Hitch hiker idz

[oscadoob]

Hi guys and girls,

So i have taken the plunge into a sw tank after a few years of keeping fw and im only on day 2 of and im blown away by what ive got so far. I am partially devastated after being informed today that the store i bought my live rock from is rife with aiptasia (which id never heard of before hand) but ive positively i.d'd 2 small aiptasia plants?? (Please correct) anyhow ive found all sorts wriggling round on my rocks already. If anybody could offer some rough ids or even types of species that if photographed id be grateful.



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[paul87]

Hi guys and girls,

So i have taken the plunge into a sw tank after a few years of keeping fw and im only on day 2 of and im blown away by what ive got so far. I am partially devastated after being informed today that the store i bought my live rock from is rife with aiptasia (which id never heard of before hand) but ive positively i.d'd 2 small aiptasia plants?? (Please correct) anyhow ive found all sorts wriggling round on my rocks already. If anybody could offer some rough ids or even types of species that if photographed id be grateful.



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First photo looks like a zoanthid polyp (coral) very cool if it came on the rock. The last 2 photos are fan worms (harmless filter feeders). Neither of them are bad.

 

[oscadoob]

Cool ive noticed a few fan worms but they are too small to capture, that one is pretty big maybe inch and a half. The zoanthid came on the rock also got a clam on the underside which has started to open up aswell. I also noticed a grub like critter crawling round on my rocks.. a brittle worm i think from what ive seen on sticky at the top of the forum. Cant believe i havent done this before im like a kid in a candy shop inspecting the rocks.

I am upset however about the aiptasia which is hiding for now. Ive been told i may need to boil the rock for 20 mins to get it all clear if it breaks out but id be gutted if i killed everything else.

Thank you for the ids no doubt ill soon be swamping the forums asking questions on other stuff that pops up

Attached a pic of the setup so far, need to move my sand back as the powerhead was set to high last night and the rock will be moved a little

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[54seaweed]

first loos like a button polyp , second looks like a feather duster , three is a little blured but by the angle , but it kind of looks aipastia

 

[BrackishAqua]

Do not boil your rock. that is a waste of good life. I had an aptasia problem and i solved it by boiling water from the tank in a small pot. using a small syringe from a water test kit, and spraying the aiptasia with it. they instantly die. You can either leave them there for your crabs and worms to eat or suck them out with the syringe the opposite you did of spraying it. works like a charm and as long as you do that and get everyone that pops up. you will eventually have no aiptasia.

 

[Sniperhank]

You mean, don't boil your rock since any palytoxin in there can kill you.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Button Polyp and Feather Dusters. Don't boil anything.

 

[gemach7]

+1 to not boiling. Besides the toxins from corals, some rocks explode if air gets trapped inside.


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[oscadoob]

Oh wow.. thanks for that had no idea about toxins in the rock. Im glad you said not to boil tbh like i said so impressed with everything else thats moving around id hate to kill the good stuff. Found a big snail creeping round aswell last night. Will all this die off as my tank cycles?

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[paul87]

Oh wow.. thanks for that had no idea about toxins in the rock. Im glad you said not to boil tbh like i said so impressed with everything else thats moving around id hate to kill the good stuff. Found a big snail creeping round aswell last night. Will all this die off as my tank cycles?

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Some types of Zoanthids and Palythoa contain Palytoxin (a very deadly substance.) These are corals of course, polyps. Just like the one in your fist photo. Boiling any of these is a horrible idea. Here is a really good article on it and someone who boiled his reef rocks and release Palytoxin into his house.

Personal experiences with palytoxin poisoning: "Almost killed myself, wife and dogs" — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

Don't boil them or frag them without using pretection to avoid any chances of getting Palytoxin poisoning. I have colonies of them and have never had a problem. Be be safe, research, & ask here on AA!

Some of my Zoas & Palys.

 

[Istrom]

And for the record, aiptasia are not plants, but coral, just like zoanthids.

90 G Reef
55 G Discus
24 G Reef

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

And for the record, aiptasia are not plants, but coral, just like zoanthids.

90 G Reef
55 G Discus
24 G Reef

Actually they're a type of anemone


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[Reefing Madness]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiptasia
Aiptasia is a genus of a symbiotic cnidarian belonging to the class Anthozoa (sea anemones, corals

 

[54seaweed]

And for the record, aiptasia are not plants, but coral, just like zoanthids.

90 G Reef
55 G Discus
24 G Reef

No it's not a plant
no it's not a coral
it is a nem and it's actually related to a jellyfish and they are considered a animal ,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anemone

you learn a lot doing trivia lol

 

[paul87]

No it's not a plant
no it's not a coral
it is a nem and it's actually related to a jellyfish and they are considered a animal ,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anemone

you learn a lot doing trivia lol

Simply put, they are a pest! Get rid of it before the numbers are great! I didn't see any in those 3 photos in the OP. I seen a polyp (zoa /paly) and a feather duster. 2nd and 3rd photos appear to be the same thing/same hole in rock, just a different camera angle.

 

[bribo12]

They're all cnidarians . Just aiptasia isn't a pretty one and is a pest like Paul said


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[oscadoob]

Yeah sorry, that is the same thing in 2nd and 3rd pics just thought i better take 2 cause of it moving alot. There is some small aiptasia on a piece of rock but its hiding so i couldnt photo it. Im back home in a few hours and the misses is getting me a big syringe from work to blast some hot water at it. Does it need to be boiled salt water or just tap water ok?? I dont have any straigh r.o. water its either salty on tap

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[oscadoob]

Hello again, didnt want to start a new thread for this but i found this little critter stuck to the back of my tank. Is it a mini starfish? Also come back and found the clam that was stuck to my rock has moved almost a foot in 2 days.. really amazed by all this

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[bribo12]

Asterina starfish. Usually harmless but certain species do feed on coral. I doubt that's what you have though


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[oscadoob]

Excuse the poor pics but.. This is aiptasia right? I found 4 and one squashed under a rock.. im not 100% but i think it is. I dont want to unsquish until ive sprayed boiled water at the others but hopefully get to kill and remove them when the mrs's gets in from work with my syringe


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