Urgent help needed - just got lr

[havefun]

My lr order just arrived and I have some critters in the box I don't know if I should put in the tank or not. One is some sort of crab, both claws are the same size and with bluish tips - are they safe? Also, are bristle worms OK? I have a couple of those in the bottom as well.

thanks

 

[SsSarahsS]

I am not sure about the crab... but the bristle worms as far as I know they won't be a problem. I have some of those in my tank

 

[Phyl]

I have 2 different types of porcellain crabs. One of them is a tad more bluish than the other. They have these cool fans on them and are great and beneficial filter feeders.

Black tipped claws are predators.

Red hairy looking ones eat polyps. If you're not interested in corals *EVER* you can leave these guys in but they're a brat to catch otherwise.

I loved my bristle worms. Unfortunately they took aliking to my shrooms and out they went. Put 'em in your fuge! Same with the rest of the refugees.

 

[havefun]

Black tipped claws are predators

There are several dead ones at the bottom of the box/bag, must have gotten smushed. So does that mean I shouldn't put him in? I don't have a fuge.

There are also a ton of different kinds of worms left, some are brownish/tan and hairy another is really long (~2") front half red back half brown and as teany tiny legs. Yet another is pinkish with thick spiky things.

There is also a dead shrimp, not sure what kind he has blue legs, one large red tiped claw and a smaller pincher. What was he? Please tell me he would have been bad because he looks totally awesome, too bad he's dead.

 

[Phyl]

He was a Pistol shrimp. A good guy (at least not a bad one). The one with the evil eyes is the bad one.

If you have another back tipped crab leave him out of the tank.

Worms... Hmmm. Look up Eunicide worm and see if that looks like your red/brown guy. Those are typically not good.

This was mine:
Eunicide Worm

The bristle... again if you can't post pics of him do a search for bristle worms and see if you can ID the one you've got. I liked mine. Up until he bit my shroom. Pulled the worm and the shroom recovered (is about to split, for that matter).

Take a look at the top of the ID forum for the common hitch hiker guide. You might find your answers there. Some of the worms are beneficial (spaghetti, etc) so I wouldn't throw all the babies out with the bath water!

 

[havefun]

He was a Pistol shrimp

Dang it! I wanted one of those

Oh, and those "brown" worms... They weren't worms they were 2 legs of a brittle star (I think) The star is pretty much squashed but those 2 arms are still moving about. Will the rest of the arms grow back if he isn't in too bad of shape?

Oh, and thanks for the help!!!

 

[malkore]

starfish can regrow arms...lost arms won't grow into new starfish.
you probably have a half dozen more brittle stars inside the LR. I only ever see legs sticking out of my LR...they never come out until the dead of night.

 

[havefun]

They have these cool fans on them and are great and beneficial filter feeders.

I have one of those! I can barely see him behind some rock but I see 1 leg and 2 "fans" that open and close every few seconds.

This is so cool! Cancel Dish Network, forget the yard work, the cars aint gettn' washed.... Oh wait, on second thought scratch that...I'm maried