What am I looking at?

[gbellx]

I have been into saltwater fish for some time now, and the tank is growing new stuff all the time! I sometimes can figure it out but I dont have a clue what some of the stuff is...
...so will you guys help me figure out what this is or maybe its in your tank and you know what it is...also, is it bad or good to have in the tank?
#1) These little worm like things with a little tiny orange "head"

these little guys are EVERYWHERE in my tank, some different than others but...same type of thing.
#2) There is some "spider web" looking string on and around my little corals....

Sorry for the bad picture, but it flows with the current and im not sure what it even is, if anything.
#3) This might be the funniest thing you have heard...but my tank seems to have alot of growth on the glass, I cant really clean it off cause its like sand paper, but my question is...Do I want to keep it growing or take something and clean it all off?

Again sorry for the bad picture...and for the silly questions...
thanks for your time!
Greg

 

[monalisa]

You know, I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it looks to me like those worm things might just be some kind of flat worm?? If that's the case, I'm sure there's something that you can do to get rid of them. Flat worm exit...if that's what they are.
As for the second picture, that looks like hair algae, not desireable either, but easy enough to take care of by cutting back on the time your lights are on, feeding less, be sure the tank is not getting direct sunlight, and NOT using tap water for changes/top offs. Also, keep a check on the phosphates you have in your water.
I'm thinking that the sandpaper type stuff on the glass might just be beginning of coraline? Most people scrape it off of the glass that they want to view through.
Hope this helps, and hopefully someone with more knowledge of these things will chime in.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[gbellx]

thank you so much for the response!
I have a "reverse osmosis" thing that i use for top off's just letting you know.

 

[payton 350]

#2 is the mucous web of a vermetid snail ... they use it to trap food and you have hair algae behind it
#3 the purple stuff is corraline algae, good algae just scrape it off the front and sides or even back if you want to and don't like the look

 

[hot883]

Could #1 be a baby nudibranch's

 

[gbellx]

I thought of a few more questions, since you guys are the most helpful forum ive been on in ages!
Do my corals look ok? I see everyones corals look different than mine! Maybe its just me?
What do you use to scrape off the green alge and the coraline alge? Its REALLY on there...i tried a guitar pick...but it was to time consuming for the green stuff!
Again thanks for your time and knowledge!
Greg

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by gBellx
I thought of a few more questions, since you guys are the most helpful forum ive been on in ages!
Do my corals look ok? I see everyones corals look different than mine! Maybe its just me?
What do you use to scrape off the green alge and the coraline alge? Its REALLY on there...i tried a guitar pick...but it was to time consuming for the green stuff!
Again thanks for your time and knowledge!
Greg

From the pictures, your corals look fine. How do they look to you? Are the colors the way they should be?
To scrape coraline off of glass, I use a single edge razor (only use a razor once...that's me, though).
Any other word on those worm-like things? The reason I'm thinking that they're flat worms as opposed to nudis is because you mentioned that they're all over the tank. Are they bothering your corals at all? Would it be possible to take a few to your LFS to see what they think they are? Sorry Hot, just a thought...
Hmmm...Lisa :happyfish

 

[promisetbg]

First pic~ red planaria =flatworms. Agree with Payton on the other two. Kent makes stainless steel scrapers. They have handles in several shapes and lengths. Credit cards work too.

 

[poniegirl]

I disagree on the flatworm suggestion. I think Barry may be right about the nudis..they seem a bit ruffley and colorful to be flatworms.

 

[promisetbg]

They take on this appearance when they get alot of light.

 

[gbellx]

Where would they come from?
I have them all over!
they are brown, yellow, purple and dark green. Different colors on the glass and on the rocks. I would trust you guys over my LFS. I work all day, i will see if i cant get another picture of the other ones.
how would i take them off the rock? Tweezers?
EDIT: If I use "flatworm Exit" will that kill "baby nudi's?"

 

[gbellx]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
From the pictures, your corals look fine. How do they look to you? Are the colors the way they should be?
Well, my LFS told me a C.C. starfish will be good for my tank...I had no idea they were as dangerous to my corals. But whatev...i caught him on the corals on the left of the tank, pulled him off and spanked him and said "NO!"

now they havent opened up since.

the picture of the corals close up arent the ones im talking about. you can see them kinda in the last picture on the left.
also, do corals spread?

thanks guys! you are VERY helpful!!!!

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by gBellx
Well, my LFS told me a C.C. starfish will be good for my tank...I had no idea they were as dangerous to my corals. But whatev...i caught him on the corals on the left of the tank, pulled him off and spanked him and said "NO!"

now they havent opened up since.

the picture of the corals close up arent the ones im talking about. you can see them kinda in the last picture on the left.
also, do corals spread?

thanks guys! you are VERY helpful!!!!

Did the LFS know you had corals? If so, I would never go to them again for selling you the CC starfish.
Some corals do spread, yes. Mostly softies. Green Star Polyps, etc.
And yeah, those ARE flatworms.

 

[teen]

definetly flatworms. looking at the algae and flatworms, im saying you have a nutrient problem. what foods do you feed, do you have a skimmer, do you run carbon or any phosphate removers?

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by gBellx
Well, my LFS told me a C.C. starfish will be good for my tank...I had no idea they were as dangerous to my corals. But whatev...i caught him on the corals on the left of the tank, pulled him off and spanked him and said "NO!"

now they havent opened up since.

the picture of the corals close up arent the ones im talking about. you can see them kinda in the last picture on the left.
also, do corals spread?

thanks guys! you are VERY helpful!!!!

Hopefully Ophuria will chime in here and give you the scoop on stars in a reef...Most stars, from what I've read will NOT work in a reef...just not friendly that way.
If you've taken the offending stars out of your system, there is the hope that your corals will come back again. I've read that if there is tissue, there's a chance they'll recuperate given the right conditions. Also, given the right conditions (again) corals will spread...some faster than others.
Hope this helps...
Lisa :happyfish

 

[gbellx]

yeah I moved him to a 10 gallon tank and he told me that hes much happier.
anywho. in my 35gal
I have a 25-250gal red sea berlin skimmer...that my friend gave me, i cleaned it up and i have no idea what to do with it. BUT...i did find some plans to hook it up...but i dont know if the pump that i have will be enough power to make it "swirl"
as to the foods that i feed...well, my mandrin eats copeapods, and "Emo and Premo" (my clownfish) eat flake food...havent really tried to feed them anything else. I feed them a pinch a food in the morning and a little at night.
i have heard thats too much and not enough.
I also (i dont know if this is good or bad) have 2 "plants" growing...one looks like a long green ballon and the other looks like a tree.