chrisncarrieb
Member
First I want to say I love the site. I have been lurking for about a month, and just actually registered. I'm sure I'll become a regular pesty question poster!!! I've always had freshwater tanks, so I have a basic understanding of the biology of a healthy tank, but have started my first saltwater and will have plenty of questions along the way. So...thanks in advance!!!
I have been doing an inventory of my rock looking very close in the crevices to find hitchhikers. I see several things I really like and several I really dont know if I should like.
I have found several feather duster looking things on many pieces of the rock. My favorite is a cylinder looking thing...when it is "in" on the rock I could mistake it as a very small barnicle but then it sometimes stretches out and has a really pretty open flower looking end. Its doesnt appear to be seperate feathers, but rather connected. And it is banded white and reddish stripes. Its really pretty and is getting bigger...no where near big...just not as difficult to see. My daughter even named it "Flo" as we figure she is "catching food" flowing by.
I also have these things that are clear strings that mindfully will stretch out and grab pieces of the sand and I can see it traveling up the string. And below where it appears these strings start from is a very small pile of sand...almost like it takes in the sand, sucks out bacteria (or whatever) and redeposits the cleaned finer sand.
Both of those I assume are good and are filter feeders. But next are a few that concern me. Please give me any advice you have.
One is worms...they appear to be the fire or bristle worms that I've read about. I have read many some contradictory statements on them being good and bad. Please give me opinions of if and why I should get rid of them...and how!
The next one I just noticed today. I noticed a very tiny bug of some sort scurring through a new piece of rock. As I looked closer it seems he is very small (MAYBE 1/2") shrimp. I have heard horror stories about pistol and mantis shrimp. It is not shaped like a mantis, but then again, its so small I dont know if I could tell. It is transparent with no aparent colors or markings. Could this be a ghost or cleaner shrimp?? I hope it is a beneficial one!
The third thing I worry about is a fuzzy slug looking thing. I seen it about a month ago. I was on my way to bed and did nothing about it then...but now wonder if I should have immediately removed it. It was about 1 1/2' long and about 3/4" wide...flat...and looked kind fuzzy. I have searched for pictures of slugs or worms and cannot quite find one that matches it. I have not seen it since that day...so maybe I was dreaming??
LoL!
Anything you can tell me is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Carrie
BTW - We have a 46g Bowfront with about 20lb of live rock, 20lb live sand with additional 30lb algonite coral, cycled with 3 damsels (yes I know), and just added a pair of clowns. All levels are good and the clowns get along great. The damsels are "punks" as I've been told, but mostly to each other. The clowns have claimed their own areas as well!!
I have been doing an inventory of my rock looking very close in the crevices to find hitchhikers. I see several things I really like and several I really dont know if I should like.
I have found several feather duster looking things on many pieces of the rock. My favorite is a cylinder looking thing...when it is "in" on the rock I could mistake it as a very small barnicle but then it sometimes stretches out and has a really pretty open flower looking end. Its doesnt appear to be seperate feathers, but rather connected. And it is banded white and reddish stripes. Its really pretty and is getting bigger...no where near big...just not as difficult to see. My daughter even named it "Flo" as we figure she is "catching food" flowing by.
I also have these things that are clear strings that mindfully will stretch out and grab pieces of the sand and I can see it traveling up the string. And below where it appears these strings start from is a very small pile of sand...almost like it takes in the sand, sucks out bacteria (or whatever) and redeposits the cleaned finer sand.
Both of those I assume are good and are filter feeders. But next are a few that concern me. Please give me any advice you have.
One is worms...they appear to be the fire or bristle worms that I've read about. I have read many some contradictory statements on them being good and bad. Please give me opinions of if and why I should get rid of them...and how!
The next one I just noticed today. I noticed a very tiny bug of some sort scurring through a new piece of rock. As I looked closer it seems he is very small (MAYBE 1/2") shrimp. I have heard horror stories about pistol and mantis shrimp. It is not shaped like a mantis, but then again, its so small I dont know if I could tell. It is transparent with no aparent colors or markings. Could this be a ghost or cleaner shrimp?? I hope it is a beneficial one!
The third thing I worry about is a fuzzy slug looking thing. I seen it about a month ago. I was on my way to bed and did nothing about it then...but now wonder if I should have immediately removed it. It was about 1 1/2' long and about 3/4" wide...flat...and looked kind fuzzy. I have searched for pictures of slugs or worms and cannot quite find one that matches it. I have not seen it since that day...so maybe I was dreaming??
Anything you can tell me is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Carrie
BTW - We have a 46g Bowfront with about 20lb of live rock, 20lb live sand with additional 30lb algonite coral, cycled with 3 damsels (yes I know), and just added a pair of clowns. All levels are good and the clowns get along great. The damsels are "punks" as I've been told, but mostly to each other. The clowns have claimed their own areas as well!!
