White windy things  11/18/06
WWM - I need help.  I am new to the salt water aquariums.  I have had my 75 gallon tank up for about 9 months now and I just noticed a new addition to my aquarium.  I thought it was a worm of some sort and have searched your website but none of the pictures look like my little visitor.  It is a white long tube about 3 times as thick as a piece of hair and is very long and winds itself up.  I have 2 of these on the glass and one of these on a rock.
  Can you let me know what it is and if it is harmless??
<Mmm, is very likely harmless, but can't tell you definitively which worm group (or even if this is a worm) for certain>
By the way you have a great site.  I have learned a ton over the last couple days trying to research this new visitor.  Any help would be appreciated.
Kristin
<I would not be worried re these... will likely "pass" in time as conditions, predation dynamic develops in your system. Bob Fenner>

Help With Lisa' Mystery Critter - 11/18/06
Hello,
<<Howdy>>
I read your FAQ's almost every day and I noticed the email conversations regarding the email I included at the bottom of this message.
<<Ok>>
Not to butt in
<<No worries>>
but it seemed like you were kind of stumped and I thought maybe I could try to help you out since you have helped me so much in the past!
<<Help is always welcome>>
I saw the photo yesterday that Lisa had submitted and I am almost 99% sure that the creature in her picture is some kind of worm.
<<Very likely, yes>>
I have numerous worms in my tank that look exactly like the one in her photo.
<<Really?>>
They are black (dark gray) and white, only come out at night, and are extremely sensitive to light.
<<Does sound very similar>>
I have had them in my tank for over a year now and have only recently noticed (within the last month) that if you pay close attention to them, the very end of their Head (?) is similar in appearance to a feather duster but not feathery, more like 5 or 6 short tentacles (don't know if this makes sense but it is the only way of explaining it without drawing a picture).
<<Does make sense...very interesting>>
When the worm retreats, the tentacles retract into the body and the worm shrinks away.  Obviously I spend way too many hours gawking at my fish tank, even after the lights go out!
<<Hee!  Much to be seen even when the lights are out...>>
Unfortunately I have no idea what the name of this creature is, only that I am quite sure it is some kind of worm.
<<Does sound as if...>>
Also, it has never seemed to bother anything in my tank, only beneficially scavenging around the rocks.
<<As is the case with most>>
I hope this is helpful.  I am certainly not an expert; so if my input is in any way annoying, please let me know.  I won't be offended and will refrain from making any suggestions in the future.
<<I am no expert either...and I "thank you" for this input>>
On the topic of worms, two quick questions while I'm writing, if you don't mind?
<<Not at all>>
I am thinking about getting a tank raised Pseudochromis fridmani and have read that these fish eat worms.
<<Very often true>>
I enjoy the diversity of the many different worms in my 55gal.  Do you think this fish would decimate my population of worms or just keep them in check?
<<Mmm, hard to say...but likely the latter>>
Also, are these guys prone to jumping out?
<<Have heard so>>
I know that any fish can, but I am curious if these fish are very likely to do this.
<<These fish are widely considered to be as "jumpy" as many of the commonly kept wrasse species>>
I want to leave my tank uncovered.
<<I would...>>
Thanks so much for all your help!!!
-Nick
<<Quite welcome.  EricR>>

Re: Nitrates, Now ID Question 11/15/06
Hi James,
<Hello Jon>
I have some creatures/ things that I need help in identifying. I am beginning to think that a good digital camera is a must part of reef keeping. All I have right now is my old 35 mm film based camera. I tried taking pictures but without the zooming capability,
<Macro capabilities are much better in this regard.  Most digital cameras have this feature.>
I will probably just end up with arrows on the pictures and say “look James can you see it?” So I guess I will just have to describe it as best I can for now.
I have a lot (guesstimate probably 100+) of this tiny white spiral shell like things appearing on my tank glass and live rocks. They are about 1 mm in size (circumference). I tried researching for a description/name and/or pictures at your website and other websites using keywords as described above and came across the word “spirorbidea”. But I am still not sure what to make of it without photos to compare it to. So I have decided to ask you again. I feel guilty for not knowing this upfront and end up bothering you all the time.
<No problem, I am continually learning about creatures as you will be.>
Please accept my apology in advance and at the same time express my utmost appreciation for your generosity in lending us your wealth of knowledge and experience, your valuable inputs for all of us new hopefuls.
<Thank you for the kind words.  The wealth of knowledge is spread amongst the crew, some being more knowledgeable on some subjects than others.>
Going back, what do you think they are?
<Without a pic, I'd say they are Spirorbid Tubeworms (polychaeta).>
Are these spiral shell-like things the initial stages on the life of an Aiptasia?
<Nope.>
I just hope that this is not the dreaded Aiptasia everyone is talking about.
<Not to worry.>
How can I differentiate it between a fan worms if they are still small. I am now confused if what I have in my tank are fan worms, Aiptasia, or this spirorbidea.
<Use a magnifying glass to observe, should see the very small fan of the worm.>
Also, there are a few cocoon-like things with hairs on the tip that are mostly growing on the low light portions of my live rocks. One of the cocoons is almost 3 cm long. I can best describe it as a wad of cotton.
<Again, without a pic...?  I've seen such, Bob would know, Oh Bob...> <<Likely sponges, perhaps other sedentariate Polychaetes... RMF>>
In addition, I have these small shrimp like bugs that is probably less than 5 mm long. I have a lot of them. I mean a lot. They are all over the place moving in and out of the live rocks and even on the sand. Even my refugium has them. If my guess is right, I think it is called an amphipod.
<Amphipods/Copepods, and as you say, beneficial.>
I have seen photos of it online and it sure look like it. They are beneficial and are detritivores right? Do some if not all types of fish eat them?
<Yes to both, but smaller fish will dine on them more so than larger fish.>
I ask because my fish seems to ignore them. These critters travel all over my tank boldly. There hasn’t been a day that I have not seen their empty shell floating around. Maybe my fish simply like the formula 1 and 2 flakes soaked in garlic a lot better. Every time I approach the tank, all my fishes are like dogs wiggling tail asking for more food. My clowns and green chromis eat right off my hand. They are so used to my hand in the tank now they are no longer afraid of it.
<Ahh, the beginner's joys of discovery.>
What can you say about aqua cultured fighting conch?
<Good herbivores, although they grown quite large.  As they grow, there will generally not be enough food on the rocks to satisfy them, and supplemental feedings
of dried seaweed will be necessary for their survival.  My opinion, not worth the effort.>
For the last fish in my tank, I will be adding a copperband butterfly fish simply for its looks. I just love its profile and coloration.
<Everyone does.>
I know it is a difficult fish to keep but knowing myself, I would still end up getting it anyways as I have already set my mind on it even before I started the tank. What would be your advice to me for me to successfully keep it? I have not lost a single livestock yet and I intend to keep it that way.
<Copperbands do best in large tanks with plenty of healthy live rock.  Any tubeworm population will soon be gone.  Your copepod population will quickly
diminish also.  The difficulty with these fish is acclimating them to prepared/frozen foods. Read FAQ's here re this.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chelmonfdgfaq.htm>
Bioload: 2 false percs, 3 green chromis, 1 purple firefish, 10 Cerith snails, 10 margarita snails, 10 turbo snails, 20 blue legged hermit crabs, 1 serpent star, 1 peppermint shrimp, and 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 Frogspawn, 1 Hammer Coral, 1 Yellow Fiji Leather Coral, Multi-Colored Polyp colony and 1 green open brain.
<Yikes!  Would not put a Copperband in a tank with these corals.  There will more than likely be nipped on.>
Tank: 60 gallon tank (48” x 25” x 12”) with 28.45 gal DIY sump/ refugium.
Equipment: 260 watt total (12k and True Actinic 03 combination), 125 Coralife Needle Wheel Super Skimmer, 18 watt 6x Coralife Twist UV Sterilizer, 2 200 watt Jager Heater, Mag 5 return pump, and 2 Maxijet 1200 powerhead.
Thanks again James and more power to you and your site.
<You're welcome, Jon.  James (Salty Dog)>
Jon Glorioso
Naugatuck, CT
<Luck you, living in such a scenic area.>

Help! Small reef, critters   12/4/06
Hey!
<Get me my saddle!>
I've been successfully looking after my black & white clown in a 30 ltr aquarium for a few months now.
<Too small a volume...>
  He is in there with a few other critters too.  The setup is as follows:
I have a Mirabello 30 aquarium:
I have replaced the carbon with a VERY good phosphate remover laid out in wool.  It has plenty of biological action on the go and I use nothing but synthetic seawater for water changes.  There is a venturi device that is turned down very low (it causes a very small timed jet of bubbles) and an Interpet AirVolution Mini.
I use test kits and never have readings of nitrites, nitrates or phosphates.
I have replaced the standard yellow lights with a blue/white actinic light bulb.
Everything mechanically and filter wise is good.
My inhabitants are:
1 x 1" black & white clownfish
1 x 3/4" emerald crab
1 x 1" blue-legged hermit crab
1 x 1" turbo snail
1 x 1" red snail (I picked up from the Irish Sea on holiday and brought him back - doing great)
Lots of live rock, an anemone (the clown never leaves it!), polyps, xenia.
<... dangerous mix in time>
Plenty of Mysid shrimp, baby snails, worms and weird things that grow on the glass.
Here lies my problem.  What are the things on the glass?  I have done lots of research and found that people often complain about pods - white things that sit on the glass.  My pest is brown and 1 - 2 mm in size.  They have a lighter part in the middle of their body.  Any ideas?
<All sorts>
What can I do to get rid of them - especially in the way of fish.  I hope you will say that a neon goby will eat them up.
<Maybe... but I'm inclined to leave these be... whatever they are... highly likely innocuous to beneficial... will pass in time...>
Also, I have found a baby starfish - I'm pretty sure it's a brittle-star.  It is nearly all white except for it's main body part - is this normal for babies (It's body is no more than 2mm in diameter)?
<See WWM re http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm>
Well, thanks for listening, I know I've dribbled on but I am please that my first venture into marine aquaria is doing well.
Si
<Thank you for sharing. Re my concerns about the species listed... please do look these up individually on WWM, read re their Compatibility, Systems... Bob Fenner>