What the heck are these things on my glass?

[jasno999]

I found a few of these on my glass. At first I thought it was algae. However it was a little bit biger than a strand of hair algae and as I watched it I noticed that it actually moved like a snail almost on the glass.

They are very small.

Cany somebody make suggestions as to what they are. ARe they good or bad? These are the best photos I could get cause it was so small.

http://community.webshots.com/album/219386694oThSEx/3

 

[dscount]

A pod of some sort? Almost looks like a baby gecko with extra legs. LOL

 

[jasno999]

REally I have no idea how to really identify it. People say Copepod, Isopods and yet others a nudibranch. I can't tell cause all the sites I look at do nto have anyhting that looks exactly the same.

I do have coral. Wonder if this could be harmful or could be part of the reason my sand polyups are not opening up.

 

[steve-s]

Berghia Nudibranch probably. Often a coral eater/predator.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasno999]

Berghia Nudibranch - How do I get rid of it?

From websites I have read the Berghia Nudibranch eat only one thing: the dreaded aiptasia anemone, AKA glass or rock anemone. That’s all Berghia eat, nothing else, not one other thing. And, they are completely reef safe.

Are you saying that is not true?

 

[steve-s]

Berghia may have been a little too veige. The one you are refering to (Berghia verrucicornis) is indeed an aiptasia predator but there are so many Berghia/Aeolid species that are far too happy to consume cnidarians that unless positively ID'd, should be suspect and removed.

Depending on what's in your tank now (nothing noted in your "myinfo"), they can usually be starved out. Removal would usually require something much more drastic.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasno999]

Crap. I am in a bind. I also noticed to aiptasia anemones in my tank. One was on rubble rock so I jsut removed the entire rock fro mthe tank. Theo other I tried to remove with tweezers but not sure if I go all of it.

Now I am wondering if I should just leave these things that appear to be Berghia Nudibranch or some sort of Nudibranch... I can't really remove them anyway. If I see them on the glass I could but you know there would be more elsewhere in the tank.

I have a bubble coral i nthe tank, mushrooms and sand polyups. THe sand polyups are not doing great as they have been closed for several days since I moved them to a new section of the tank.

LAst night I actually pulled a chair up to my tank to sit and watch it for an extended period. I always watch it but never for that long at that close a distance. I noticed so many new and interestign things by doing that.

That is how I saw all of these creatures. I think I so a coepod running on the rock. I say these smal lthings on the glass and the Aiptasia. I also saw a pretty large work in the back of the tank. This thing was rather large and was hiding or living in my macro algae. Looked liek he was coming out to try and find a place in the rock structure to hidie or go.

I am not positive of what kind of worm it was. He was too far in the tank to get a godo picture. I am hoping that he is a bristleworm and nto a fireworm. He did sort of look like one of the legs on my brittle star but he had a bit of a reddish color to him.

Really amazign stuff but at the same time scary stuff causeI am worried I may have unwanted guests.

 

[steve-s]

I have a bubble coral i nthe tank, mushrooms and sand polyups. THe sand polyups are not doing great as they have been closed for several days since I moved them to a new section of the tank.

Keep an eye on these. If the nudi is predatory, they will show signs of distress. If not, just play it by ear.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasno999]

What are signs of distress?

 

[steve-s]

Signs of distress would be closed up for long periods, missing polyps, discoloration, necrosis, rapid lose of zooxanthellae and so on.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasno999]

Well the Bubble is fine. Mushroom looks fine. However the sand polyup has been closed up for days. Only 2-3 that are open. But what can I do. I don't know if it is stress due to somethign eatign it or if it is in too mu ch flow or too high of light or maybe I jsut moved it too much last week and it is still stressed and will nto come out. Who knows.

 

[steve-s]

Inspect the zoanthuds after lights out with a flashlight. Wait about an hour after the lights out and use a small narrow beam light. You should be able to make out the nudi's fairly easily if they're on the coral. Keep checking regularly, just because they are noticable one time does not mean your in the clear.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasno999]

Will do Thanks

 

[jasno999]

My sand polyps have not been opening up and I thought it was cause I had moved them. Nope. Appears that there are numerous nudibranch (eating/killing my polyups)- I am guessing that is what they are. Almost look like little ticks of the saltwater world. The ones that I could see I pulled off of the polyp with tweezers. But they just kept re-appearing. I am also assuming they probably come out in even more numbers after dark.

The question is what do I do now??? How do I get rid of these little pests and save my corals? Tell me what you guys know and what things I can try to rid my tank of these.


Also I noticed some small white colored things that almost look like fleas running around on my rock that has mushrooms on it. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. 2 of my shrooms where closed up tonight. I am hoping it was due to a PWC that I did however the other 4 shrooms looked great and were open and all that good stuff. But two of them were all closed up and these little whitish flea-looking things were running near the 2 that were closed???


I am in need o some serious help from everybody on the board...

 

[steve-s]

The question is what do I do now??? How do I get rid of these little pests and save my corals? Tell me what you guys know and what things I can try to rid my tank of these.

Do you have the means to QT the zoo's seperately? Some types of Aeolids are dietary specific so you may be able to starve it out of the display tank. As far as the affected colony, a pH/temp adjusted FW dip will kill off the nudi's. You will have to carefully inspect each polyp for egg masses and remove them manually. Dips and the like will have no affect there.

Also I noticed some small white colored things that almost look like fleas running around on my rock that has mushrooms on it. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. 2 of my shrooms where closed up tonight. I am hoping it was due to a PWC that I did however the other 4 shrooms looked great and were open and all that good stuff. But two of them were all closed up and these little whitish flea-looking things were running near the 2 that were closed???

Sounds more like copepods than pests, keep watching to see if it gets worse. Closing up at night is quite common and not something to be alarmed about. How the coral looks in general throughout the daylit hours is your best guage.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasno999]

Well I am gettign soem of that Iodine solution and will do a FW and iodinedip for the polyp to rid it of these hitchhickers. Then I will look for egg sacks.

Then I will see what happens. I know to truley get rid of them I need to get a QT tank and put tyhe coral in it for a week or two (or more) and do the dips each week. And let the main tank sit so that the nudi's will die from starvation. I jsut hope that they do nto attack my bubble coral or my mushrooms

 

[steve-s]

No need to use the iodine, you'll have the same success with the pH/temp adjusted FW dip and less chance of peril to the coral. Just be mindful you examine the polyps carefully for egg masses and remove them manually. Dip the coral every 3-4 days, not weekly. After the second dip providing eggs are removed and the coral remains in the QT, you should be done. Just watch afterwards for a week or two to be sure.

It will need tro stay out of the main tank for a few weeks after that though.

Cheers
Steve