Hitchhiker Identifications
- Thread starter reefnut
- Start date
krazekajin
Active Member
I have a hitchhiker that came on a piece of mushroom frag. It is about a 1/4 inch tall. It is not a featherduster or anything like that, because if you touch it it balls up like a coral. It has a thick stalk about 1/8 in wide with a crown of tenticles. It does not look anything like the glass or antisia (misspelled) aneomones. I am trying to get a picture of it.
wildman3170
Member
Hitchhiker, I just posted a thread on New Hobbyists about the worm I found in my tank after coming back from vacation? I'll add it here, can you look and see what you think?
Thanks, Sir!
Thanks, Sir!
mr_bill
Active Member
Did some night hunting in the tank tonight. Hoping this is not a parasite of some kind. It was free swimming and most definetly NOT a fireworm, I have those in my tank and this has a dark greyish head with four whisker type appendiges. Closest thing I can think of in head appearance is like a hag fish.
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by Mr_Bill
Did some night hunting in the tank tonight. Hoping this is not a parasite of some kind. It was free swimming and most definetly NOT a fireworm, I have those in my tank and this has a dark greyish head with four whisker type appendiges. Closest thing I can think of in head appearance is like a hag fish.
It's the reproductive stage of an algae eating type of Bristleworm. It's called an Epitoke. The entire body of this type of worm turnes into gametes. The worm will swim vigerously until it reaches the water surface where it will explode into a mass of worm larvae to be scattered around by the current.
Did some night hunting in the tank tonight. Hoping this is not a parasite of some kind. It was free swimming and most definetly NOT a fireworm, I have those in my tank and this has a dark greyish head with four whisker type appendiges. Closest thing I can think of in head appearance is like a hag fish.
It's the reproductive stage of an algae eating type of Bristleworm. It's called an Epitoke. The entire body of this type of worm turnes into gametes. The worm will swim vigerously until it reaches the water surface where it will explode into a mass of worm larvae to be scattered around by the current.
mr_bill
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
It's the reproductive stage of an algae eating type of Bristleworm. It's called an Epitoke. The entire body of this type of worm turnes into gametes. The worm will swim vigerously until it reaches the water surface where it will explode into a mass of worm larvae to be scattered around by the current.
Amazing, thank you.
epitoky: a portion of the bristleworm becomes packed with eggs or sperm and becomes highly specialised for swimming, some even developing eyes! This portion is called the epitoke. At mating time, the epitoke breaks off from the main worm and can move about on its own. Swimming to the surface, it is joined by the epitokes of other bristleworms. At the surface, the epitokes burst apart, releasing eggs and sperm for external fertilisation. In this way, the worms can reproduce without exposing the rest of their bodies to danger. However, while an epitoke might be a new segment produced by the animal, sometimes the entire animal is remodelled into an epitoke and rips itself apart during mating. Mating is usually triggered by the lunar cycle.
It's the reproductive stage of an algae eating type of Bristleworm. It's called an Epitoke. The entire body of this type of worm turnes into gametes. The worm will swim vigerously until it reaches the water surface where it will explode into a mass of worm larvae to be scattered around by the current.
Amazing, thank you.
epitoky: a portion of the bristleworm becomes packed with eggs or sperm and becomes highly specialised for swimming, some even developing eyes! This portion is called the epitoke. At mating time, the epitoke breaks off from the main worm and can move about on its own. Swimming to the surface, it is joined by the epitokes of other bristleworms. At the surface, the epitokes burst apart, releasing eggs and sperm for external fertilisation. In this way, the worms can reproduce without exposing the rest of their bodies to danger. However, while an epitoke might be a new segment produced by the animal, sometimes the entire animal is remodelled into an epitoke and rips itself apart during mating. Mating is usually triggered by the lunar cycle.
happyhourh
Member
have any idea on this? lps of some kind?
cain420
Active Member
here is a hitch hiker i picked up with my lr.. not sure what it is.. gave it a salt bath and its still hiding, probably dead - as i overkilled the salt! I am not sure if that is one on the top of the hole, or if that is just the rest of his body. Looks long & slender, many many poky lookin things hangin off.. 2 orange bands near his head (or could be butt - i dunno what it is). Has a song white stripe down his back and looks to be some kind of worm. he wont come out of the hole so i can see the whole thing, but click here
I havent a clue if it is bad or good, but I am new and in a panic lol. some of these creatures have me paranoid!
I havent a clue if it is bad or good, but I am new and in a panic lol. some of these creatures have me paranoid!
cain420
Active Member
ok, this either came with my live sand, or my live rock.. couldnt have gotten past a ro unit!! lol, but seriously now.. i dont know what it is, and never seen a pic of anything like it.. i marked it on the glass to see if it moves and it does.. it is 1/8" round and moves its body length in 10 minutes.. seems to be eating the algae sprouts on the glass.. a macro pic in deed.. anyone got a clue what this is??
travis89
Active Member
I found a crab in my LR and i was wondering if anyone has any idea what it is. It is round about 1" in diameter and it is like a charcoal color. Sorry don't have any pics as it never comes out until late at night. I never see it outside of its rock until I have the moon lights turned on, then it hurries out of sight when I approach the tank. I think it has kind of sharp claws so should I get rid of it? I don't have a fuge so I would have to flush it.
granny
Member
Can You Identify Without A Picture?? I Will Try To Get One, But This Little Crab Stays Pretty Hidden In A Hole In My Very Largest, Very Best Piece Of Live Rock, The One With The Seaweed, Mushrooms And My Bubble Tip On It.
I Found My Arrow Crab With Two Of His Legs Rather Drastically Shortened And Think This Crab May Have Been The Culprit, Though He Does Not Seem Aggressive Towards The Shrimp=he Ran From My Tomato Clown.
Crab Looks Like A Fiddler In Shape, One Claw Larger Than The Other, But The Legs Seem Hairy With Red And White Stripes On Them. The Carpace Is Just A Solid Reddish Brown. One Claw Is Blunt, But Has Brown Sharp Tips On The End, Which He Uses To Pick Up Any Food That Falls Near His Hole.
As He Unfolds The Claws, The 'arm' Is White With Red Dots On It.
Right Now He Is About The Size Of A Quarter-including Legs-and Seems To Be Staying In The Rock In A Hole Right Next To My Bta. I Looked Through The Photos On Line And In My Invert Book, But Dont See Him Anywhere.
Cannot Remove This Rock From The Tank-but May Be Able To Try A Trap Of Some Kind As He Seems To Like Meaty Foods-came Out Tonight When I Fed Mysis And I Had To Get My Magnifying Glass To Get Any Id At All On Him.
I Found My Arrow Crab With Two Of His Legs Rather Drastically Shortened And Think This Crab May Have Been The Culprit, Though He Does Not Seem Aggressive Towards The Shrimp=he Ran From My Tomato Clown.
Crab Looks Like A Fiddler In Shape, One Claw Larger Than The Other, But The Legs Seem Hairy With Red And White Stripes On Them. The Carpace Is Just A Solid Reddish Brown. One Claw Is Blunt, But Has Brown Sharp Tips On The End, Which He Uses To Pick Up Any Food That Falls Near His Hole.
As He Unfolds The Claws, The 'arm' Is White With Red Dots On It.
Right Now He Is About The Size Of A Quarter-including Legs-and Seems To Be Staying In The Rock In A Hole Right Next To My Bta. I Looked Through The Photos On Line And In My Invert Book, But Dont See Him Anywhere.
Cannot Remove This Rock From The Tank-but May Be Able To Try A Trap Of Some Kind As He Seems To Like Meaty Foods-came Out Tonight When I Fed Mysis And I Had To Get My Magnifying Glass To Get Any Id At All On Him.