Hitchhiker IDs please
- Thread starter agro
- Start date
zafirablanca
Member
My guesses:
1 - looks like a nudibranch
2- looks like a brown mithrax crab. I got lots of these on my LR. They seem like busy little cleaners, no trouble at all. They groom my LR and even reach pull hair algae off the glass.
3 - Urchin, slate pencil urchin maybe?
1 - looks like a nudibranch
2- looks like a brown mithrax crab. I got lots of these on my LR. They seem like busy little cleaners, no trouble at all. They groom my LR and even reach pull hair algae off the glass.
3 - Urchin, slate pencil urchin maybe?
nacl-h2o
Active Member
1) is some type of nudi, don't know which, but most are not reef safe.
2) looks simular to a brown mithrax some are OK and some are not.
3) looks like a spiny urchin which will eat your coraline and make a habbit of knocking over corals.
I think you will probably have to get rid of 1 & 3 and maybe 2 if he doesn't behave or unless someone can confirm that type of mithrax is safe(not all of them are).
2) looks simular to a brown mithrax some are OK and some are not.
3) looks like a spiny urchin which will eat your coraline and make a habbit of knocking over corals.
I think you will probably have to get rid of 1 & 3 and maybe 2 if he doesn't behave or unless someone can confirm that type of mithrax is safe(not all of them are).
agro
Member
Guess I should have said it was aquacultured rock from the gulf, sorry bout that! Thanks for the replies so far. Nobody knows what kind of crab #4 is?
As far as getting em lined up, I just pushed them next to each other with the end of a turkey baster, and they cooperated for a bit, until the nudibranch tried to ride on the red crabs back! He got a good pinch for his efforts and quickly got off of the crab.
As far as getting em lined up, I just pushed them next to each other with the end of a turkey baster, and they cooperated for a bit, until the nudibranch tried to ride on the red crabs back! He got a good pinch for his efforts and quickly got off of the crab.
zafirablanca
Member
I didn't even see # 4! Now that I scrolled over there...
4 - It is hard to tell, But I think that it may be a Porcelain crab. Does it have little 'fans' that it waves toward its mouth? If so it is a porcelain crab. I got tons of these on my FL aquacultured LR. They are good guys and a nice freebie.
In my opinion, I would keep everything and consider them fine until something proves otherwise.
4 - It is hard to tell, But I think that it may be a Porcelain crab. Does it have little 'fans' that it waves toward its mouth? If so it is a porcelain crab. I got tons of these on my FL aquacultured LR. They are good guys and a nice freebie.
In my opinion, I would keep everything and consider them fine until something proves otherwise.
bang guy
Moderator
Originally posted by Agro
Thanks for the help all, how about this snail?
1 - Sea Slug probably a Elysia sp. This is NOT a Nudibranch. Probably an algae eater but will focus on one specie of algae.
2 - Mithrax sp. crab. Omnivore. Will eat mostly algae but snails & other animals if given the chance.
3 - Herbiverous Urchin most likely. Ask Ophiura.
4 - Rock Crab. Predator including fish, snails, etc.
The Snail is a Horse Conch. Predator on just about anything it can catch.
R
rogeta
Guest
The Snail is a Horse Conch. Predator on just about anything it can catch.
Just What CAN he catch? Just a curious question.
Just What CAN he catch? Just a curious question.
attml
Active Member
"Just What CAN he catch? Just a curious question."
Guy has a really cool pic of a conch chowing down on a limpet. If we are lucky he may post it to show you what he means! After seeing the pic that I am referencing I would guess snails, chitons limpets slugs, flatworms etc...
Guy has a really cool pic of a conch chowing down on a limpet. If we are lucky he may post it to show you what he means! After seeing the pic that I am referencing I would guess snails, chitons limpets slugs, flatworms etc...
bang guy
Moderator
"Just What CAN he catch? Just a curious question."
Good answer ATTML.
Other critters include starfish, cucumbers, urchins, worms, snails (including other large Conch), Clams, Mussels, Oysters, etc. They are fully capable of chewing through a clam shell to get to the animal inside. In the wild they often grow to 2 feet in shell length.
Good answer ATTML.
Other critters include starfish, cucumbers, urchins, worms, snails (including other large Conch), Clams, Mussels, Oysters, etc. They are fully capable of chewing through a clam shell to get to the animal inside. In the wild they often grow to 2 feet in shell length.