Interesting things I have seen in my tank (Pics!)

[grimlock3000]

Some of this stuff may or may not be normal, I found it all really interesting. Some of this may be common, but I get fascinated by it. There is always something new in my tank every time I look into it P)

First up, here is a Hidden Cup Coral trying to eat a Hermit Crab molt. It had the molt like this for a few hours before finally letting go:

Couple neat things in this one. This is where my LTA decided to move itself, and if you look in the middle, you will see my Emerald Crab snuggled between the LTA and the LR:

Any idea who has been eating my Macroalgae???

This snail has been walking aroung with Macroalgae stuck to it all day

 

[ellisz]

Nice pics. It is funnier when you have snails that actually have macro growing on them

 

[lando]

Very nice! I love the rock in the first pic. When ever people are over at our house they are amazed by all of the little things you need to look for to find in the tank. Always something new!

 

[saltymarine]

On your first picture I see little bugs that look like rolly pollies. I have these in my tank also and I believe they are munching on my blue zooanthids. I see them at night picking at the top of the zoos. Have you seen anything similar?

 

[msuburg]

nice pictures, very clear. I love that one of the hermit molt! Beautiful LR!

 

[grimlock3000]

On your first picture I see little bugs that look like rolly pollies. I have these in my tank also and I believe they are munching on my blue zooanthids. I see them at night picking at the top of the zoos. Have you seen anything similar?

The critters are Amphipods. They seem to hang out around my Yellow Button Polyps alot but I do not believe they are eating the Polyps. My Polyos are slowing regrowing after the Flatworms killed them. I actually think the Amphipods just like running around the Polyps and fighting with each other

 

[revhtree]

I have wondered about the pods myself. Me yellow poylps have been eaten away, and I see pods all around them all the time...... :|

Also I have flatworms that I am going to deal with. How did they kill your poylps?

 

[grimlock3000]

Also I have flatworms that I am going to deal with. How did they kill your poylps?

The Flatworms spread all over the tank and were just walking on the Polyp rock and possibly trying to eat them. The Polyps closed up as the Flatworms were on them, then died shortly after. The Polyps do not seem to mind the Amphipods, but always retracted as soon as a Flatworm touched. Here is the Polyp rock when I realized I was having an issue. The red things are the Flatworms all around the closed Polyps:

I started with about 25 Polyps and got down to THREE by the time I finally got rid of every single Flatworm 8O I am currently back up to 8

 

[klam]

Grimlock - I would keep that red macro algae in check. That looks like the same kind I had which infested my 10g tank which I had to tear down because of it.

When I did weekly manual removal of the red macro little pieces would break off and infest a different part of the tank. I know tangs love that red macro but in a nano tanks a tang is a no no. I've heard of certain urchins that will munch on it.
I ended up taking the infested rocks and placing it in a dark bucket of salt water to starve the red macro of light for about 3-4months. I was roating the infested rocks in and taking out the non-infested rock out of the bucket.

 

[grimlock3000]

klam, that is good to know. The next time I do a water change I will vacuum that stuff right out of there.

 

[klam]

Keep an eye out for it. It will be a pain in your side unless you have something that will eat it.

Here is a pic of my old 10g before I tore it down. check out the rock on the left, completely infested. rightside is pretty much infected also, just cant see it. I was loosing the battle and I couldnt keep any corals on the rocks or the macro algae would attach to rubble rock that the corals are on.