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FAQs on Identification of Stinging-Celled Animals 12
Related Articles: Cnidarians,
Water
Flow, How Much is Enough,
Related FAQs:
Cnidarian IDs 1,
Cnidarian IDs 2,
Cnidarian IDs 3,
Cnidarians ID 4,
Cnidarians ID 5,
Cnidarians ID 6,
Cnidarian ID 7,
Cnidarian ID 8, Cnidarian
ID 9,
Cnidarian
ID 10,
Cnidarian ID 11, Cnidarian
ID 13, Cnidarian ID
14, Cnidarian ID 15,
Cnidarian ID 16, & Anemone ID 1, Aiptasia
ID 1, Stony
Coral ID 1, Mushroom Identification, Soft
Coral ID,
Alcyoniid ID,
Xeniid ID, Cnidarians 1, Cnidarians
2, Cnidarian Behavior,
Cnidarian Compatibility, Cnidarian Selection,
Cnidarian Systems,
Cnidarian Feeding,
Cnidarian Disease, Cnidarian Reproduction,
Acclimating
Symbiotic Reef Invertebrates to Captive Lighting,
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Can You Identify This Please…
Hydroids – 03/08/08
Hello
<Hi there, Mich here.>
I have a 125-gallon marine tank that has been up for about 6 months -
this is my third tank. Can you please tell me what the small brown
things are - I believe that they are either a cluster of tiny glass
anemone (I haven't been able to find any pictures on the web of tiny
clustered glass anemones but did read on WetWebMedia that they do come
very small)
<Nope.>
or some sort of tiny cluster feather dusters.
<They are hydroids, perhaps Myrionema sp. They can be a nuisance and you
will need to wear gloves when removing them as they can deliver a sting.
They seem to be about 1/4 inch long each. Let me know if the photo is
not good enough and I will get a friend with a better camera to take a
picture. They are so little it is actually difficult to see the details
of them.
<The picture is fine. There also appear to be worm snails (Petaloconchus
spp) in the background, which are harmless filter feeders, but be
careful when moving about them as they can be quite sharp and easily
puncture finger tips.>
I do know what a normal glass anemone looks like and have had them
before but never this tiny. I did read on the site that the fish will
avoid them and I have not seen any fish stung but they do seem to avoid
them. If these are glass anemones I will try to remove them,
<Hydroids are pests and should be removed.>
my biggest problem will be that they are on one of the rocks my feather
duster is attached to, which is reasonably close to one of my bubble tip
anemones. Can you suggest the best way to remove these without damaging
the feather duster or the bubble tip anemone assuming it is tiny glass
anemones.
<Well removal can be a bit of a challenge. If possible, you should
remove the rock from the system while you go about with the removal of
these buggers so they are not accidentally spread. You will likely have
to remove the top layer of the rock, as much as an inch with a chisel or
Dremel as these pests can attach themselves quite deeply in the rock.>
thanks for your help and for this wonderful resource.
<I am happy to help and I too thank all who have contributed to this
tremendous body of work. I was a student here before I was a teacher.>
regards Jackie for NZ
<Cheers, Mich from the good ole US of A.> |
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Tiny pest
anemone or some type of polyp? (Picture Included) 3/3/08
Hello WWM crew,
I would first like to say, your site is a treasure trove of information.
Now back on topic, I've noticed lately on one of my live rock there are
about 2
dozen of these tiny things. They look like polyp, with over 24
tentacles, white brownish in color, retracts a little when touched, and
about a few
millimeters in height. I've been digging through your website trying to
figure out what they are, and I was hoping there might be a picture, but
I
haven't seen one or probably missed it. So far base on other peoples
description, it sound like Aiptasia, right?
<Mmm, not necessarily... could be Zoanthids, other types of Polypoid
life... Even just juvenile forms... Likely transient... will go in time>
I've included a picture which has a pair of them near the upper center
of the photo.
Thanks,
Kent
<I see them... but need more detail than these show. You can work your
way through the description of the major Cnidarian groups here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidaria.htm
Thanks for sending this along. Bob Fenner> |
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ID please
-02/29/08
Please see attached. I can't tell what it is, but hopefully someone
can. :)
<I'll try!>
Grows very tree like and on top of a colony of some palys. The 'polyps'
withdraws into itself and tips becomes a whitish color (like the ones up
the top of the picture). When they're open, they resemble zoas/palys,
with a green center.
http://ericdo.com/pictures/Starfire%207.2.07/unknown_soft_022708.jpg
<Wow, that's certainly something different. Is there any chance you
could get a close up of the open and closed polyps?>
Please let me know if you guys can ID it.
<To be honest, I'm not even entirely sure it's even a coral... but maybe
some type of hydroid? More pictures will help.>
Many thanks,
Eric
<Best,
Sara M.>
ID please -hydroids 02/29/08
<Eric-
Just following up... I asked one of my friends who is more of a marine
invert ID expert and he agrees with my guess that it's a hydroid of some
sort. But more importantly, he was able to explain a bit of why he
thinks so. The tubes are brown and translucent which suggests they're
proteinaceous, not calcium carbonate. That means it's not a coral. And
neither of us can think of anything else (except a hydroid) that would
have branching proteinaceous tubes (and have polyps) like this thing
has. Hydroids are extremely difficult to ID, but if I can narrow it down
more at all, I'll let you know. :-)
Best,
Sara M.> |
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Outstanding. RMF. |
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Need Help With An ID
No One Knows In My Reef Forum 2/24/08
<Hi Jim, Mich here.>
I bought snails from the LFS and on 1 of the shells was this aiptasia
looking thing, that's what I assumed until it released itself and
started swimming. It swims like a octopus flailing its tentacles I've
posted on a reef forum and looked all over the Internet researching this
thing but have come up with nothing. Any help would be appreciated.
<Looks like a hydroid jellyfish to me. More here:
http://www.ronshimek.com/Animal%20Groups%203%20Cnidarians.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/jellyidfaqs.htm >
I do have it in a catch bucket but was wondering if it’s safe to put it
in my reef.
<Likely wouldn't hurt. Populations tend to wax and wane. Is interesting
to observer for sure.>
Thank you for any help you can give me.
<Hope this helps. Mich>
Jim |
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Identification
question 2/23/08
Hi you guys have great info here. I was curious if there was anyone
there who can ID these things in my tank.
<Mmm, are Corallimorphs. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/corallim.htm
and the linked files above>
They look like some sort of mushroom. Several have come off the rock
they were initially growing on. Where they had been attached has a hard
stony reminder. The ones that have come off are living happily on the
bottom of my tank. These can blow up to quite a large size, 5-6 inches
across and 1.5 inches "tall", or expel their water and get down to being
just 1-1.5 inches across and maybe 1/4 inch tall when fully compressed.
One pic is taken under actinic lighting and the other is under white
light.
<Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Bob Fenner> |
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 These
are actually anthocauli, i.e. baby Fungia -Sara M. |
LR Critter ID
2/18/08
Hi all,
Thanks for putting together such a great site. I can spend hour upon
hour sifting through all the great data. The wife is threatening to
limit my time on WWM.
<I have recently "found" your message delinquently here... Will respond>
I need help identifying this little critter that hitchhiked in on some
live rock (see attached photo. Its not the best quality. It's harder
than I thought to get a nice clean picture). Its about a quarter of an
inch tall by 3/16 diameter cream colored stalk topped with a group of
white/translucent balls at the end.
<Yes... some sort of polypoid, Cnidarian animal>
Its growing in a shaded area of the rock. Originally, this little guy
hung around about a month after I cured the rock then receded to barely
visible nub. I figured that it was a critter that couldn't survive in
the tank and didn't think about it much. However, it has now grown,
receded back a nub and grown back again 3 more times over the last 5
months. Since it seems rather tenacious, I would like to see if I can
provide better for its needs.
Any ideas or pointers to it's identity would be greatly appreciated?
Thanks in advance.
Dave
<Might be an anemone... perhaps a Zoanthid... to some degree
photosynthetic maybe... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnididfaqs.htm
and the linked files above and where you find them in text... till you
find enough information to satisfy you. Bob Fenner> |
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Help with ID
please 2/8/08
Hiya....Its Andrew by the way...from here on WWM...
<Hello Andrew. Nice to see you from "the other side">
Would it be possible for anybody to ID the pointed out in the attached
picture please...A friend has asked myself, and I do not know...learning
time for me I guess...
Thanks ladies and gents..
Andrew
<Mmm... interesting. My best guess is that this may be a sea pen of some
sort... does the "head" ever open up? If so, would you have an image,
close-up of this sent along? Cheers, Bob Fenner> |
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Ricordea under a rock
ledge... Maybe Majanos 2/5/08
Hi All,
I love your website! I have learned so much from it along with the book "The
Conscientious Marine Aquarist".
<Hello and thanks! Bob's book is great isn't it?!>
I recently acquired a 55 gallon reef tank set up with LR and LS. It was
covered with green hair algae that has now died off (amazing what decent
water will do). OMG the things that are now appearing on the rocks! I have
discovered 3 Ricordea under a ledge of the biggest rock and completely in
shadow about 2-3 inches above the substrate. Will they move to seek the
light or should I try to move them? If I need to move them, how should I go
about doing it? Due to the angle, I can't get a chisel in there to get them
on a chunk of rock.
Thanks so much in advance. These are very pretty bright green little guys I
really want to help out.
Peg
<Peg, Ricordea don't usually just pop out on rocks. However, Majano Anemones
do. Here is some FAQ's...
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemoniafaqs.htm
These types of anemones pack a big sting and are not very well liked by
aquarist as they sting and kill corals. Google "Majano Anemone Pics" and see
if they are the same ones you have. HTH, Rich...aka...Mr. Firemouth>
Re: Ricordea under a
rock ledge 2/8/08
Thanks, Rich (Mr. Firemouth? Surely there's a story to that alias)
<I love to breed Firemouth Cichlids.>
I've read all areas on your website and looked at pictures on the web.
It doesn't look like any I've seen: no pedicle, lies flat and no bubble
tips. Still it must be a Majano of some sort. I just got a Ricordea Yuma
and they sure look alike in structure.
<It could be possible that it is a juvenile Rhodactis Mushroom Coral
from the Tonga area. They would have the Yuma Ricordea
appearance/structures.>
I'm going to go with Anthony's response to "Pest Anemone" on 2/14/03,
pretend they're not a pest and try to keep the pretty little guys from
multiplying.
<To help prevent rapid spreading of a pest anemone while keeping it in
the system, you can take the rock it is on and make an island away from
the main liverock structure. These anemones spread in close proximity of
each other and can be concentrated on one rock by keeping the rock
isolated. Many times these majano type anemones tear their "foot" while
moving and create a new anemone. This is known as petal laceration.
Another thing they do is divide. They "split" into 2 separate pieces.
Therefore, it is much harder for them to spread all over if they are
isolated. A picture of the anemone would help. Good luck and happy
reefing!-Rich>
Thanks again,
Peg
Re: Ricordea under a rock
ledge 2-14-08
Hi,
I'm sorry for the delay in responding. I did not have much (OK any) success with
my attempts to photograph the "thing". I finally found a
picture on the web and it looks just like mine, it is labeled as a green
Ricordea. I dug out my dive camera, but need new batteries. I will keep trying.
Thanks again,
Peg
<After reviewing the pic provided it does look like Ricordea floridae. Here is a
link with more info...
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallim.htm
<<Image not placed as it is others property. RMF>>
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ID help,
please 2/5/08
Hey Crew,
<Andy>
Presently curing a batch of live rock pending setting up my tank in
March, and came across these on a small piece of rubble; not a great
picture, I know, but any thoughts you might have are much appreciated.
Iıve searched all of the sponge and anemone ID pages, and Iım not having
any luck.
I donıt THINK theyıre Aiptasia, but Iım a relatively new to the hobby
havenıt seen all of the variants of that pest. What do you think, friend
or foe?
Thanks,
Andy
<The larger batch of stalked polyps at top? Please see here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/zoidfaq2.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: ID help, please
2/5/08
Thanks, Bob. Yeah, they do resemble the Palythoa, with one row of 6-8
tentacles. I thought I read that the Zoas are toxic,
<Are, to many organisms... including humans>
but my hermit crab seemed to enjoy them as a snack... twice. Looks like
they’re easy to care for, as well. I’ll keep looking to see if I can
classify them more accurately. Thanks!
Andy
<A closer-up pic please. BobF> |
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Re: ID help, please 2/5/08
Bob (or crew),
<Andy>
Hereıs a little better picture, not much, but such are the limitations
of my little digital camera. This is certainly a truer color. A friend
suggested these might be Green Star Polyps.
<Does appear to be a Clavulariid>
Thanks again,
Andy
<BobF> |
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