For the luv of God what is it(before I kill it)! pics

[stanlalee]

This thing has been living behind a mushroom for well since I got the mushrooms probably a few months ago. but today I finally got a look at the front/mouth. appearently all this time that I viewed it on the occasions it came out was its rear end. It never leaves completely from the hole it lives. Now this thing has a very defined circular mouth and around it are several (at least 4+ I counted) tenticles that are clear and smooth for a short distance before becoming branch like that you see in the pic. the main body is prickly looking like a cucumber. I witness this thing curl the branch like tenticles (one at a time like an arm not close up around the mouth like a coral/anenome) directly into its mouth quite obviously feeding. the body is at least as long as the tenticles showing in the pics. Da hell is this thing for I pluck it out the hole and send it to toilet bowl heaven. I know its been there for a while and hasn't hurt anything but I dont like keeping things that I have no clue what they are. on to the pic:

and a pic of its rear end (what I usually see) from a while back.

 

[coachklm]

thats a new one ........research time .....not a common hitchiker though..dont be too hasty to flush it it could be worth money...

 

[speg]

You're looking at a filter feeding sea cucumber. Leave it be.

 

[krazekajin]

This is a basket star. It is a filter feeder and beautiful as it grows.

 

[stanlalee]

definately not a basket star. Its has a long cylindrical body like a worm or cucumber. I'm thinking cucumber is right or close so far. I'll search some pics after I get back from chuck E cheese (kids

)

 

[speg]

Dude trust me. It's a cucumber.

 

[celacanthr]

idk, in that last pic it looks like a chiton to me...but I have never seen the feathery thing in the pics on a chiton before. Maybe you have photographed 2 different critter?

 

[speg]

There are no chitons in the pics.

 

[celacanthr]

In the last picture, inside that large red circle is what looks like a chiton.

 

[speg]

Just doesnt even look like the armor of a chiton to me. Sorry.

 

[nanomantis]

probably a cucumber but it kinda looks like a bristle worm in the last pic where you see the cylidric body and white tuffs coming out of it

 

[hot883]

I'm with Speg, definately a cucumber, the frilly stuff in the first pic. is his "feeders" for lack of better words. Keep him.

 

[angerhater]

thats not like any basket star i ever had or saw...but i have one of those very animals on my rock from TBS....its a holothuria/ cucumber and is basically harmless, but if it dies its toxic like most cukes

 

[ophiura]

I would also guess cucumber from the first two pics. The last is more bivalve like but it just could be the angle.
But I would encourage you to avoid the "I don't want to keep what I can't identify" mentality. If that is true, you shouldn't have a tank. That tank is packed full of things that most people could never identify (but you may just not notice them).
Unless its causing harm, IMO, it can stay.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I would also guess cucumber from the first two pics. The last is more bivalve like but it just could be the angle.
But I would encourage you to avoid the "I don't want to keep what I can't identify" mentality. If that is true, you shouldn't have a tank. That tank is packed full of things that most people could never identify (but you may just not notice them).
Unless its causing harm, IMO, it can stay.

well normally I dont have that mentality. sometimes for the heck of it I turn the lights on at like 3am and all kinds of things I cant identify are swimming and crawling around but this thing in particular just for whatever reason spooks the hell out of me.
seeing how there are about 1250 different species there's little chance in hell I'll find out which one this one is.

 

[ophiura]

I agree. There are few in the world who can identify sea cukes. I happened to work with a few but I recommend interaction with such specialists only with caution.

And often a piece of the animal is required to examine the body wall ossicles.

 

[dzekunoi]

Why don't you send pics to {link violation} for ID? I think Bob Fenner can ID anythyng.

 

[ophiura]

Unfortunately the site also contains links and banners to several sponsor stores.
Though I have respect for him for sure, I assure you that Bob Fenner can not ID everything

- definitely not sea cucumbers - without seeing more of the animal. There are maybe a half dozen sea cucumber specialists in the world, and I don't think any would claim to be able to identify that from the picture given, other than to say it is a "dendrochirotid" sea cucumber (to distinguish it from sand sifting forms). This distinction is based on the shape of the tentacles.
But, there is little point in making a species distinction. All that is important is that it is a filter feeding cucumber, requiring possible supplementation in diet, and is not a threat to the tank, IMO.
Just a cool beastie

 

[stanlalee]

well not to bring back an old topic but since I'm in a picture dropping frenzy I just had to post this one since its a much better shot of the cucumber I took a few days ago. in this pic it actually looks like what it is!

 

[celacanthr]

yep definantly cucumber, but I still think the creature in the last pic of your fist post is a different critter than in the rest.