land based animal. They will often sit in one spot for days or weeks as well as going MIA for a time. There is no mistaking a dead one, a big mess of goo 8O

As an aside, I plan to do more research, but would it find the natural food on the rock that it was attach to originally?

Their main foods wll primarily be detritus, algae slime (minimally) and uneaten foods. There may be sufficient foods for the time being since the rock is new but that will quickly get used up. The sandbed will not have had sufficient time to mature to properly feed the cuke. Typically, I would not suggest placing one in a tank for at least a year.

Cheers
Steve
 
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